Facts Short Biography of cartoonist R. K. Laxman
Facts Short Biography of cartoonist R. K. Laxman
Short Biography, Facts – Indian Cartoonist R.K. Laxman
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Name - Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Iyer Laxman aka R.K. Laxman
Born - 24 October 1921, Mysore, India
Few websites mention his birth date as 23 October 1921
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Occupation - Cartoonist, Illustrator
He is widely regarded as India’s one of top cartoonist and is best known for his creation The Common Man.
The British cartoonist David Low’s work influenced him as well.
Hilariously, for many years Laxman was under the impression that Low’s signature was ‘cow’.
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Family Background –
His father was a headmaster and Laxman was the youngest of six sons; his older brother is the famous novelist R. K. Narayan.
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Marriage - R.K.Laxman-
First Marriage –
He was first married to the Bharatanatyam dancer and film actress Kumari Kamala Laxman, who began her film career as a child actress named "Baby Kamala," and graduated into adult roles under the name "Kumari Kamala" ("Miss Kamala").
They were divorced,
Second Marriage –
Laxman later married a lady whose first name was again Kamala.
This was the authoress and children's book writer Kamala Laxman.
In a cartoon series named "The star I never met" in film magazine Filmfare he painted a cartoon of Kamala Laxman, with the title "The star I only met!” The couple had no children and divided their time between Mumbai and Pune.
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Education –
Laxman wanted to study at Bombay’s J. J. School of Art but was denied admission on the grounds that he lacked “the kind of talent to qualify for enrolment in institution as a student”.
He finally graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Mysore and had simultaneously started contributing cartoons for publications
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Cartoonist Profession –
Laxman's earliest work was for newspapers and magazines such as Swarajya and Blitz. While still at the Maharaja College of Mysore, he began to illustrate his elder brother R K Narayan's stories in The Hindu, and he drew political cartoons for the local newspapers and for the Swatantra.
Laxman also drew cartoons, for the Kannada humour magazine, Koravanji. Incidentally, Koravanji was founded in 1942 by Dr M Shivaram who was an allopath and had a clinic around Majestic area in Bangalore.
He started this monthly magazine, dedicating it to hilarious/satirical articles and cartoons. Dr Shivaram himself was an eminent humourist in Kannada. He encouraged Laxman quite a lot. He held a summer job at the Gemini Studios, Madras.
His first full-time job was as a political cartoonist for the The Free Press Journal in Mumbai, BAL Thackeray, was his colleague.
Laxman later joined The Times of India, beginning a career that has spanned for over fifty years. His "common man" character, featured in his pocket cartoons, is portrayed as a witness to the making of democracy.
Anthropologist Ritu G. Khanduri notes, "R. K. Laxman structures his cartoon-news through a plot about corruption and a set of characters.
This news is visualized and circulates through the recurring figures of the mantri (Minister), the Common Man and the trope of modernity symbolized by the airplane
He also created a popular mascot for the Asian Paints group called Gattu in 1954.
Laxman has also penned a few novels.
His cartoons have appeared in Hindi films such as Mr. & Mrs. '55 and a Tamil film Kamaraj.
His creations also include the sketches drawn for the television adaptation of Malgudi Days which was written by his elder brother R K Narayan and directed by Shankar Nag.
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There is a chair named after R. K. Laxman at Symbiosis International University.
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Bibliography of R.K. Laxman –
He Said It "The Common Man." Speaks...Wheelman Press
The Eloquent Brush: A Selection of Cartoons from Nehru to Rajiv
50 Years of Independence through the eyes of R.K.Laxman
The Best of Laxman series
Hotel Riviera
The Messenger
Servants of India
The Tunnel of Time (autobiography)
His autobiography Lakshmanrekha is published in Marathi.
The Reel World [cartoons] published by Marwah Studios
Brushing Up the Years- A Cartoonist's History of India- 1947 to the Present- Penguin Books
India through the Eyes of R. K. Laxman – Then To Now (CD-ROM).
Laxman Rekhas-A TOI Publication
R K Laxman Ki Duniya – A Television show on SAB TV.
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Date –
Monday, January 19, 2015
Pune -
Laxman, was admitted to the intensive care unit of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital for urinary infection.
"Laxman is critically ill, but stable. He was admitted for urinary infection along with a with multi-organ failure. We have put him on a ventilator," hospital sources told PTI, adding that the cartoonist underwent dialysis yesterday.
Watch the video Six decades of RK Laxman and his 'Common Man'
Reality views by sm –
Monday, January 19, 2015
Tags – Autobiography Biography Facts Cartoonist R.K.Laxman
2 comments:
Teaching is not same as training. I have "proved" teaching means cooperation in one of the writeup earlier, now deleted.
Looking back, I got cooperation in schooling in Tamil school in Delhi. The cooperation could have resulted in training at Jamia. But I said no to the only question asked in interview. The question was "Do you know the principle behind working of a jet engine?".
I got cooperation in Coimbatore as a student in KCT.
Currently I am training at home like an English butler. I mean, improving every work I do.
The point is education cannot do much if one is unwilling.
But training can be self learnt and that is the way workplaces should be.
R K Laxman was not willful enough to get education at J J Arts. That was destiny. But he self trained and improved to this level.
I copy because I cannot imagine like him. But I try to be accurate.
@Kirtivasan Ganesan
thanks.