“He is a journalist who, for more than 50 years, through his chosen medium, covered virtually every major event of significance in India. I cannot think of any other journalist who did it day after day, in a sustained way, with a signature style... covering politics and public affairs in this country. There are would-be geniuses, there are those that think they are geniuses — most of them are not — but R.K. Laxman was a true genius,” said N. Ram, director, The Hindu Group of Publications Pvt. Ltd., at the birth centenary celebrations of renowned cartoonist R.K. Laxman at the Leela Palace hotel in Chennai on Sunday.
Laxman’s website, laxmanlegacy.com, and a calendar were unveiled at the event, attended by a number of well-known personalities from various sections of society, such as Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan, film producer Pushpa Kandasamy, actors Sivakumar and Siddharth and cartoonists Madan and Keshav, among others.
Mr. Ram said there is a need for a good biography of R.K. Laxman.
He has written some elements of his autobiography and others have written about it. But it has to be an independent work, not a hagiography. There are so many facets of him that need to be brought out, he said.
“On this day, we can proclaim, without anyone daring to dispute, that he was a true genius and a unique figure in Indian journalism,” Mr. Ram said.
Chartered Accountant, activist and columnist S. Gurumurthy recounted how he spoke to Laxman about joining Indian Express, to which he reportedly said: “If anyone touches my cartoon and says that this cartoon will not go, that day I will join you”.
“Laxman acquired that freedom and it was untouched,” he added.
