Remembering RK Narayan on his birth anniversary: RK Narayan is one of the well-known authors in India. His writings were widely consumed by people, one of his famous book Malgudi Days contained multiple stories about Swami and his friends, the book later becomes a popular tv show which was aired on Doordarshan.
Born on October 10, 1906, Narayan passed away in 2001 at the age of 94 and left behind a treasure trove of stories that will be relished till eternity.
Legendary writer Narayan is known for his simple, subtle yet humorous style of writing. The fictional character Swami was, in fact, thought to be his alter-ego. Some of his best work includes The Bachelor of Arts (1937), The Dark Room (1938), The English Teacher (1945), The Financial Expert (1952), The Guide (1958), The Man-Eater of Malgudi (1961) and The Godmother’s Tale. One of his books The Guide was also adapted into a famous Bollywood movie. Narayan’s writings are still counted among the best the country has ever produced, and rightly so.
Narayan bagged many awards for his writings including the Sahitya Akademi Award for The Guide, the Padma Bhushan in 1964 and the AC Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Literature in 1980. He introduced the world to Indian writing in English.
RK Narayan birth anniversary: some of his best work:
1. Swami and Friends
Published in 1935, Swami and Friends is still counted among Narayan’s best works to date. It is also referred to as one of the world’s best English novels.
2. The fictional town of Malgudi
Brainwired by Narayan himself, the fictional town of Malgudi went on to become synonymous to the author’s stories.
3. The Financial Expert
Counted among Narayan’s best works, The Financial Expert is also set in the town of Malgudi and revolves around the life of Margayya. The book’s simplicity garnered a huge amount of adoration for Narayan.
4. The Guide
The Dev Anand-starrer romantic-drama film Guide was actually inspired by Narayan’s book, The Guide but Narayan criticised the film.
Also read: World Mental Health Day 2020: Check out these amazing tips to stay mentally healthy amid pandemic
World Mental Health Day 2020: Theme, history, and facts about mental health
