RK Narayan was also one of the first Indian writers post-independence who grabbed the attention of the Western world with his simple and subtle writing style.
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Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, popularly known as RK Narayan, remains one of India’s most loved writers. He along with his contemporaries, Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao, were among the leading authors of Indian English literature post-Independence.
Better known as the creator of Malgudi Days, RK Narayan died on 13 May 2001 at the age of 94. Some of his notable works include Swami and His Friends, Malgudi Days, The Man-Eater of Malgudi, and The Guide, among others.
RK Narayan was also one of the first Indian writers post-independence who grabbed the attention of the Western world with his simple and subtle writing style. On his death anniversary, the nation remembers the brilliant writer, who created a fictional universe that was loved by everyone.
On RK Narayan’s 21st death anniversary, here are some of the interesting facts about the author:
1. RK Narayan was brought up by his grandmother who also gave him the nickname Kunjappa.
2. Somerset Maugham, a British writer visited India to meet RK Narayan. But when he was unable to meet the author, he wrote a letter expressing his deep admiration for Narayan.
3. Narayan was nominated for the Nobel prize in Literature on more than one occasion, but he never won.
4. Following his success, RK Narayan was elected as an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
5. He also won the AC Benson Medal, which was presented to him by the Royal Society of Literature.
6. English novelist Graham Greene read Narayan’s Malgudi Days manuscript and recommended it to the famous publisher Hamish Hamilton.
7. The late author received his first honorary doctorate from the University of Leeds.
8. The Rockefeller Foundation, USA, offered a fellowship to RK Narayan. During his time there, the author delivered many lectures at esteemed institutes like the University of California, Berkeley.
9. RK Narayan was a recipient of Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.
10. Narayan also received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel The Guide.