Cartoonist R.K. Laxman to get a Memorial

Pune, Jan 27 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a memorial for legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman who passed away here late Monday.

"Laxman was not just a cartoonist - what he said through his cartoons will inspire future governments...Though he is no more, The Common Man he created will live forever," Fadnavis said Tuesday while paying homage to Laxman here.

In a rare honour, Maharashtra government accorded a state funeral to Laxman, 94, who died in a private hospital Monday after a brief illness.

With his body draped ceremoniously, the last rites were performed with full state honours at Vaikuntha Crematorium here, this afternoon.

Top political leaders, media personalities, industrialists, film personalities and others have condoled his death, besides an outpouring of grief, affection and love for him on various social networking sites.

Besides Fadnavis, several of his cabinet colleagues, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and commoners from different walks of life came to a private college here to pay tributes to Laxman.

The brother of late English novelist R.K. Narayan, Laxman is survived by his writer wife Kamala, retired journalist son Srinivas and daughter-in-law Usha.

He had been admitted to a private hospital around 11 days ago for a urinary tract infection and lung problems, and later to Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital.

Laxman had suffered multiple organs failure, but responded well to the treatment and bounced back. Three days later, he was taken off the ventilator and shifted to the intensive care unit.

Renowned for his creation of The Common Man, which ran for several decades in The Times of India, under the title "You Said It", Laxman breathed his last late Monday evening at the hospital.