Tributes paid to R K Narayan on his death anniversary
Bengaluru: One of the writers of early Indian literature in English, R K Narayan, known for his seminal works like 'Malgudi Days' and 'The Guide' passed away on this day in 2001. Born in Chennai, Narayan spent a considerable time in Mysuru of Karnataka. He passed away after a prolonged illness in a Chennai hospital. The writer, known for his 'unpretentious' style of writing, eventually found fame beyond India as well.
In a review of Narayan's works published in 'The New Yorker' American novelist and critique, John Updike called him a 'writer of a vanishing breed – the writer as a citizen; one who identifies completely with his subjects and with a belief in the significance of humanity.'
Karnataka's elected representatives took to 'X' to remember the legend on his death anniversary on Tuesday. 'Remembering the literary giant #RKNarayan on his death anniversary. Through his gentle wit and deep humanity, he turned everyday Indian life into timeless 'Malgudi' literature. In doing so, his stories showed us that simplicity holds depth, and ordinary lives carry extraordinary meaning,' wrote Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, D K Shivakumar.
Remembering the literary giant, UT Khader, speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly and MLA of Mangaluru, said, 'His characters, simple yet profound, continue to live in the hearts of readers, offering a mirror to our everyday lives with warmth, wit, and gentle irony.'
BJP legislator, Byrathi Basavaraja, MLA of K R Pura constituency, paid his tribute to 'the foremost among Indian English writers' too. MLA of Mahalakshmi Layout in Bengaluru K Gopalaiah said, '…the master storyteller brought 'Malgudi' to life and made Indian English literature truly our own.'
Araga Jnanendra, MLA of Thirthalli and Munirathna, MLA of Rajarajeshwarinagar were among those who paid their tributes to the uber-famous writer and his 'timeless words'. Meanwhile, national broadcaster Akashvani has reposted an interview of Narayan by U R Ananthamurthy, yet another literary giant who was shaped by the socio-politics of Karnataka, especially Mysuru, in remembrance of the day. The interview, available in Akashvani's official YouTube channel, was commissioned by AIR Mysuru.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Only state can decide on declaring Samanatham tank as sanctuary: HC
Madurai: Madras high court on Wednesday observed that it is for the state govt to take a decision to declare Samanatham tank in Thiruparankundram in Madurai district as a bird sanctuary. A division bench of justice S M Subramaniam and justice A D Maria Clete observed that no doubt bird migration activities are going on in Samanatham tank. However, such decisions have to be taken by the govt on the recommendation of the competent authorities and after obtaining reports from the experts. The declaration of a tank as a sanctuary requires certain procedures to be followed under the Statute and Rules in force. The court, not being an expert body, cannot substitute the expert views. Therefore, the court may not be in a position to issue a positive direction to declare the tank as a sanctuary. The court is of the considered view that the authorities may take note of the facts reiterated by the division bench while initiating the suo motu proceedings and, if necessary, process the same in the manner known to law, the judges observed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo The court passed the order while disposing of a suo motu proceeding seeking a direction to the state to declare Samanatham tank as a bird sanctuary in terms of Section 18 of the Wildlife Protection Act. The tank is presently under the control and maintenance of the public works department (PWD). The waterbody provides habitat for more than 150 species of birds. The tank also provides habitat for two vulnerable species, namely the Indian spotted eagle and great spotted eagle. Owing to the biodiversity and, in particular, the unique natural bird habitat, there were various appeals to protect the tank by declaring it as a bird sanctuary. The action is necessitated in light of the fact that the waterbody is vulnerable to poaching, loss of natural habitat, and is easily accessible to the public, which gravely threatens the natural habitat of these birds. If the said waterbody is declared as a sanctuary, it would be subjected to restrictions as to entry in terms of Section 27 of the Act and various other protective measures as envisaged under Chapter IV of the Act of 1972, as a protected area. Earlier, a public interest litigation was filed by R Manibarahti seeking a direction to the govt to declare the tank as a bird sanctuary. The court closed the petition after the state submitted that a proposal was sent in this regard to the govt.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Eng-Beng-physics worry prompts ‘cluster' schools
1 2 3 Kolkata: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education is set to introduce a cluster model for schools to address teacher shortage in the higher secondary section. The council conducted a survey of all subjects being taught in Plus-II at state schools and found that around 10,000-12,000 teachers are employed for English and Bengali for 16 lakh-odd students. The survey also revealed a teacher shortage in physics. The main reason behind the shortfall is the recent scrapping of jobs of 26,570 school staffers following a Supreme Court order, migration of teachers from rural schools to urban locations and retirements. To ensure that education is not affected till new teachers are recruited, especially after a semester system was introduced to Plus-II with several new subjects and courses, the state council has decided on launching the cluster system, likely from Oct. Under the cluster system, students at a school, without a teacher in a particular subject, will attend those particular classes with the students of a neighbouring school, which has a teacher in that subject. According to the plan, the joint classes will be held for seven schools, located within a radius of 3.5km-4 km. "Our aim is to provide quality education. We have introduced new science subjects that need more attention. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo So this system will help us ensure a good learning process without merging schools or transferring teachers," said council president Chiranjib Bhattacharya. Officials have completed the mapping of schools in Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, East and West Burdwan, Howrah, and Hooghly. In each district, around 30 clusters have been identified, where they prepared subject- and course-wise clusters to address the teachers' shortage. The exercise will soon be extended to north Bengal. Council secretary Priyadarshini Mallick said, "The mapping of schools located in the districts in south Bengal has already been completed. We will have a meeting with the officials of regional offices to explain the plan so that the school heads in their respective districts, an be briefed about the format."
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Madurai ranks third in state-level learning survey, but scores dip in higher classes
Madurai: Madurai district has ranked third in the State Level Achievement Survey (SLAS) 2025, which assessed learning outcomes among gov and aided school students in Classes III, V, and VIII. The district consistently scored above the state average, particularly in Class III, but showed a steady decline in performance in higher classes. According to data accessed by TOI, among 11,064 Class III students surveyed across 1,228 schools in Madurai, scores were above 70% in Tamil, English, and EVS. However, Maths lagged at 62.78%, with just 13% of students meeting the learning outcome for comparing numbers based on place value. "The sample included around 20 students per school and was evaluated independently by trained District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) college students," said an official from the education department. "Even though performance dipped in higher classes, the district remained above the state average." In Class V, among 12,074 students from 1,230 schools, the average score in English dropped to 56.8%, with only 40% achieving the benchmark for reading comprehension. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dukung Orang Terkasih Menghadapi Limfoma: Mulai Di Sini Limfoma Baca Undo Maths and EVS hovered around 63%. In Class VIII, scores further declined — 43.3% in English and 44.7% in Maths. Reading comprehension in English dropped to 25%, while performance in higher-order Maths was also weak. Science and Social Science scores stood at 43.08% and 60.92%, respectively. Teachers cited poor attendance and an unfavourable student-teacher ratio as key factors behind the decline. "Most students come from Tamil-medium backgrounds, so difficulties in English are expected," said a Madurai school headmaster. "Subjects like Maths require regular attendance, which remains inconsistent since attendance is not mandatory for passing." Girls outperformed boys, and urban students scored better than their rural peers across all levels. The lack of adequate staffing was also flagged. "Many rural primary schools have just two teachers, often managing multiple classes. The sanctioned second teacher is appointed only when student strength crosses 70," said P Sreenivasan, district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers Federation. Alongside Madurai, other southern districts such as Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, and Sivagangai also ranked among the state's top five performers. Kanyakumari led the state with an overall score of 66.5%, with three of its blocks featuring among the best-performing in Tamil Nadu.
