R. K. Narayan (10 October 1906 – 13 May 2001) was an Indian writer best known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. Writing in simple, gently humorous English, he portrayed the everyday lives of ordinary people. His books include Swami and Friends, The English Teacher, The Guide and Malgudi Days. Along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao, he is regarded as one of the founders of Indian writing in English.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami |
| Born | 10 October 1906, Madras (now Chennai), India |
| Died | 13 May 2001, Chennai (aged 94) |
| Occupation | Novelist, short-story writer |
| Education | Maharaja’s College, Mysore (B.A. 1930) |
| Spouse | Rajam (d. 1939) |
| Children | 1 (Hema) |
| Sibling | R. K. Laxman (cartoonist) |
| Honours | Sahitya Akademi Award (1960), Padma Bhushan (1964), Padma Vibhushan (2000) |
| Known for | Malgudi; Swami and Friends; The Guide |
Early Life
Narayan was born in Madras, one of eight children. His father was a school headmaster whose job took the family to Mysore, but Narayan spent his early years in Madras in the care of his grandmother, who taught him arithmetic, mythology and classical music. He was an indifferent student who loved reading. He graduated from Maharaja’s College in Mysore in 1930, briefly tried teaching, and then decided to stay at home and write. His youngest brother, R. K. Laxman, became India’s most famous cartoonist and illustrated many of his books.
Career
Narayan’s first novel, Swami and Friends, about a schoolboy in the imaginary town of Malgudi, was rejected by several publishers. A friend showed the manuscript to the English novelist Graham Greene, who found a publisher for it in 1935 and became a lifelong friend and supporter. The Bachelor of Arts (1937) and The Dark Room (1938) followed. After his wife’s death in 1939 he wrote The English Teacher (1945), a deeply personal novel about a man who loses his wife.
In his middle years Narayan wrote the books many consider his best: Mr. Sampath (1949), The Financial Expert (1952), Waiting for the Mahatma (1955), The Man-Eater of Malgudi (1961) and The Vendor of Sweets (1967). The Guide (1958), the story of a tourist guide who is mistaken for a holy man, won him the Sahitya Akademi Award and was made into the celebrated Hindi film Guide (1965), starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman.
Narayan published shortened prose versions of the Ramayana (1972) and the Mahabharata (1978), a memoir, My Days (1974), and further Malgudi novels such as A Tiger for Malgudi (1983). His short stories were collected in Malgudi Days, which was adapted into a much-loved television series directed by Shankar Nag in 1986. He was a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1992, where he spoke about the heavy school bags carried by children.
Personal Life
In the early 1930s Narayan married Rajam, whom he had first seen fetching water in Coimbatore; he persuaded both families to agree despite their horoscopes not matching. She died of typhoid in 1939, leaving him with a young daughter, Hema. He never remarried. He lived for most of his life in Mysore and moved to Chennai in his last years, where he died on 13 May 2001, aged 94.
Awards and Honours
Selected Works
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was R. K. Narayan born?
R. K. Narayan was born on 10 October 1906 in Madras (now Chennai), India.
When did R. K. Narayan die?
Died: 13 May 2001, Chennai (aged 94).
What is R. K. Narayan known for?
Known for: Malgudi; Swami and Friends; The Guide.
What honours has R. K. Narayan received?
Sahitya Akademi Award (1960), Padma Bhushan (1964), Padma Vibhushan (2000).
Featured image: R. K. Narayan reading a collection by his friend and supporter Graham Greene.
