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OBITUARY |
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Long innings as a storyteller
India has lost a superb author, says Lord Paul
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OBITUARY
The
most read columnist of India is no more. Khushwant Singh’s columns were published in many newspapers, including ‘The Tribune’. They were translated into many languages and provided Indians with a window in which they saw the world through the eyes of the long-time resident of Sujan Singh Park in New Delhi. Sujan Singh Park is named after his grandfather and it is there that the grand old man of Indian literature passed away
on Thursday. He was 99. Khushwant Singh was a scholar of no mean accomplishments. He made his mark early with his two-volume ‘A History of the Sikhs’. His translation of scriptures was published by UNESCO. The literary world celebrated his ‘Train to Pakistan’. A prolific writer, he wrote over 80 books and edited ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’ and the ‘Hindustan Times’. For millions of newspaper readers, Khushwant Singh was the man who brought them a slice of life with some brutally honest observations about people and events in his weekly columns ‘This Above All’ and ‘With Malice Towards One and All’. And yes! Lovely ladies flocked to him, and he enjoyed their company, especially if they had a drink with him. He was honest in his writing, and spared no one. What a man he was! Tremendously disciplined in his writings, stuck to his daily schedule and took pride in not missing deadlines. Yet he was careless about his appearance, with his mother once chiding him: “Now that you have become famous, you think that you can go out without wearing your turban, just sporting a ‘patka’!” He studied at the best colleges in the country and abroad — St. Stephens College, Delhi; Government College, Lahore and King’s College, London. His father wanted him to be a lawyer. Khushwant Singh tried, but spent most of his time in Lahore, with writers and other creative people, rather than on his law practice. After Partition, he moved to New Delhi and away from law. His father, Sir Sobha Singh, was one of the major contractors who had built the city. His short story ‘Mano Majra’ was awarded a $1,000 prize by Grove Press. It later became the famous novel, ‘Train to Pakistan’ (1956), and launched him as a creative writer. It took just one meeting with Singh to realise that the impression one had of him through his columns was wrong. At the house of Raj Gill, a journalist, he started talking about education in America. It was later that one found out that he had taught at the universities of Rochester, Princeton and Hawaii. Yes, the columnist had much more depth and knowledge than his columns reflected. He carried his scholarship lightly and loved puncturing the pompous with wit and satire that was always honest, often biting but seldom offensive. Yet they all came to calling on him, the rich and powerful. He wrote early in the morning, in long hand, on registers, and retired to Kasauli in summers. Once, after engaging in a discussion on some spiritual verses, he veered off to narrate some limericks, reasonably naughty ones. That was him. Irreverence was never far from whatever he did. Khushwant Singh was a family man, utterly devoted to his wife Kanval and children Rahul and Mala. He lost Kanval to Alzheimer’s in 2002. Rahul and Mala looked after him in the later years of his life. Khushwant Singh was honoured by many universities, including Panjab University and King’s College recently. A vocal critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, he protested against Operation Bluestar by returning the Padma Bhushan. However, he did accept the Padma Vibhushan in 2007. Housebound towards the end, he met people sparingly, even as he continued to write. It is only befitting that ink continued to flow from his pen till the very last. He will write no longer, but his writings will live on. At his cottage in Kasauli, which will never host him again, hangs a quote from Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ that sums up his life and writing: “This above all — to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day; Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell.”
What a man!
What a man he was! Tremendously disciplined in his writings, stuck to his daily schedule and took pride in not missing deadlines. Yet he was careless about his appearance, with his mother once chiding him: “Now that you have become famous, you think that you can go out without wearing your turban, just sporting a
‘patka’!” |
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Dr Manmohan Singh, PM Pranab
Mukherjee, President Narendra Modi, bjp leader MJ Akbar, noted journalist Tisca Chopra, actor & Khushwant’s grand-niece Rahul Singh, Khushwant’s son Kuldeep Nayar, journalist-author PS Badal, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, Congress leader Shobhaa De, writer |
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Long innings as a storyteller Journalists
rarely earn longevity with their writings, the kind Khushwant Singh earned. The daily, weekly or quarterly remains relevant only till the next issue hits the stands. But a few exceptions change this rule. It required Khushwant Singh's unique skill — of being prolific and yet never allowing his writings to be irrelevant — to strike that a rare balance that makes journalistic writing mature into literature. No wonder, retirement never knocked at his apartment door that had this written on it, "Please do not ring the bell unless you are expected." No condom was invented for his pen, as he famously claimed. This made his readers receive a rich supply of novels, memoirs, collections of essays, short stories and even well-researched history books on the Sikhs. In a market where genres are invented to get fresh readership, Khushwant Singh remained a delight for his publishers — his books sold well and were translated into other languages. As is with most literary works, only few survive the vagaries of time to remain historically significant. Of all the literary works of Khushwant Singh, ‘Train to Pakistan’ will be read with admiration for its layered themes of love, loyalty and the horrors of partitioning a land, claimed by diverse communities for all times to come. Journalists are accused of recording history in a hurry, but Khushwant Singh's first-hand experience of witnessing this bloody chapter of history rendered a kind of immediacy and passion that is found rarely in the works produced on this theme. The pulsating life of a Punjab village Mano Majra, close to the border where Radcliffe had drawn a line, a local money-lender was murdered. Khushwant weaves many characters in this backdrop to tell a tale of trust and betrayal, and above all, of redeeming humanism. The village gangster Juggut Singh and his raw passion for the Muslim weaver's daughter, the cowardly Iqbal Singh with his ambiguous identity and jingoistic communism, the corrupt magistrate with his circumstantial humanism for the nautch girl on a sultry pre-monsoon day are sketched with such realistic details that they ring a bell across cultures. The conflicts of loyalty are rooted in values that carry a universal appeal. ‘Train to Pakistan’ was published soon after Partition (in 1956) and was accused of lacking objectivity required for treating such a complex theme. As it turned out, the close proximity of the writer to the event and its characters became the strength of this novel. It was turned into a film by Pamela Rooks in 1998.
Prolific, yet relevant
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Playing with words till the very end New Delhi, March 20 In his final moments, Khushwant Singh was busy solving a crossword puzzle. He took a break, never to wake up again. Narrating the events leading to Khushwant Singh’s death, his son, Rahul Singh, said the noted author had been finding it difficult to breathe since yesterday. He had also become extremely weak in the past few days. A grim-looking Mala, Khushwant’s daughter, who stayed in the house next to the one occupied by Khushwant at the Sujan Singh Park here, was not in a mood to speak to the media at her father’s cremation. A large number of politicians, journalists, friends and admirers of the columnist were present at the cremation. Prominent among them were senior BJP leader LK Advani, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, former Union Minister MS Gill, Bollywood star and politician Vinod Khanna and well-known journalist Saeed Naqvi. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accompanied by his wife Gursharan kaur, rushed to Singh’s residence as soon as he heard about his demise to pay his last respects. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also visited his residence.
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Flag marked his arrival to hill town Kasauli, March 20 He had first visited this town as a schoolboy in the 1920s when his father got a contract to build Pasteur Institute, now the Central Research Institute. In 1948, his father-in-law Sir Teja Singh Malik bought Raj Villa, his present sojourn, for Rs 13,000. Khushwant Singh’s wife inherited the house and from that time, he had been visiting Kasauli twice or thrice a year. But for the past several years, his falling health has kept him away from the town. Khushwant Singh’s arrival in the town used to be marked by a fish flag which he displayed atop his house as a gesture to meet people. It had an interesting history, dating back to his stay at Japan University where it was a tradition to display a huge nylon fish flag symbolising courage by families who had sons on the occasion of “Boys Day.” On his return to India, he brought two such flags with him. |
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India has lost a superb author, says Lord Paul
London, March 20 "In the death of Khushwant ji, we have lost a true stalwart of India and a superb author and journalist. He was one of the greatest Indian nationals we have seen," Paul said. "Khushwant ji led a very illustrious and distinguished life and I learn that he wrote his last column only two weeks ago. With almost 100 books to his name and countless pieces in the press, he has left a remarkable legacy," he said. — PTI |
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All that I hope for is that when death comes to me, it comes swiftly, without much pain, like fading away in sound slumber. Till then, I'll keep working and living each day as it comes, he wrote in the book ‘Absolute Khushwant: The Low-Down on Life, Death and Most Things In-Between’ in 2010. His wish was realised:
Khushwant Singh
The
Vandana Shukla
Singh was a gifted author, a candid commentator and a dear friend who lived a truly creative
life.
A prolific writer who made his mark in literature as well as journalism, Khushwant Singh will be remembered for his sharp insight, unique wit and sense of humour.~ 
My condolences on the passing away of noted author Khushwant Singh. May his soul rest in
peace.
I have unreserved gratitude for him. I was a 20-year-old in a newspaper and he really picked us up from nothing. He gave us opportunities which were undreamt of for any young person wanting to do
anything.
Candour humour and single malts, that's what you brought to us... may you find it wherever you are. Will miss you Khushi
uncle. 
He had his regular peg of whiskey Wednesday night, read a book, solved crossword in the morning and passed away within minutes. The sad part is he could not complete his '100' which was just 11 months
away.
He was my professor at Law College in Lahore. I have always seen him as a legendary icon. It's a big loss to the literary world as well. His account of Sikhs was one of the most credible texts available on the
subject.
His contribution to Sikh issues will always be remembered. His book ‘A History of the Sikhs’ will forever remain the most popular reference point for Sikh historical
studies. 
The country has lost a great writer and a journalist. He was one of the very few pioneers of Indian writing in
English.
Khushwant Singh. End of an era. Only KS could say ‘There's no condom for a pen. And prove it!’