R K Laxman to be accorded state funeral: Maha govt

In a rare honour, Maharashtra government has decided to accord a state funeral to legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman, creator of the iconic "The Common Man", an official said here Tuesday.

Laxman, 94, died in a private hospital Monday evening after a brief illness. His last rites will be performed at Vaikuntha Crematorium around 12 noon Tuesday.

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

President Pranab Mukherjee said he was extremely saddened to learn about the passing of R.K. Laxman.

"I feel personal loss because I was both an avid follower and subject of his cartoons. He conveyed important social messages using humour as a tool and reminded the public that people in authority are fallible and human," Mukherjee said in a message late Monday.

"Honoured with a Padma Vibhushan, Shri Laxman was a conscience keeper to the nation through his cartoons. His death leaves a void in the world of creativity and social commentary which will be difficult to fill," the president said.

Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao termed Laxman as "one of the finest cartoonists, caricaturists and the most effective commentator on issues of national and international importance to have dominated the news space for such a long time".

"Laxman understood the joys and sorrows of the common man and articulated the viewpoints of the silent millions of India for more than five decades through his eloquent cartoons," Rao said in a tribute.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will go to Pune and pay homage to Laxman, whose body is being kept for public viewing at a private college here.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray whose father late Bal Thackeray was an acclaimed cartoonist and friend with Laxman, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, himself a well-known cartoonist, and others are scheduled to pay homage and attend the last rites in Pune.