Malgonkar passes away

He died of old age related problems on Monday night, at his bungalow named Burbusa in remote Jabalpet in Joida, Uttara Kannada district. He was the last link of pre-Independence novel writing. Malgonkar’s contribution to the Indian English writing is distinct. The socio-historical milieu of pre-Independent India served as the backdrop of his novels, filled with adventure.

A prolific writer, Malgonkar has to his credit eight novels and nearly 50 stories. He has also been an acclaimed writer of non-fiction and history. For several years Manohar Malgonkar’s weekly column covering a wide range of topics featured in Indian newspapers including The Statesman and Deccan Herald.

He lived in pleasant and serene environs of Jabalbet, just 10 km away from Londa, for four decades. 'Distant Drum', 'Combat of Shadows', 'The Princes', 'A Bend in the Ganges', 'Devil's Wind', 'The Men who Killed Gandhi' are soem of his major literary works.

Widely read

He also wrote ' A spy in Amber' as a screen play for a Hindi film, which his daughter subsequently converted into novel. 'Shalimar' a story of diamond thief is Malgonkar's novelisation of Krishna Shah's film story. The Princes, is widely read novel. Malgonkar took to hunting in his childhood and later became a shikari for few years, which accounted for his vast knowledge of the Indian jungles and wildlife.

Fought polls

He also fought elections to the Parliament but was defeated by 16,000 votes in the Canara Constituency of Karnataka. Though not influenced by scientific naturalism, Manohar Malgonkar started supporting environmental groups for the conservation of Western Ghats in Karwar and Belgaum regions of Karnataka, 1990 onwards.