Khushwant Singh, a prolific writer, was born in Hadali, Khushab District, Punjab (which now lies in Pakistan), in a Sikh family on 2 February 1915.
He wrote dozens of novels and short story collections. He also edited several magazines and newspapers in the 1970s and 80s. The novel, Train to Pakistan, based on the bloody partition of India in 1947, was made into a film. He also served a term as an MP and was given the Padma Vibhushan, a civilian award, by the government. Mr. Singh, died at his home in the Indian capital, Delhi, after suffering from respiratory trouble, on 20 March 2014.
He was born in what is now Pakistan, and was known in particular for his biting satire. He continued to write his popular column, With Malice Towards One and All, until his death. In 1984, he returned a civilian award in protest at the Indian government’s move to send troops into the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, to flush out militants. But in 2007, he accepted the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.
Khushwant Singh once said, “I would like to be remembered as someone who made people smile.”
