Eminent playwright, writer and actor Girish Karnad passed away at the age of 81 on June 10, 2019, at his Bengaluru residence due to multiple organ failure. He has had a multifaceted career.
As a writer of historical drama, he delved into the unanswered questions in history, as in his play Rakshasa Tangadi or Crossing Over to Talikote ; as an activist, he made a statement with his "Me Too Urban Naxal" placard at an even to commemorate slain journalist Gauri Lankesh in 2018.
Karnad has written plays for over half a century, exploring identity and desire, reworking myths and questioning traditional morality. In his plays, he has humanised demons and written extensively on the plight of the underclass. For his social consciousness, he has repeatedly come under fire from extremist forces.
Here is a collection of stories from our archives to shed light on Karnad the playwright and activist.
