Noted Author Khushwant Singh passes away at 99

New Delhi, March 20: Renowned

passed away on Thursday at the age of 99 at 12.50 pm (IST) at his home in Delhi.

According to reports, the cremation ceremony for the writer will be held at 4 pm today at Lodi Crematorium.

Khushwant Singh's death brings an "end to an era" of the contemporary Indo-Anglian literature.

In 2013, he was awarded with the "Lifetime achievement award" at the Mumbai LitFest 2013.

In 2011, The Punjab University conferred Doctor of Literature to Khushwant Singh.

In 2008, he received the 'National Amity Award' in recognition of his commendable service towards national integration and unity of the people.

In 2007, the former president of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam suprised everyone when he took an autograph of Khushwant Singh and discussed the Holy Book Quran with him.

In 2007, he also received "Punjabi Bhushan " award.

In the first edition of the annual 'Sikh 100', Khushwant Singh, Journalist and Novelist was ranked 22nd in the list of world's most powerful, influential and contemporary Sikhs.

In 2006, he received the 'Punjab Rattan Award' for his ''jewels in prose''.

Born in 1915, Singh was known for his witty, secular and candid writing that carried him through the 1960s, 1970s. Thereafter he carved a niche for himself in the world of post-Independent India.

His seminal work Train to Pakistan (1956), a tale of the trauma of partition, still remains on the bestseller lists.

Singh has nearly 40 books to his credit, which include more than half a dozen short story collections.

The writer, who once edited the Illustrated Weekly magazine, became a household name in northern India with his weekly newspaper column, "With Malice Towards One and All".

OneIndia News