A new book Rukmini Aunty and the R.K. Narayan Fan Club by Sita Bhaskar has been launched ahead of R.K. Narayan’s 120th birth anniversary in 2026, by Penguin Random House.
Set in modern-day Mysuru, the novel follows Rukmini Aunty and a group of neighbourhood women who unite to save the crumbling R.K. Narayan House from demolition.
“It is common knowledge that R.K. Narayan was not sentimental about his house. However, for readers who have read his books (and continue to do so) and for scholars who research and write their thesis on his books, it is desirable to have a geographical marker. Something like the Rabindra Museum Shantiniketan in West Bengal, Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace in England, or National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California. These are geographical markers for their contribution to literature,” says Bhaskar.
Read the full story that first appeared in The Free Press Journal dated Feb 1, 2026 here:
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