3 Review(s)

Portrait of a Serial Killer is an unforgettable celebration of India and Indians by one of our most beloved writers. Published on the hundredth anniversary of Khushwant Singhs birth, none of the essays in this collection has been published in book form before. A chilling account of the serial killer Raman Raghav rubs shoulders with an extraordinary portrait of Jawaharlal Nehru followed by an exuberant encounter with Dev Anand, as well as nearly twenty other profiles of saints, charlatans, writers, singers, politicians and other arresting characters. Another section of the book contains vivid sketches of various parts of the country - an unspoilt tribal village in Bihar, the fire of a gulmohar forest in Bokaro, the strange goings-on in the expat community in Darjeeling, a small community in the hinterland that is terrorized by a sudden invasion of snakes, and a bittersweet paean to Delhi, among others. There are also essays that provide insights into familiar characteristics of India - obnoxious VIPs, violence against women, corruption, amiable lunatics, idiot lawyers, stud bulls, Indian men and much else besides. Elegiac, witty and compelling, this is a book that will delight Khushwant Singhs numerous fans as well as anyone with an interest in contemporary India. Salient Features- Collects together essays that have never been published in book form before. Selected from the notes and versions of draftshandwritten and typewrittenby his daughter Mala Dayal. The essays are timeless and provide an incisive portrait of India and her people. Contains the chilling account of one of Indias most notorious serial killer, Raman Raghav. About the Author Born in Punjabs Hadali village (now in Pakistan) in 1915, Khushwant Singh was among Indias best-known and most widely read authors and journalists. He was founder-editor of Yojana, and editor of the Illustrated Weekly of India, National Herald and the Hindustan Times. He published six novelsTrain to Pakistan, I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale, Delhi - A Novel, The Company of Women, Burial at Sea and The Sunset Club as well as several books of short stories which were published together as The Portrait of a Lady. Among his other books are 99: Unforgettable Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry & Humour, The Freethinkers Prayerbook, A History of the Sikhs, an autobiography, Truth, Love & a Little Malice, a biography, Ranjit Singh - Maharaja of the Punjab and a book of non-fiction, The Return of Indira Gandhi. In addition, he published translations of Hindi and Urdu novels, short stories and poetry. Khushwant Singh was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1986. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974, he returned the award in 1984 to protest the siege of the Golden Temple by the Indian army. In 2007, he was awarded Indias second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan. Khushwant Singh died on 20 March 2014. He is survived by his son, Rahul Singh, daughter, Mala Dayal and granddaughter, Naina Dayal.