Maharashtra pays tributes to Girish Karnad

Maharashtra on Monday joined the nation in paying rich tributes to the acclaimed writer, stage and film artist Girish Karnad, who was born in the hill station of Matheran, nearly 100 kms off Mumbai.

Dr Karnad often shared memories of his childhood days in Matheran, where his father was a doctor.

"The country has lost a towering, multi-faceted artiste," chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted.

Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan described him as a true voice of dissent. "Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Padma Bhushan Awardee & literary genius #GirishKarnad. We lost a true voice of dissent, torchbearer for the freedom of art and expression and an actor who not just played various roles but actually lived in it,"

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray said that Karnad always took a stand and recalled his love for Marathi literature. "He never wavered from taking a firm stand on any social issues. Such accomplished and gifted artists come rare and their presence will be deeply missed. His ardent admiration for Marathi theatre and Marathi language can be equated to his love for his own natural language. Marathi and Kannada being intrinsically similar, he was the thread that facilitated a healthy exchange of thoughts and ideas," he said.

Actress-politician Urmila Matondkar said Karnad was a great playwright and actor, more importantly, a dedicated socio-political activist against religious fundamentalism” known for multiculturalism and free speech.