K R Malkani

Sindhi Writer [The Sindh Story] Politician & Journalist
This is not a usual happening of human world that even being active politician for a long six decades a person identified more as an author and journalist. Hyderabad Sindh born [19 November 1921] Kewalram Ratanmal Malkani [ youngest brother of famous N R Malkani] popularly known as K R Malkani was belonging to rare human class who managed successfully the balance of political adjustments, pressures and demands of intellectual world.

Being born into politically-prominent family Kewalram from his early childhood was aware of importance of education and went on to earn Master’s Degree in Economics and Politics from the School of Economics and Sociology in Bombay [Now Mumbai]. He joined D. G. National College Hyderabad as the lecturer for about three years [1945-1947] and also worked as Niemen Fellow at Harvard University (1961-62).

After the partition of the country towards the start of 1948 he joined Hindustan Times as an Assistant Editor and then become associated with weekly Organizer as Editor. This association lasted for long 35years till 1983. During the long-illustrated career Malkani enjoyed and worked at various posts of journalism world like first General Secretary of the Editors’ Guild of India (1978-79). He has also worked for seven long years [1983-1990] as Vice-President of the Deendayal Research Institute, New Delhi and was member of India’s Press Delegation to China in 1978.

His family political background forced him to enter into political arena and due to his Hindutva vadi thought process he become active with Jana Sangh. He was among the founder members of Bhartiya Janta Party [BJP], political party formed in the year 1980. starting from 1991, almost for a decade he served party in the capacity of vice president. He was also member of Rajya Sabha from 1994 to 2000 during this he worked member of several parliamentary committees. He was one among the political leaders detained under Maintenance of Internal Security Act [MISA] during the emergency.

In the year 2002 on July 3rd, he was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry, post he held till the time of his last breath on 27 October 2003. He was the second Lt Governor after R K Vyas to die in office. He is survived by two sons Arvind and Vikram and a daughter, Sindhu.

“The Sindh Story” published in the 1984 is the most significant contribution of K R Malkani towards the Sindhi literature, till today many Sindhi scholars are drawing references from this book for their writing.

Among the political publications of K R Malkani “Political Mysteries” is dealing with assassinations of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, we must remember these were the tragic deaths. This book was result of his 10 years of research work.
In the words of Shri L K Advani, who had spent nearly 60 years with K R Malkani

“His thinking was always guided by what he thought was in the interest of the country, He was influential writer and great thinker.”