Influential Indian writer (and former journalist) Kamala Markandaya died on May 18. That was news and sadly Indian news paper ed felt it just wasn't hot enough. The result, am yet to see any obit.

Penning her books in mid point of the twentieth century, at more or less the same period as the other famed Anglo-Indian novelists like Mulk Raj Anand, RK Narayan, and Khushwant Singh, Kamala Markandaya did manage to sensitise her readers.

Sticking to cliches, though being the only women in that illustrious group demarcated all of her work, the impact was however bolstered by the unfeigned tension her characters encountered when they deserted rural India for the cities.

The emotions displayed by her characters juxtaposed or rather punctuated by melodramatic representations leave an lasting impression.

Thanks to my mom ( Her English Litreature department at college gifted her with novels everytime she topped the class. And that everytime just happened to be all the time) have read/re-read quite a few of Kamala Markandaya's works. For instance, passages from her book 'TWO VIRGINS' are etched in my memory.
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A quick scan of the web yielded quite a few snippets. New York Times did carry an obit, but a week late.

South Asian Journalist Association quotes Shashi Tharoor, author of "THE GREAT INDIAN NOVEL " and "RIOT" : "This is a terrible loss. Markandaya was a pioneer who influenced all of us Indians writing in English."

Her two most popular novels, NECTAR IN A SIEVE and a HANDFUL OF RICE, are taught in hundreds of American courses, both in the public shools and the universities."

Her books: NECTAR IN A SIEVE (1954) That novel was follow by nine others, including A HANDFUL OF RICE (1966), THE NOWHERE MAN (1972), TWO VIRGINS (1973), and THE GOLDEN HONEYCOMB(1977).

After 1948, she migrated to England making frequent writing inspiration trips to India.