KARUNA SHINSHO, CNN ANCHOR: The literary world is mourning the death of a prolific storyteller. Since the 1930s, R.K. Narayan depicted Indian rural life in the pages of his book. He died Sunday in Madras at age 94. Satinder Bindra has more.</s>SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Millions of Indians connected with R.K. Narayan's writings. He wrote of the real India, the ordinary Indians, and always in an easy to read and gently humorous style.</s>KULDIP NAYAR, WRITER: He was one person who through his works told his stories about small men, ordinary men, people who are distant in villages, remote areas.</s>BINDRA: In a career spanning more than six decades, Narayan wrote 34 novels, all in English. Most Indians remember his fondly for the fictional village of Malgudi, which stood for everything Indian. But his style and character has also brought him international acclaim. Almost all of his books were translated in several European languages.</s>PRAN CHOPRA, LITERARY CRITIC: I will miss very much his gentleness, his humanness, his compassion.</s>BINDRA: Narayan wrote his first book "Swammy (ph) and His Friends," in 1935. Two of his books were made into highly successful TV series in India. Another was made into an acclaimed Hindi movie. Narayan was a great friend of the English writer Graham Green (ph), who stood by him in his early and difficult days, helping him find publishers. Green once described him as one of the world's finest writers. Younger Indian writers like Vitram Sate (ph), Ahmitad Kosh (ph), Arumday Nuruy (ph) will remember Narayan as a pioneer, a man who influenced other Indians to write in English. Writers fans and friends say Indians will continue reading Narayan's earthy books, perhaps the greatest tribute to a man who called himself a storyteller, but will now be remembered as a literary legend. Satinder Bindra, CNN, New Delhi.
Indian Author R.K. Narayan Dead at 94