A teary session as Indira Lankesh remembers her slain daughter

BENGALURU: Tears rolled down her cheeks as Indira Lankesh, mother of slain journalist Gauri Lankesh, remembered her daughter, saying Gauri was her mother in many ways. Indira Lankesh was a panelist at a session titled ‘Antara Gange’. Other panelists included journalist Dr Vijaya who spoke on her autobiographical novel.

Speaking about her daughter’s untimely death, Indira said, “Gauri, my elder daughter, did not hurt anyone’s feelings. What happened was painful for me. It has to be found out who killed her and why, and that is what I’m waiting for.” Lankesh added that they had all been very proud of Gauri. She was well-read and had chosen a brave career, said Indira.

Indira recollected how she started a saree shop and successfully ran it without having any previous business experience. She said her late husband and renowned journalist P Lankesh had resigned from his post at a university on a relatively trivial issue. “He did not even tell me he had resigned. When I suggested I should get a job, he taunted me saying who would give work to a II PUC pass-out.” It was then that Indira, racked with worry over bringing up three children, started a saree shop after taking loans from a bank and friends.

Indira also read an excerpt from her autobiographical novel ‘Hulimavu Mattu Naanu’ (Sour Mango and I) which she wrote with Gauri’s encouragement and support. Reading from the novel, she recounted the day P Lankesh passed away.

Indira also narrated how even before her husband began a successful publication, he would act in plays with Girish Karnad and Shivaram Karanth. “We lived in poverty, but both father and daughter were extremely generous to a fault. Lankesh only learnt to take care of money after starting a publication and suffering a few losses,” she said.