Acclaimed Indian cartoonist R. K. Laxman dies at 94; created 'Common Man' character

This undated photograph shows acclaimed Indian cartoonist R. K. Laxman seated in front of a poster of the ‘Common Man’, wearing checked shirt, in India. Laxman, who created the innocuous character the 'Common Man' who held up a mirror to the absurdity and silliness of Indian politicians, died of multiple-organ failure Monday, Jan. 26, 2015, his doctor said. Laxman's almost daily Common Man cartoon was a commentary on Indian society and politics that ran in the Times of India newspaper for more than five decades. (AP Photo/Press Trust of India) (The Associated Press)

Security officers carry the body of acclaimed Indian cartoonist R. K. Laxman past a statue of the ‘Common Man’, in Pune, India, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. Laxman, who created the innocuous character the 'Common Man' who held up a mirror to the absurdity and silliness of Indian politicians, died of multiple-organ failure Monday, his doctor said. Laxman's almost daily Common Man cartoon was a commentary on Indian society and politics that ran in the Times of India newspaper for more than five decades. (AP Photo/Nitin Lawate) (The Associated Press)

Acclaimed Indian cartoonist R. K. Laxman, who created the innocuous character the 'Common Man' who held up a mirror to the absurdity and silliness of Indian politicians, has died of multiple-organ failure, his doctor said.

He was 94.

Laxman died Monday evening, said Sameer Jog of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in the western Indian city of Pune.

Laxman's almost daily Common Man cartoon was a commentary on Indian society and politics that ran in the Times of India newspaper for more than five decades.

He began his career at a number of small newspapers in Mumbai, India's financial hub, before joining the Times in 1950. Millions of Indians looked forward to his daily cartoon "You Said It" for its pithy commentary on India and its rulers.