Celebrated English poet and former IPS officer Keki N Daruwalla died at a Delhi hospital after prolonged illness and a spell of pneumonia, his daughter Anaheita Kapadia said on Friday. He was 87. Daruwalla, one of India’s best known writers in English, died on Thursday night.
Daruwalla, also known for his short stories, is survived by two daughters, Anaheita and Rookvain, sons-in-law and four grandchildren. The last rites were performed on Friday at Parsi Aramgah near Khan Market.
Born in Lahore in 1937, Daruwalla studied at Government College in Ludhiana. He joined the Indian Police Service (Uttar Pradesh cadre) in 1958 and rose to become Special Assistant on international affairs to then Prime Minister Charan Singh.
He later joined the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) where he was promoted to the rank of Secretary, R&AW.
Even though he led a successful career in police and later at R&AW, it was his literary acumen that gained him national and international repute.
Daruwalla’s first book of poetry, “Under Orion”, was published in 1970.
