Indira Lankesh, Kannada writer and mother of late journalist Gauri Lankesh, dies in Bengaluru

2 min readBengaluruUpdated: Jun 16, 2026 07:41 PM IST

Indira Lankesh and her daughter Kavitha Lankesh (left) with Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. (File Photo)

Indira Lankesh, Kannada writer and mother of the late journalist Gauri Lankesh, died in her sleep on Monday. Indira, who was 83, is survived by her children, Kavitha and Indrajit Lankesh (both filmmakers), as well as their families.

Indira married iconic Kannada writer P Lankesh in 1960. While Lankesh made films and wrote several short stories and novels, he was best known for the Kannada weekly Lankesh Patrike.

At the same time, Indira became a successful businesswoman to support the family, starting a textile business that operated from 1976 to 2003. In later years, she became a known author in her own right after publishing her memoirs, Hulimavu Mattu Nanu (The Sour Mango and I). It was originally published as a serial in her eldest daughter’s publication, Gauri Lankesh Patrike.

Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in 2017 by people allegedly belonging to a far-right Hindutva group.

The news of Indira’s passing brought an outpouring of grief from artists, members of civil society, and political leaders. Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar stated on social media, “Indira Lankesh was the backbone of P. Lankesh’s achievements in literature, media, and the film world. Alongside that, she had immersed herself in business, writing, and book publishing. Having lived life with the unyielding determination of a rock that never gave up its resolve, Indira Lankesh was an inspiration to all girls and women.”

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah, among other Congress leaders, shared his condolences, recalling that years later, Indira had not fully recovered from the shock of her daughter’s murder.

“From the early days, as someone within Lankesh’s family circle of friends, Indira Lankesh and her children have been dear to me like family. Indira Lankesh, who herself engaged in writing, also took on the responsibility of book publishing… I too share in the family’s grief over Indira Lankesh’s passing. I pray that her soul finds peace,” he wrote on social media.