Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman is an Indian cartoonist and humourist. He is widely regarded as India's greatest-ever cartoonist and is best known for his creation The Common Man.

R.K.Laxman was born in Mysore, now a part of the South Indian state of Karnataka. His father was a headmaster and he was the youngest of 8 children. His elder brother, R.K. Narayan, was one of India's best known English-language novelists. Laxman graduated from the University of Mysore.

Laxman's earliest work was for newspapers & magazines such as Swarajya and Blitz. His first full-time job was as a political cartoonist for the Free Press Journal. He later joined The Times of India, beginning a career that has spanned for over fifty years.

Laxman is best known for his daily one panel comic "pocket cartoon" series You Said It, which features The Common Man, and chronicles the state of Indian life. The strip began in 1951.

Among his other works, Laxman is known for his distinctive illustrations in several books, most notably for the Malgudi stories written by his elder brother R.K. Narayan. He also created a popular mascot for the Asian Paints group called Gattu. Laxman has also penned a few novels. His cartoons have appeared in Hindi films such as Mr. and Mrs. 55.

Laxman is a resident of both Mumbai and Pune.

In September 2003, Laxman was affected by a stroke, which left him paralysed on his left side. He has partly recovered from its effects.

Awards

• B.D. Goenka Award - Indian Express
• Durga Ratan Gold Medal - Hindustan Times
• Padma Bhushan - Govt. of India
• Padma Vibhushan - Govt. of India
• Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts - 1984

Books

• The Eloquent Brush: A Selection of Cartoons from Nehru to Rajiv
• 50 Years of Independence through the eyes of R.K.Laxman
• The Best of Laxman series
• Hotel Riviera
• The Messenger
• Servants of India
• The Tunnel of Time (autobiography)