Towards the later years of his life, one would remember Girish Karnad as the theatre stalwart on whom age didn't seem to have left a significant visible mark, except the nasal oxygen tube that had become his permanent companion -- seen in his role as intelligence chief in Tiger Zinda Hai, as well as to countless protest marches in memory of slain senior journalist Gauri Lankesh.

So what if he had to rely on external help to breathe, he was very much the conscientious citizen first, always ready to raise his voice against societal wrongs. In Karnad's passing, not only has the world of theatre lost a staunch voice that grappled with contemporary issues through an interrogative approach towards history but a keen observer of India's current affairs and champion of the freedom of expression.