Guwahati, Dec 5: French writer Dominique Lapierre, the author of best-selling books on India like Freedom at Midnight and City of Joy and whose novels sold tens of millions of copies, has passed away at the age of 91.
The celebrated author died of old age, the author's wife Dominique Conchon-Lapierre told the French newspaper Var-Matin on December 4.
His book City of Joy, chronicle the life of a rickshaw puller in Kolkata -- was also a massive success. The was also adapted as a film. Moreover, the royalties garnered from the book was donated for humanitarian projects in India.
Born on July 30, 1931, in Chatelaillon, Lapierre has sold about 50 million copies of the six books he wrote in collaboration with the American writer Larry Collins — the most famous being Is Paris Burning?
Lapierre was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, in 2008.
