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New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Tamil society honours writers who champion social progress, says CM Stalin
CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday said creators must be celebrated during their lifetime and pointed out that Tamil society has always recognised and honoured writers who champion social progress and upliftment. In that spirit, he said, former CM and DMK president M Karunanidhi not only made exceptional contributions to Tamil literature, but also encouraged and elevated other creators. He was speaking at the inauguration of a two-day 'Centenary Seminar on Muthamizharignar Kalaignar M Karunanidhi' jointly organised by Sahitya Akademi and Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) Special Centre for Tamil Studies. Stalin said the event marked the 'recognition of Kalaignar as the literary face of India'. Highlighting initiatives to support writers, Stalin noted that the state has implemented the Kanavu Illam scheme to provide houses worth Rs 1 crore each to Sahitya Akademi award-winning writers. 'So far, 15 scholars have benefitted from the scheme. Continuing this initiative, houses have now been allotted to 10 translators who have also received the Sahitya Akademi awards,' he said. 'No other state has introduced such a scheme.' Stalin also recalled that during his tenure as CM, Karunanidhi nationalised the works of 108 Tamil scholars and distributed royalties worth Rs 7.76 crore. 'In the past four years, I have nationalised the works of 36 Tamil scholars and distributed Rs 4.25 crore in royalties,' he added. 'These seminars should not only celebrate Kalaignar but also inspire the creation of a society with egalitarian ideas and progressive thoughts, as he envisioned,' Stalin said. He further noted that Karunanidhi had created a Tamil chair at JNU, which has now developed into a full-fledged department. 'We have allocated Rs 5.30 crore for it, and steps are under way to install a statue of Thiruvalluvar at JNU,' the CM added. JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit praised Karunanidhi's contributions to literature and cinema, saying, 'In turning language into resistance, cinema into conscience, and literature into liberation, Kalaignar became more than an icon -- he is a legend.' She added the Thiruvalluvar statue at JNU will be unveiled by Stalin.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Spread Karunanidhi's ideas of egalitarian, progressive society: T.N. CM Stalin
Seminars organised on the literary works of late DMK leader and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi should not only praise his works but should also help in spreading his ideas for egalitarian and progressive society, said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday (June 27, 2025). Inaugurating the two-day seminar organised by the Sahitya Akademi along with the Special Centre for Tamil Studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai, Mr. Stalin said that the literary contributions of the late leader should be taken to the next generation. Listing out various measures undertaken by his government, including allotment of houses for Tamil scholars and nationalising of their works, Mr. Stalin said that steps were underway to install a statue of late Tamil saint-poet Tiruvalluvar in JNU campus in New Delhi. JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulapudi Pandit underlined the late leader's love for the Tamil language. She said that the leader's birth centenary was not merely a moment to recall the political timelines but to understand how an individual was a bigger influence on the society that allowed him to shape language, literature and cinema and thereby the collective consciousness. Recalling Karunanidhi's early engagement in the anti-Hindi agitations, Ms. Pandit termed it his 'first ideological battlefield'. He had founded the body for students from the State that was focused on protecting the Tamil linguistic heritage, 'indicating his early realisation of the cultural States involved in politics.' Calling upon the audience to watch the Tamil movie Parasakthi (for which late Karunanidhi penned the dialogues), she said 'it changed Tamil cinema forever.' Ms. Pandit further said that beyond being a scriptwriter, Karunanidhi became the 'voice of the people'. The late leader made the Tamil language more colloquial and inclusive and removed caste markers in his dialogues. 'His writings had checked the hero archetype from divine saviours to rational, justice-seeking individuals - a stark contrast from the then prevalent narratives.' The late leader used film not as an entertainment but as a cultural pedagogy introducing ideas of inter-caste marriage, temple reform, atheism, egalitarianism into Tamil films, she said. For him, Tamil language was not an inherited artefact but it was a living text - a daily source of communication, assertion and cultural dignity, she said. Recalling from her personal experience, Ms. Pandit said she was a school student when the Emergency was imposed and pointed out that Karunanidhi was the only Chief Minister who opposed the Emergency. 'He was also the great symbol of freedom protecting the Indian Constitution.' Sahitya Akademi secretary K. Sreenivasarao said that former CMs and late leaders C. Rajagopalachari, C.N. Annadurai M. Karunanidhi raised the bar so high that one may find it difficult to find a State with such a series of erudite Chief Ministers. Karunanidhi was not only a highly respected politician and statesman but also a prolific writer and his literary contributions covered a wide range of works - poems, novels, stories, plays, songs and lyrics, biographies, historical fiction, epistles, commentaries, dialogues and much more. The remarkable thing about late Karunanidhi's literary prowess was that he used literature for the promotion of social justice, Mr. Sreeenivasarao said. 'Of course, before him, Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and C.N. Annadurai did it with success. But it was Karunanidhi-ji, who took this to every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu.' 'If C.N. Annadurai possessed unique ability to cover a vast range of subjects in each of his writings, Karunanidhi had the ability to make masses understand easily the great works of Tamil culture and how those works can impact their lives,' Mr. Sreenivasarao said. Though late Karunanidhi could have chosen to be a lofty poet or a lyricist or playwright or a film director, but 'it was his acceptance of the reality around him and his inner conviction that the social reality can be changed for the betterment of the people of the State that propelled him into a full-time political career,' he said. Minister of Information and Publicity M.P. Saminathan was also present.
The Wire
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Amit Shah's Attack on English Betrays India's Pluralist Foundations
Union home minister Amit Shah's outrageous statement that 'In our lifetime, we will see a society in which those speaking English will feel ashamed…' is not only an affront to the legacy of freedom struggle stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Maulana Azad, but also a blatant violation of the Constitution, which explicitly provides for the use of both Indian languages and English in several of its articles. That Shah made this remark on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution of India adds an element of contempt to the occasion. By making such a remark, which borders on hate speech, Shah undermined the very idea of India, an idea rooted in linguistic diversity and cultural plurality. In his statement, he claimed that the languages of our country are ornaments of our culture, asserting that without them we could not call ourselves Bharatiya. 'Our country, its history, its culture, our Dharma — if these have to be understood, it cannot be done in foreign languages,' he declared. This assertion disregards the historical reality that several foreign languages, including English, have helped transmit the treasures of Indian culture to the wider world. Gandhi and the English Gita Mahatma Gandhi never read the Bhagavad Gita in its original Sanskrit. His first encounter with it came in London, where he read The Song Celestial, the English translation by Edwin Arnold. So profound was its spiritual impact on him that it played a transformative role in shaping his life and thought – thoughts that later became central to the freedom movement. The Gita's message was not devalued simply because it was rendered in English. Shah's logic, which disparages English speakers, is thus an insult to Gandhi's legacy. While Gandhi strongly championed Indian languages and expressed himself with excellence in his native Gujarati, he was also one of the most articulate Indian writers and speakers in English. Writing in Young India on 26 January 1921, Gandhi stated: 'I would have our young men and women with literary tastes to learn as much of English or other world languages as they like and then expect them to give the benefits of their learning to India and to the world, like a Bose, a Ray or a Tagore.' He added forcefully: 'But I would not have a single Indian to forget, neglect or be ashamed of his mother tongue or to feel that he or she cannot think or express the best thoughts in his or her own vernacular.' Gandhi's views were rooted not in narrow nationalism or linguistic chauvinism but in a universal, inclusive ethos that rejected hatred. Tagore and English Rabindranath Tagore never formally studied English, yet he wrote essays in the language with as much brilliance as he did poems, plays and other works in Bengali. The Sahitya Akademi's publication English Writings of Tagore captures the richness and exuberance of his literary expression in English. Globally, Tagore is celebrated for his creative excellence in Bengali, and his compositions continue to be recited across linguistic and cultural platforms in India and abroad. Maulana Azad and English Maulana Azad too had no formal education in English, yet he fully grasped its significance in the modern world. He wrote: 'Howsoever wrongly the English language made its way into our life, the fact remains that it has influenced our mental and educational outlook for the past one hundred and fifty years.' While he acknowledged the harm English had caused in some respects, he also highlighted its contributions: 'The greatest advantage that we gained from the adoption of English was that many of the obstacles were automatically removed from our newly born national life. It has led to the unification of the whole of the country. All the different parts of the country were brought together in spite of distances and different languages. In this respect, it can be said that English has played the same part in cementing and uniting India as did Persian in Moghul times.' At the same time, he warned that English could not remain dominant forever and that Indian languages must be given their rightful place. 'We have to decide after mature deliberation how to bring about this change,' he said. A constitutional violation Amit Shah's remarks lack such 'mature deliberation' and directly contravene the constitution. Article 120 allows members of parliament to speak in Hindi, English or their mother tongue. In state legislatures too, members are permitted to speak in English in addition to the language of the state. Article 348 stipulates that English can be used in the Supreme Court and high courts, and in the authoritative texts of laws, bills and acts. The constitution also mandates the translation of every amendment, originally drafted in English, into Hindi. During the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, when the opposition raised concerns about saving the Constitution, Shah professed a newfound reverence for secularism and even declared that the word would not be removed from the Preamble. Now that he has poured scorn on English, will he have the courage to propose that all references to the English language be struck from the Constitution? Shah must move beyond his party's outdated and narrow ideology of 'one nation, one culture.' He must embrace the pluralism that defines India, an essential part of which is linguistic diversity. That diversity includes Indian languages, English and other foreign tongues, all of which have contributed to the richness of our civilisational experience. S.N. Sahu served as Officer on Special Duty to President of India K R Narayanan.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Two Marathi authors receive Sahitya Akademi awards
Pune: Two Marathi authors have been honoured with Sahitya Akademi awards this year. Suresh Sawant received children's literature award for his poetry collection 'Abhalmaya', while young writer Pradeep Kokare was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar for his novel 'Khol Khol Dhushkali Dole'. The Sahitya Akademi on Wednesday announced the 'children's literature award' in 24 languages and the 'yuva puraskar' in 23 languages. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said, 'Pradeep Kokare is a realist writer whose literature reflects the lives of the poor, the unemployed, and the marginalised and neglected sections of society. His writing directly engages with social issues The national award is not only a recognition of his work, but also a matter of pride for the Marathi literary community.' Suresh Sawant is a senior Marathi children's writer and poet. His works is marked by a simple, heartfelt language easily understood by children. 'Abhalmaya' is centred around themes such as nature, the sky, dreams, and the emotional world of childhood. Kokare said, 'My novel is based on the identity crisis and the questions faced by today's youth. The protagonist comes from a small village to Mumbai for his education and faces challenges that questions his own existence. His thoughts emerge in a lyrical form throughout the novel. I completed this work on the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre Fellowship received in 2022. While literary meets are organised, real issues faced by youth are not being discussed.'
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Author Prafulla Roy passes away at 91
Kolkata: Author Prafulla Roy, aged 91, passed away on Thursday at a south Kolkata nursing home. Roy, who shot to fame with his celebrated novel, 'Purba Parbati', in the 1950s and authored more than 150 books, was a winner of several literary awards, including the Sahitya Akademi for his novel, 'Krantikal', in 2003. He is survived by his two daughters. CM Mamata Banerjee paid tribute to the late author and conveyed her condolences to his family. "Prafulla Roy's books brought alive the pain of refugees. His 'Keyapatar Nouko' is a remarkable story," she wrote on X. He spun his stories around lives of the common man. Roy was born in 1934 in Bikrampur near Dhaka, now in Bangladesh. He migrated to India with his family in 1950. Some of his more successful novels are 'Keya Patar Nouko', 'Shatadharay Boye Jay', and 'Uttal Somoyer Itikatha'. His works 'Ekhane Pinjar', 'Bagh Bandi Khela', 'Charachar', 'Ekanta Apan', 'Bagh Bahadur', 'Mondo Meyer Upakhyan', 'Krantikal', and 'Pitribhumi' were made into films.
