P. Govinda Pillai
Encyclopedia
P. Govinda Pillai, veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist)
leader and ideologue from Kerala
, India
, and former Chief Editor
of Deshabhimani, was born on 23 May 1926 at Pulluvazhi, Perumbavoor
as the son of Parameswaran Pillai and Parukuttyamma. He graduated with BA Hons. He was elected as a member of Thiru-Kochi Assembly in 1951 and later as a member of the Kerala Assembly from 1967-70. He was the Kerala Press Academy
Chairman from 1981-82. http://pgovindapillai.info/
As a discerning critic of fine arts, Sri. Pillai has written and spoken widely on the subject and served as the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation and also as the founder Director of Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT).
A familiar face on Kairali TV
, P. Govinda Pillai gives his comments on national and international events that are shaping the world.
P.G. as he is fondly called, is considered by many to be knowledgeable and upright. His unfavorable critical remarks on the communist party doyen E.M.S. Namboodiripad on various issues have invited fierce backlash from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo. The party saw it as 'grave indiscipline' and decided to 'publicly censure' him on the issue.
When asked by Johny Lukose, an interviewer from a prominent literary magazine, for a sentence that he would like to have inscribed on his tombstone P.G. replied "Here lies the body of a humble Marxist political activist, who tried in his own ways to grapple with the great political storms of the 20th century and also the incessant attacks and attempted demolition of the humanist essence of communism and Marxism".
This Octogenarian Freedom Fighter is the 'Treasure of Knowledge' on any subject on the earth. Be it Literature, Art, Science, Technology, Political Science, History, Philosophy or Economics, 'PG' has a say in it. Shakespearean works or Shelley's Poetry or any creation of the Victorian Era are in his finger tips. PG is a man of authority on contemporary literature as well. P.G is an authority on world affairs. However it is also opined that he is at the best a 'Marxist text book writer'. Though very senior and has vast political experience and knowledge, he is not considered to be an influential writer or political activist. Unlike E.M.S, Kesari A Balakrishna Pillai
or M. N. Vijayan
who inspired new generation of activists, Govinda Pillai's writings are academic in nature. In fact, his own political party rightly understood this limitation and this prevented him from becoming one of the top leaders of CPI(M). His failure to figure out the 'crux of the issue' from the abundance of the information he has acquired and his apparently less creativity often prevented him from taking the right political stand at crucial times. CPI(M) leadership had to interfere on many occasions to help him correct his stand on major political developments. During the Tienanmen Square incident in China, Identifying with Social Democratic line etc., he was censured by his party and PG had the wisdom and greatness to accept such guidelines and publicly acknowledge his own failure.
Despite ill health, and 'Age Related Deterioration' (ARD - as he calls) PG crawls among Books (of which he has abundant collection) and adds more and more to his enriched 'Reservoir of Knowledge'.
PG has hearing impairment of the left ear and recently, when he underwent an operation on one of his eyes his other ear was also affected, with the result that he is now left with partial hearing and vision. Quoting Gandhi, PG says: " I see no evil; hear no evil; but speak all evil". His clarity and memory are remarkable. With the help of his scribe, day to day events are updated and articles and columns are dictated.
He is married to MJ Rajamma (Retd Professor). They have one son (MG Radhakrishnan - noted journalist) and a daughter (R Parvathy Devi - journalist & noted social activist).Their daughter-in-law is Jayasree(Scientist/Engineer, ISRO)and son-in-law is V.Sivankutty(MLA).Their three grandchildren-Tejaswini Radhakrishnan(Engineering student, TVM), P.Govind Sivan(student, Raffles Designing Institute,Kuala Lumpur) and Mukulika Radhakrishnan (student,KV Pattom, TVM)
Books by P. Govinda Pillai:
Jointly written a guide book for Gramcii readers with EMS. However much of the assertions in this book appear to be that of Govinda Pillai.
Translations by P. Govinda Pillai:
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
leader and ideologue from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and former Chief Editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of Deshabhimani, was born on 23 May 1926 at Pulluvazhi, Perumbavoor
Perumbavoor
Perumbavoor is a suburban region of Kochi city and a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala. It lies in the North Eastern tip of the Greater Cochin area and is also the headquarters of Kunnathunad Taluk. It is a Main Satellite Centres of Kochi City. Perumbavoor is famed...
as the son of Parameswaran Pillai and Parukuttyamma. He graduated with BA Hons. He was elected as a member of Thiru-Kochi Assembly in 1951 and later as a member of the Kerala Assembly from 1967-70. He was the Kerala Press Academy
Kerala Press Academy
Kerala Press Academy, is an academy of journalists in Kerala. It was established on March 19th 1979. It is a joint venture of the Government of Kerala, Kerala Union of Working Journalists and Indian Newspaper Society. The head office of Kerala Press Academy is located at Kakkanad, Kochi, Kerala.Its...
Chairman from 1981-82. http://pgovindapillai.info/
As a discerning critic of fine arts, Sri. Pillai has written and spoken widely on the subject and served as the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation and also as the founder Director of Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT).
A familiar face on Kairali TV
Kairali TV
Kairali TV is an Indian television channel broadcasting in the Malayalam language catering to the Malayalam speaking population in Kerala as well as abroad . The channel, headquartered in Trivandrum, has studio facilities in Trivandrum as well as Kochi. Malayalam Communications Limited is the...
, P. Govinda Pillai gives his comments on national and international events that are shaping the world.
P.G. as he is fondly called, is considered by many to be knowledgeable and upright. His unfavorable critical remarks on the communist party doyen E.M.S. Namboodiripad on various issues have invited fierce backlash from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo. The party saw it as 'grave indiscipline' and decided to 'publicly censure' him on the issue.
When asked by Johny Lukose, an interviewer from a prominent literary magazine, for a sentence that he would like to have inscribed on his tombstone P.G. replied "Here lies the body of a humble Marxist political activist, who tried in his own ways to grapple with the great political storms of the 20th century and also the incessant attacks and attempted demolition of the humanist essence of communism and Marxism".
This Octogenarian Freedom Fighter is the 'Treasure of Knowledge' on any subject on the earth. Be it Literature, Art, Science, Technology, Political Science, History, Philosophy or Economics, 'PG' has a say in it. Shakespearean works or Shelley's Poetry or any creation of the Victorian Era are in his finger tips. PG is a man of authority on contemporary literature as well. P.G is an authority on world affairs. However it is also opined that he is at the best a 'Marxist text book writer'. Though very senior and has vast political experience and knowledge, he is not considered to be an influential writer or political activist. Unlike E.M.S, Kesari A Balakrishna Pillai
Kesari Balakrishna Pillai
Kesari Balakrishna Pillai , was a prominent Malayalam writer, art and literary critic, journalist, thinker and visionary.Kesari Balakrishna Pillai, who was known by the name of the newspaper he ran, "Kesari". He was also a literary critic, essayist and translated literary works form French and...
or M. N. Vijayan
M. N. Vijayan
M.N. Vijayan was an Indian writer, orator and academic.-Early life:...
who inspired new generation of activists, Govinda Pillai's writings are academic in nature. In fact, his own political party rightly understood this limitation and this prevented him from becoming one of the top leaders of CPI(M). His failure to figure out the 'crux of the issue' from the abundance of the information he has acquired and his apparently less creativity often prevented him from taking the right political stand at crucial times. CPI(M) leadership had to interfere on many occasions to help him correct his stand on major political developments. During the Tienanmen Square incident in China, Identifying with Social Democratic line etc., he was censured by his party and PG had the wisdom and greatness to accept such guidelines and publicly acknowledge his own failure.
Despite ill health, and 'Age Related Deterioration' (ARD - as he calls) PG crawls among Books (of which he has abundant collection) and adds more and more to his enriched 'Reservoir of Knowledge'.
PG has hearing impairment of the left ear and recently, when he underwent an operation on one of his eyes his other ear was also affected, with the result that he is now left with partial hearing and vision. Quoting Gandhi, PG says: " I see no evil; hear no evil; but speak all evil". His clarity and memory are remarkable. With the help of his scribe, day to day events are updated and articles and columns are dictated.
He is married to MJ Rajamma (Retd Professor). They have one son (MG Radhakrishnan - noted journalist) and a daughter (R Parvathy Devi - journalist & noted social activist).Their daughter-in-law is Jayasree(Scientist/Engineer, ISRO)and son-in-law is V.Sivankutty(MLA).Their three grandchildren-Tejaswini Radhakrishnan(Engineering student, TVM), P.Govind Sivan(student, Raffles Designing Institute,Kuala Lumpur) and Mukulika Radhakrishnan (student,KV Pattom, TVM)
Books by P. Govinda Pillai:
- Marxum mooladhanavum
- Isangalkkippuram
- Marxistsaundaryashastram, udbhavavum valarchayum
- Bhudakaalavum Munvidhiyum
- Frederik Engles - Snigdhanaya Sahakari Varishtanaya viplavakari
- Mar Gregoriosinte Mathavum Marxisavum
- EMS um Malayala Sahityavum
- Kerala Navodhanam Oru Marxist Veekshanam Vol 1
- Kerala Navodhanam Oru Marxist Veekshanam - Mathacharyar Mathanishedhikal
- Mahabharatham Muthal Communism Vare
- Mulkraj Muthal Pavanan Vare
- Aagolavalkaranam Maadhyamam Samskaram
- EMS Namboothiripad - A Biography
- Charles Darwin;Jeevithavum Kaalavum (2009)
- Vynjanika viplavam-Oru samskarika charithram (2011)
Jointly written a guide book for Gramcii readers with EMS. However much of the assertions in this book appear to be that of Govinda Pillai.
Translations by P. Govinda Pillai:
- Kaattukadannal(Gadfly by Ethel Lilian VoynichEthel Lilian VoynichEthel Lilian Voynich, née Boole was a British novelist and musician, and a supporter of several revolutionary causes. She was born in Cork. Her father was the mathematician George Boole. Her mother was feminist philosopher Mary Everest, niece of George Everest and an author for the...
) - Bhoothakalavum Munvidhikalum(Past and Prejudice by Romila ThaparRomila ThaparRomila Thapar is an Indian historian whose principal area of study is ancient India.-Work:After graduating from Panjab University, Thapar earned her doctorate under A. L. Basham at the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London in 1958...
)