THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Additional Chief Secretary Babu Paul has said that Sooranad Kunjan Pillai was a master who understood the subtleties and intricacies of language.
He was inaugurating the birth centenary celebrations of Kunjan Pillai organised by Thunchan Smaraka Samithi at the Press Club here on Monday. Babu Paul praised the ‘’special genius’’ of Kunjan Pillai and said that the noted lexicographer and grammarian was an exceptional warehouse of knowledge.
Kunjan Pillai was a man from a traditional and simple background and his decision to pursue a Master’s degree in English was a path-breaking one in 1933, Babu Paul opined.
“Perhaps his greatest quality was that he realised that knowledge had no boundaries and was always willing to learn new things even towards the end of his days”, he said.
Former MLA Pirappancode Murali, who presided over the function, recounted the various instances
in which he met Kunjan Pillai and spoke of the special warmth and humility that the Padma Shri recipient exhibited. ‘’Sooranad was able to pronounce the last word on myriad topics and was indeed a vast reserve of knowledge,” Murali said.
He also said that on several occasions, Sooranad had acted as a guiding light to him. ‘’He was the one we finally turned to during the case in Madras High Court disputing the existence of Swati Thirunal,’’ Murali said.
Kallara Gopan recited poems on the occasion. T G Harikumar, editor of ‘Kilipatt’ magazine, and M R Thampan, Director of Bhasha Institute, also spoke at the event.