KOZHIKODE: In the modern world, the media works with the state and the capital to carry out their propaganda and it is institutions like the Progressive Writers Union that have to resist this tendency, said renowned literary critic and former vice-chairman of the National School of Drama Samik Bandyopadhyay, inaugurating the one year-long Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham (PuKaSa) at the Town Hall on Thursday.
He added that the pioneers among progressive writers like Rabindranath Tagore have given a perspective to the association and written to the progressive writers elaborately about the role of literature in resisting the imperialistic takeover of the world. The function that brought the stalwarts of Malayalam literature was presided over by U A Khader, who briefly explained the importance of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham. He also said that the young generation has to be aware of social problems and it should be through literary activism such crises should be dealt with.
Jnanpith Award winner O N V Kurup was honoured at the function by former cultural minister M A Baby. ONV shared his experiences related to Kozhikode city and said he grieved that many of his contemporaries were no longer with him.
The poet who has been with the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham for almost six decades, pointed out the contributions of the organisation to Malayalam literature.
“I have been branded as a renegade by the association at times. But my politics which shaped my life has had only one stand and it has never changed,” said ONV.
Former Sahitya Academy Chairman M Mukundan launched the online magazine of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham by sending the first edition to 2,500 subscribers. The sangham is planning to increase the subscription of the online magazine which would have a democratic literary space to 25,000 within one month. M Mukundan said that the structureof the sangham has become congested with preconceived norms for becoming writers of the progressive style.