THRISSUR : When a change of government takes place, though cultural institutions in the state are deemed apolitical, their presidents and secretaries resign to pave the way for new incumbents.
The Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi, Kerala Chalachitra Academy and the Kerala Kalamandalam are awaiting the appointment of institution heads to monitor the functions and allocate funds necessary for their operation.
The International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK) is a major programme conducted by the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi every year. Preparations for the ITFoK need to be conducted in advance.
Usually, every July, the background work begin by inviting entries from interested theatre groups. Without a proper leadership in key roles, the preparatory activities are likely to lag, resulting in total chaos.
Similarly, the Sahitya Akademi conducted an annual literature festival —International Literature Festival of Kerala (ILFK) — even amid fund crunch. For the smooth conduct of the festival and other cultural programmes of the Sahitya Akademi, there is a need for a robust leadership.
Last year, ILFK happened in August and the future of the same remains uncertain in the current scenario with no president or an executive committee to take decisions.
The Lalithakala Akademi has been funding many artists to take up residential training and other such activities, and to continue with those schemes a permanent leadership is crucial. After Oscar-winning sound engineer Resul Pookkutty resigned from the post, the Kerala Chalachitra Academy too has remained headless, thereby crippling its activities.
Though Mallika Sarabhai continues as the chancellor of the Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed to be University, people associated with the Save University Campaign have already urged the government to remove her from the post as her appointment has led to a fund crisis in the Kalamandalam.
While there are a lot of potential candidates for the posts in the UDF camp, the decision has been delayed.
Meanwhile, the Left has criticised the inordinate delay in finding eminent people to head the cultural bodies.