CHENNAI: Writer M Kumar along with poet G Subramanian, recently launched at Naradha Gana Sabha their co-authored Tamil book on the history of India titled India Andru Mudhal Indru Varai (India Then and Now), published by Vanathi Publications.
Talking about the book to CE, Kumar shared, “Being a history graduate, I have always wanted to write about the history of our country. A few years ago, Nalli Kuppusami Chetti said — ‘Write a book on our history. Though people go to college and study it, only pieces of information are available…there is no flow on the documented history, especially in the South’.”
This fueled his interest even more and Kumar started writing the voluminous book with 63 chapters. “I started writing during Vijayadashami in 2012 and my friend Subramanian came on board to help me with the facts and also helped me in proof reading,” he added.
After five years of work, the book has hit shelves and Kumar said, “It is a compilation of everything from the pre-independence, post-independence, pre-mutiny and post-mutiny periods…it also traces back to wars that took place in the south that have gone unnoticed.”
TS Krishnamurthy, former Chief Election Commissioner, addressing the audience said, “Only when we know about the county will we grow. Though history is a narration of incidents, we need to know it to shape the future…in a time when people are ignoring their own history, this book by these brilliant writers will be extremely enlightening,” he added.
G Sundaram, IAS (retired) highlighted that history as a subject was slowly losing its shine among the youth. “It’s appalling and disheartening that not many know even about our own constitution! But, I feel that history and literature are slowly coming back and I would advise more youngsters to take up the subject…This book has covered many historic incidents that people wouldn’t have cared to notice. It’s also a good reference book for budding historians,” he said.
Pointing to people like Marudhu Brothers and Velu Nachiyar he added, “Many don’t know about them as much as they know about Veerapandiya Kattabomman…why? Because no films were made on them! Don’t we need movies to know at least about people who fought for the country?”
H Raja, national secretary, BJP who was also at the launch added, “We aren’t even aware of things that happened a generation back. Though Marudhu brothers were the first to issue a proclamation on Independence, almost 56 years before they talked about ‘First War of Indian Independence’
in North India in 1857, many aren’t aware of this. I think books that give such an untainted history are the need of the hour.”
HV Hande, V Kalyanam (Gandhi’s personal secretary) and Nalli Kuppusami Chettiyar were also present during the launch.