KOCHI: An autobiography, that too a translation, sold 2.11 lakh copies so far and is counting. This is a rare distinction in Malayalam literature, probably, a unique one after the recognition ‘My Experiments with Truth’ received. ‘Agnichirakukal’ the Malayalam translation of the autobiography of former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam ‘Wings of Fire’, has completed 57 editions in the past 16 years and the 58th edition will be out soon.
‘Agnichirakukal’ was published in 1999, three years before Abdul Kalam became the President of India. Within months it became a must read and for years it remains in the top selling list.
“Dr Abdul Kalam’s style was that of a purposeful writer. He always gave thrust to three factors while writing books. One that it should communicate with the readers, should inspire and the reader should get something from the book to improve his life. All these factors are there in the appropriate ratio in his autobiography, ‘Wings of Fire’. Hence, the book had inspired and is inspiring children and grown-ups alike,” says P V Alby, a Kunbalangi native, who has translated the book into Malayalam. Alby had spent time with Kalam during the translation of the book and got inspiration from the life and thoughts of the missile man.
‘Agnichirakukal’ was published by DC Books on August 28, 1999. The first copy of the book was released by Arundathi Roy. She handed it over it to Adoor Gopalakrishnan in Kottayam. After the huge success of ‘Agnichirakukal’, Alby translated ‘Envisioning an Empowered Nation’ (Rashtravibhavanam-2005) and his collection of poems ‘Songs of Life’ (Jeevithageethikal-2013) into Malayalam.
As a writer Dr Abdul Kalam was a fan of Russian writer Anton Chekhov. The other writers he admire the most are Jules Verne, Edgar Allan Poe, Yakov Perelman, recollects Alby. Dr Kalam was also an admirer of Malayalam poet O N V Kurup and often mentioned about ONV when he talked to Alby about Malayalam literature.
“Three years ago when I met Dr Kalam he encouraged me to translate ‘Songs of Life’ into Malayalam. When I became skeptical, he told me that I translated his poem about his mother in ‘Wings of Fire’ brilliantly. So definitely you can do it. That was a major inspiration and those words I will never forget,” says Alby.
He says that the honesty in evaluating oneself was the best quality in Dr Abdul Kalam.