(In 1999, there was neither Dadri nor Narendra Modi phenomenon. But a man like Khushwant Singh truly served as a mirror to the development
of Indian English literature.)
Sahitya Akademy is in news for all obvious reasons for about a month now. But amid a thirst for publicity in the garb of protecting India's liberal culture, many writers have returned their awards. BJP president Amit Shah has virtually dismissed the protest saying, "All the writers returning their awards are protesting against Congress and Samajwadi Party governments". His argument being Dadri happened in Samajwadi-ruled Uttar Pradesh and perhaps most awards were given during Congress regime.
For reasons best known to the patrons of Sahitya Akademy, a body formed in 1954 is run by government money, does not pass the test of critical and clinical objectivity.
In an interview given to me (blogger, then a Reporter with Press Trust of India (PTI) in 1999, Khushwant Singh had demanded for abolition of Sahitya Akademi sparking off editorial comments.
Of course, Khushwant Singh is known for his unconventional mannerism. Marxist Ashok Mitra once called him
a ‘pretender’ of a writer.
(Excerpts of
an interview given by Khushwant Singh to Nirendra Dev, Courtesy PTI Golden Jubilee Souvenir, 1999)
# Tell us about your impression on
Indian writing in English in the 20th century?
Khushwant: Well for the first time I
think India has emerged on the world writing map. The tremendous contribution
made by our writers in English has made it possible for writers outside English
speaking countries to earn a niche for themselves. We have produced a stream of
first rate writers. They are not only Indian writers but also writers in their
own right. Two-three names I can take are Raja Rao, R K Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand
and of course Nirad babu (Nirad C Chaudhury)..then comes Salman Rushdie, Vikram
Seth, Ruskin Bond…another name Amitava Ghosh.
# Do works of Indian writers in
English really reflect the realities of Indian societies? Are they alive to
social awakening?
Khushwant Singh: Usually this
is the complaint against English writers. But this is never true. Such
criticism stems from jealousy than anything else. Because, generally themes of
all their works are based in India. And they handle both the plot and the theme
with greater sensitivity and skill than the writers in other Indian languages –
like Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali, of which I mostly read translation works.
I will also say that English writers
display a sharper eye and taste for depth and details. They also cover a wider
landscape than other Indian languages. ‘Arey yaar’ in Indian languages there is
no equivalent for many English phrases and words. To Indian writers birds can
only fly in neela asmaan (blue sky). English writers put a lot of research and specify
the wide-ranging varieties of birds and animals. Have you seen that ‘Everest
Hotel’ by Allen Sealy.
# Tell us something about the
success story of Indian writers in English, especially vis-à-vis the flow of
money.
Khushwant Singh: Well that is
the cause of maximum jealousy. Who is that fellow from Sahitya Akademi who
often comes out with a crusade against English writing? I don’t understand
what’s really wrong if some writers through their works make crores of rupees
or works from humble people like me run into publications worth lakhs of
rupees. The fact of the matter is that it is the survival of the fittest.
That is why I oppose any kind of
patronage. The Sahitya Akademi really does not serve anything purposeful other
than ‘thoda paisa de diya..udhar award de diya’...The Akademi should be
abolished. Those writers who don’t find publishers let them die. Let us not
publish anything just for the sake of it. That is why some publishing houses
have come up who charge writers themselves to publish their materials. May be
even they consider the stuff bad to be marketed.
# Then how do you visualize the
future of Indian writing in future?
Khushwant Singh: There is a
bright prospect. Most of the writers who have made a mark in this century (20th
century) are young. They can go on for 20 to 30 years more….The positive thing
is that none of them played to the audience, which creative people should never
do. They have not restricted themselves to or concentrated on a singular theme
of joint family and so on. They have shown flexibility to move with time and
handled their subjects with great skill and craftsmanship.
# What direction would Indian
writing in English take? Will we have more of best sellers?
Khushwant Singh: Why not? It is
a good trend. I don’t understand why anybody should object to writers like
Arundhati Roy, Shobha De and Vikram Seth making large sums of money. By writing
best sellers they have not diluted their quality. Arundhati, I think, writes
near classical with a good command over language. Amitava Ghosh and Vikram Seth
also handle the language very well and display sensitivity.
# Do you think emergence of digital
technology, data system or internet culture could be harmful to a creative art
like writing?
Khushwant Singh: I really don’t
understand all these. I still (1999) write in long hand. I cannot even type,
not to speak about these gadgets. But what’s the problem if some people use
laptops.
# As a veteran, what is your advice
to young writers…your fans?
Khushwant: That’s something very
dangerous. Good writers should never try to emulate anybody. Oh Fans! I also
have a large number of detractors. I have the best of friends who tell me on my
face that I write absolute filth. There was an editor friend who once said I
make an art of bullshit. I said I take it as a compliment.
ends
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