A very graceful and dignified retirement
By Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem, MD
Just two days ago, I read that K. Satchidanandan, the noted Malayalam writer, poet, critic and translator, has announced that he would be gradually withdrawing from public life, out of his own volition.
This very popular and much sought after orator and the present Chairperson of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi has been a leading luminary on the very rich and verdant landscape of Malayalam literature and has published more than twenty collections of poetry, on themes related to love, nature and social justice and his works have earned him many major honours.
The book, which is an anthology of about four hundred very carefully curated poems from twenty Indian languages, is a real treasure trove for lovers of poetry and literature. It is not unlike the Anthology of Modern Indian Poetry, compiled by Vinay Dharwadkar and A.K. Ramanujan, which again is an outstanding compilation.
The reason that Satchidanandan, the doyen of Malayalam literature, has given for his unusual decision at the age of 78, which can actually be called the most productive age for any writer, is that he could sense his memory and other mental faculties becoming weaker and weaker, with each passing day.
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