P. Govinda Pillai

P. Govinda Pillai, veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and ideologue from Kerala, India, and former Chief Editor of Deshabhimani, was born on 23 May 1926 at Pulluvazhi, Perumbavoor as the son of Parameswaran Pillai and Parukuttyamma. He graduated with BA Hons. He was elected as a member of Thiru-Kochi Assembly in 1951 and later as a member of the Kerala Assembly from 1967-70. He was the Kerala Press Academy Chairman from 1981-82. [1]

As a discerning critic of fine arts, Sri. Pillai has written and spoken widely on the subject and served as the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation and also as the founder Director of Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT).

A familiar face on Kairali TV, P. Govinda Pillai gives his comments on national and international events that are shaping the world.

P.G. as he is fondly called, is considered by many to be knowledgeable and upright. His unfavorable critical remarks on the communist party doyen E.M.S. Namboodiripad on various issues have invited fierce backlash from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo. The party saw it as 'grave indiscipline' and decided to 'publicly censure' him on the issue.

When asked by Johny Lukose, an interviewer from a prominent literary magazine, for a sentence that he would like to have inscribed on his tombstone P.G. replied "Here lies the body of a humble Marxist political activist, who tried in his own ways to grapple with the great political storms of the 20th century and also the incessant attacks and attempted demolition of the humanist essence of communism and Marxism".

This Octogenarian Freedom Fighter is the 'Treasure of Knowledge' on any subject on the earth. Be it Literature, Art, Science, Technology, Political Science, History, Philosophy or Economics, 'PG' has a say in it. Shakespearean works or Shelley's Poetry or any creation of the Victorian Era are in his finger tips. PG is a man of authority on contemporary literature as well. P.G is an authority on world affairs. However it is also opined that he is at the best a 'Marxist text book writer'. Though very senior and has vast political experience and knowledge, he is not considered to be an influential writer or political activist. Unlike E.M.S, Kesari A Balakrishna Pillai or M. N. Vijayan who inspired new generation of activists, Govinda Pillai's writings are academic in nature. In fact, his own political party rightly understood this limitation and this prevented him from becoming one of the top leaders of CPI(M). His failure to figure out the 'crux of the issue' from the abundance of the information he has acquired and his apparently less creativity often prevented him from taking the right political stand at crucial times. CPI(M) leadership had to interfere on many occasions to help him correct his stand on major political developments. During the Tienanmen Square incident in China, Identifying with Social Democratic line etc., he was censured by his party and PG had the wisdom and greatness to accept such guidelines and publicly acknowledge his own failure.

Despite ill health, and 'Age Related Deterioration' (ARD - as he calls) PG crawls^[vague] among Books (of which he has abundant collection) and adds more and more to his enriched 'Reservoir of Knowledge'.

PG has hearing impairment of the left ear and recently, when he underwent an operation on one of his eyes his other ear was also affected, with the result that he is now left with partial hearing and vision. Quoting Gandhi, PG says: " I see no evil; hear no evil; but speak all evil". His clarity and memory are remarkable. With the help of his scribe, day to day events are updated and articles and columns are dictated. He is married to MJ Rajamma (Retd Professor). They have one son (MG Radhakrishnan - noted journalist) and a daughter (R Parvathy Devi - journalist & noted social activist).Their daughter-in-law is Jayasree(Scientist/Engineer, ISRO)and son-in-law is V.Sivankutty(MLA).Their three grandchildren-Tejaswini Radhakrishnan(Engineering student, TVM), P.Govind Sivan(student, Raffles Designing Institute,Kuala Lumpur) and Mukulika Radhakrishnan (student,KV Pattom, TVM)

Books by P. Govinda Pillai

• Marxum mooladhanavum
• Isangalkkippuram
• Marxistsaundaryashastram, udbhavavum valarchayum
• Bhudakaalavum Munvidhiyum
• Frederik Engles - Snigdhanaya Sahakari Varishtanaya viplavakari
• Mar Gregoriosinte Mathavum Marxisavum
• EMS um Malayala Sahityavum
• Kerala Navodhanam Oru Marxist Veekshanam Vol 1
• Kerala Navodhanam Oru Marxist Veekshanam - Mathacharyar Mathanishedhikal
• Mahabharatham Muthal Communism Vare
• Mulkraj Muthal Pavanan Vare
• Aagolavalkaranam Maadhyamam Samskaram
• EMS Namboothiripad - A Biography
• Charles Darwin;Jeevithavum Kaalavum (2009)
• Vynjanika viplavam-Oru samskarika charithram (2011)

Jointly written a guide book for Gramcii readers with EMS. However much of the assertions in this book appear to be that of Govinda Pillai.

Translations by P. Govinda Pillai:

• Kaattukadannal(Gadfly by Ethel Lilian Voynich)
• Bhoothakalavum Munvidhikalum(Past and Prejudice by Romila Thapar)