Minister Bindu Hails Anand as a Pan-Indian Voice at Literary Seminar

THRISSUR:

Dr R Bindu, Kerala’s minister for higher education and social justice, on Saturday described celebrated Malayalam writer Anand as a truly pan-Indian literary figure, whose work transcends linguistic, regional and national boundaries.

She was inaugurating a cultural discussion titled The Journeys of Anand, organised as part of Anandinte Rachanalokam (Anand’s Creative World), a two-day seminar that traces the writer’s long and influential literary journey.

Dr Bindu said Anand’s writing belonged not to a single geography but to a broader intellectual and moral landscape shaped by diverse lived experiences.

“Anand is a writer who has consistently looked beyond borders. His work reflects a consciousness that is at once rooted and global,” she said, adding that this quality placed him firmly among the most significant Indian writers of the contemporary period.

Dr Bindu, who hails from Irinjalakkuda like Anand, also spoke of her personal pride in sharing a hometown with the writer.

“It is a matter of pride for Irinjalakkuda that a writer of Anand’s stature emerged from its cultural soil and went on to reshape modern Malayalam literature,” the minister said.

Highlighting Anand’s ability to view the world as an interconnected whole, Dr Bindu noted that his varied life experiences across different parts of India had played a crucial role in shaping his literary vision.

Having lived and worked in several cities, including Delhi, Anand developed a perspective that allowed him to observe social realities from multiple vantage points.

The seminar session brought together writers, journalists and cultural thinkers who reflected on different phases of Anand’s career and the enduring influence of his work.

Academic and critic Prof Savitri Lakshmanan spoke about Anand’s position within modern Indian literature.

Senior journalist Renu Ramanathan, writer and cultural commentator Backer Methala, and K Hari also addressed the gathering.