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A Gandhian committed to women's cause

She is a Gandhian, biographer, painter and woman of strong political conviction committed to women's cause. In conversation withMaleeha Raghaviah

V. Parukutty Amma

She grew up hearing protests and slogans against the British rule. Raja Ravi Varma's paintings had adorned the walls of her ancestral home along with Hindu deities and Jesus Christ creating a liberal spirit in the young girl. From the well-stocked library of one of her uncles, she could browse world classics, including `Great Expectations'.

V. Parukutty Amma (Vadakkumthani Parukutty Amma) continues to be committed to the ideals she imbibed more than half a century back, despite the changes of a modern world.

The inborn martial traditions of her `tharvad', which had `kalaris', had exerted its influence on her. The male members of her family had been soldiers in the Zamorin's army.

Parukutty Amma did not fail to appreciate the benefits of modern science and technology either, especially in the health sector. She is a Gandhian, biographer, painter and woman of strong political conviction committed to women's cause. She had translated speeches of Jawaharlal Nehru, S. Radhakrishnan and Indira Gandhi. "Gandhi's moral strength drew thousands to the freedom movement. He kindled the love for a free India and service to the nation," says Parukutty Amma who wears khadi.

Despite the physical debility her mind is alert. She keeps informed of the changes around. Innumerable friends and well-wishers drop in to make life pleasant for her.

"The love for khadi was kindled as a little girl. One of my uncles Kutty Sankaran Nair spun khadi at home," she says.

She says that the country is facing new problems such as that of tribals, for whose welfare she had worked. She remembers persons such as Kesava Menon as a class apart— of a bygone era. Parukutty Amma is disappointed that there is no political party with identity to work for people's welfare and leaders to lead a progressive youth movement.

She started her career as a mathematics teacher at the BEM Girls High School in 1945. She did her graduation, post-graduation and teachers training at the Women's Christian College, Madras Christian College and Christopher Training College respectively in Chennai. Teaching was not her first love. She joined Mathrubhumi daily as a librarian and became an active participant in the freedom movement. Soon she was noted as a good orator at Congress party meetings and earned a name as an adept translator. "Panditji was a great orator. He was considerate— looking for translation after few sentences. He took on the role of the enlightened leader in a nascent democracy educating people on the fundamentals of politics," she says. Parukutty Amma had accompanied Nehru by train from Kozhikode to Thalassery and Kanhangad where he had addressed public meetings.

V.K. Krishna Menon, though a Keralite, delivered speeches in English. Indira Gandhi's speeches were populist and Radhakrishnan's philosophical. A painter in her own right, she etched to relieve tension and increase concentration. G.N. Pillai, who was her mentor, provided inspiration to carry forward her avocation.

Noted are her biographies of K.P. Kesava Menon, K.A. Damodara Menon and G.N. Pillai, and translations of Indira Gandhi's biography `Return of the Red Rose' by K.A. Abbas into Malayalam `Chembanineerpoo veendum' and R.R. Divakaran's biography of Aurobindo. Parukutty Amma continues to be a mentor and a source of inspiration for her admirers. She writes occasionally on social issues.

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