The Hindu : National : Special edition of <I>My Days</I> released

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Wednesday, Oct 11, 2006
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Special edition of My Days released

Special Correspondent

``He lived for the moment and not for posterity''

— Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

R.K. Ramachandran (left), brother of R.K. Narayan, presents the special edition of My Days to novelist Ashokamitran at a function in Chennai on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: A special edition of the celebrated Indian writer R.K. Narayan's autobiography, My Days, was launched at the Landmark bookstore here on Tuesday on his birth centenary.

Limited edition

The limited edition autobiography, published by Indian Thought Publications, has an introduction by author Alexander McCall Smith and illustrations by cartoonist R.K. Laxman.

R.K. Narayan's brother, R.K. Ramachandran, launched the special edition. The first copies of the book were handed over to Tamil writer Ashokamitran and the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, N. Ram.

Recalling his association with Narayan and his brothers, Mr. Ashokamitran said he never found them lacking in refinement and grace. "I used to marvel at the brothers on the way they conducted themselves," he said and added that all of them radiated goodness.

He said that at no time did he and Narayan discuss literary matters; they discussed people and also events during a day. "He lived for the moment and not for posterity," he said and added that Narayan had given so much to people around him and the world.

Mr. Ram said Narayan believed that books should be picked up from the shelves of stores and did not favour releasing them in big functions. Narayan was "clearly the first" of the modern Indian writers in English to make a career of writing. When he started out there was no support and, in his eighties, the author once remarked that it was a "foolhardy" thing to do. In the early days, he received good reviews. But sales remained poor and he had a family to support.

Mr. Ram said Narayan believed that the most important part of writing was "blue pencilling." He was against padding up literary works merely because a publisher wanted more words. The special edition was a "very fine tribute" to Narayan. "I think he will be very pleased with this."

Mrs. Mini, granddaughter of Narayan, said she was happy over the fact that many had come forward to make available copyrighted material for the special edition.

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