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Story not given due status, says Padmanabhan

T. Padmanabhan

KOZHIKODE: The story as a literary genre has not been accorded the due status it deserved, says T. Padmanabhan, short story writer.

Inaugurating ‘Sahiteeyam - 2008,’ a week-long literary initiative of the Post Graduate Department of Malayalam under the aegis of Malayalam Mandalam at Malabar Christian College here on Monday, Mr. Padmanabhan said short story also faced similar bias the world over.

“In fact, it took more than 17 years for the Vayalar award committee to include story in the sixth category of the bylaw for award selection, after novel, poetry, criticism, etc.” This was true of Kendra Sahitya Akademi too, that selected short story for award in Malayalam after 42 years, despite the esteemed opinion that Malayalam and Bengali short stories were noted for quality.

The writer alleged that a rat race prevailed among writers to be selected for awards, which, after all, came from tax payers’ money. He also flayed the tendency of undue glorification of personalities. By way of volume, he had written only 170 stories in 60 years when compared to the prolific pen of modern day writers. “Yet, my stories are very good, and I live in this confidence because they are written with a view to bring out the best in humans. I write about dogs and birds, trees and flowers, all that make the world.” He advised students to read the poetry of Sugathakumari and O.N.V. Kurup for the refreshing sentiments conveyed.

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