Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's speech at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Sahitya Akademi

"When Jaipalji first asked me to inaugurate this historic meet, I said to him that I did not see that I was qualified for this honour. This function should have been inaugurated by a towering, literary figure of this country. But he persisted, and in my defence, I can only recite a couplet - "maana ki tere deed ke qaabil nahin hoon main, tu mera shauq to dekh, tu mera intezaar to dekh". As I stand before you, I am reminded of a stanza from Dr. Mohammed Iqbal - which used to be recited very frequently. My distinguished friend and mentor, Shri P.N. Haksar, referring to the permanence of Indian civilizations, used to quote Iqbal - "mit gaye unaan, misr, romaan, lekin kaayam hai ab tak namon-nishaan hamara, kuchch baat hai ki hasti mit-ti nahin hamari, saidyon raha hai dushman, dauren zamaana hamaara". And I often wonder what is it that has given our civilization this great sense of durability and permanence. And as I reflect on this vital issue, I come to the conclusion that through the centuries, creative artistes, great literary figures are the main source for inspiration, which have contributed to the permanence and durability of Indian civilization.

I therefore salute all the distinguished personalities who through the centuries have enriched valiantly our culture and civilization. This Akademi is a symbol of that creativity. The Golden Jubilee of the Sahitya Akademi is therefore, a landmark, not only in the history of this great institution, but in the cultural history of our country as well. There is a three-dimensional aspect to this great moment. There is the obvious dimension of the creditable achievements of the Akademi, to which Jaipalji has referred so eloquently. Then, there is the dimension of the promises for the future. The dreams and ideals of the founding fathers of the Akademi provide the third dimension and perspective to this great moment of accomplishment. The role and responsibility of the Sahitya Akademi in the cultural life of a multi-lingual country such as ours can hardly be over-emphasized. I congratulate the Akademi for its remarkable success in nurturing the full diversity of India's literary life for five decades.

The importance of Sahitya Akademi's mandate is as significant today, as it was when we became independent in 1947. Creative connectivity which is manifested through our literature has served in emotionally integrating the different parts of this great country of ours. Tears and laughter, adventure and romance, thought of death and life, compassion and equity, constitute a response to emotional feelings which are the common heritage of humankind. The portrayal of these human experiences through the medium of creative arts greatly strengthens the bonds of unity and shared common destiny of our people. By patronising and encouraging the growth of literature, in all our national languages, the Akademi has made a powerful contribution to the promote the ideals of unity in diversity. I salute the Akademi for pursuing this great vision with zeal and with zest for 50 years.

As the Akademi enters the sixth decades of its life, we pay tributes to the many eminent writers, scholars who guided the destiny of this great institution as presidents and as members through good and bad times. It is the fruition of their efforts that we celebrate today.

It must be our endeavour to build on the efforts of the pioneers so that posterity can continue to benefit from an institution, which gives all Indians a voice, with which we can share our dreams. Literature, itself is a process, which can be described as continuous harvesting of dreams. The writer, who expresses the anguish, fears, anxieties and expectations of his or her generation, is at once an individual, but also a symbol. This is a source of both the source of the writer's authenticity and the basis of his acceptance and relevance to society at large. Literature, written in every language of this country bears the hallmark of the struggle of a people, in their own voices. Translation can credibly capture and convey this sense. In the calculus of creativity, every language has the same value, as each language holds these unique fingerprints of history. Therefore, given such a marked variation in linguistic and regional identities, one could ask the question, "what is the relevance of a national Akademi of letters?"

In my view, the Sahitya Akademi has a twin responsibility. On the one hand, it has to foster these distinct identities which make our country so much richer in our heritage. At the same time it has to ensure that the best of our writing in one linguistic group is intelligible to other linguistic groups; art must transcend linguistic barriers. Such a sharing of diverse experiences and creative expressions lead us to a deeper understanding of each other, and better communication among each other. Indian literature today denotes the multi-layered reality of our experiences. Thus, the Sahitya Akademi plays a pivotal role in the construction of this Indian reality.

In reality, therefore there have always been comparable literary movements across the country from ancient times, much before modern communication facilities were available. For instance Ramayana and Mahabharata have exerted their influence in almost all Indian languages, without any organized effort. The ancient wisdom of the Panchatantra and Kathasaritsagar similarly has a pan-Indian influence. The influence of Buddhist and Jain literature too is profound and widespread. With the setting up of the Akademi, we have created numerous opportunities for literary traditions to interact with each other. As a result, types of literature, such as on our freedom struggle, progressive literature, modernist literature, feminist literature, Dalit literature, now have had a pan-Indian appeal. This helps focus creative energies of our people collectively, transcending the barriers of language.

In a way, therefore, while enriching their own languages, these writings go beyond the confines of regions and aspire towards common concerns and causes. Thus, literature has led to the discovery of new strands of unity in our plurality. Sahitya Akademi has served as an effective instrument in this task of discovery.

In the history of a nation, there are periods of despair, as well as moments of optimism. When the ordinary citizens are swayed by the current moods, it is only those with a heightened sensibility, deeper vision and proper perspective, who can see beyond the immediate and foretell the pitfalls in our path. Without this creative insight, with which writers are gifted, we would be trapped in a narrow frame of reference of the present. We would have no reference to the past, or to the awareness of our future. In this way writers become the conscience keepers of our people and their vision and counsel help us listen to the voices of the voiceless and recognize the faces of the marginalized sections of our society. Therefore, by providing a national platform for our literature, Sahitya Akademi has profoundly enriched our democracy. It is a responsibility that requires to be nurtured through ceaseless vigil.

I commend to you the responsibility of proceeding with the task of nurturing Indian literature, and thereby contributing to a more aware, inclusive and humane society, at peace with its pluralist traditions. I urge you to build upon fifty successful years of serving our people and our democracy. I have no doubt that the journey ahead will be equally challenging and equally rewarding. I wish the Akademi all success in this sensitive mission of great national importance."

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