Jayakanthan's contribution to
arts and politics spans over 50 years when he has donned
all kinds of hats: foot soldier, journalist, writer, pamphleteer,
filmmaker, and critic. Fiercely independent and a man of
conviction, he once declared that he never wrote even one
sentence to entertain his readers. His primary goal, in
all his writings, is to ‘sing the glory
of man.' Asked if he was a committed writer, he answered: “Yes,
I am committed to life at the conscious level'. He added
such a commitment could extend to Shaivam, Vaishnavam, Marxism
or Communism.
Jayakanthan's vast literary output includes 200 short
stories, 35 novellas, 15 full novels and 15 collections of
essays. Critics have described the Tamil literary scene of
the Sixties as the ‘Age of Jayakanthan.'
Jayakanthan received the distinguished Jnaanapeeth Award for his "Outstanding contribution towards the shaping of India's literature" and "his deep, sensitive understanding of human nature."
See President Abdul Kalaam's speech on Jayakanthan.
Jayakanthan is also the Fellow of the Indian Sahitya Akademi - the National Institute of Letters - and the recipient of awards from the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Tamil University of Tanjore.
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
REDEMPTION - JAYAKANTHAN'S INTRODUCTION
REDEMPTION
ROCKING CHAIRS ROCKING CHAIRS - REFLECTIONS
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