Sahitya Acadamy needs attention, will you give?

23 November 08
No Institution can servive with out following sound traditions laid down by its founders. Changes are possible but cannot be discarded all together. CREATIVE iNSTITUTIONS particularly, depend on such traditions as already laid down that had ushered the way to march forward all along. Unfortunately, the new era of the office bearers in AKADEMY care a liitle for all this. They are interested in collecting the benefits for themselves with out caring for the future of the Akdemy. Sahitya Akademy 's founder fathers were the stalwards like Pt.Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul kalam Azad, Dr. Zakir Hussain etc. They had dreamed that a day will come when Sahitya Akademy will shine like a star on the horizon of litrary world and contribute its best to the wealth of world literature through writings in Indian Languages. They were committed to the development of Indian Languages and making trible languages,and dailects richer and richer so that there may be cultural uniformity in creative field. Alas, during last five to six years, the set up that took over the Sahitya Akademy concentrated on every thing except litereture and its creative part. Their tours abroad, making personal bridges and gethering maximum facilities for themselves remained their main object. For instance the past President's priority was to arrange a seperate regular car for hiself on exceptionally high rates and decorate his room with wooden work spending there upon say around 27 laks of rupees. It was unlike any other past President. It is said that the smaller room in which Jawaharlal ji used to sit as President was changed in his personal bathroom. It can only be ascertained from the old timers who have been associted with the Akadamy during that period. Whenever he used to go on tours with deputations of writers he generally preferred to stay in seven or five star hotels seperate from other members distinguishing himself as superoir to them. Holding drink parties with his lackies at the cost of the Akademy. The manuplation of bills was left to his trusted officers. How a writer holding President's position distiguish himself higher than other writers.
If a comperative statement of expenditure of the ex. President in comparision to his predecessors is prepared the difference will be one and half times more then the past ptesident's expenditure. He always travelled in bussiness class where as other writers travelled in economy class.It is obviously undemocratic pattern of behaviour. He alwayes forced himself on the Finnance committee as an invitee with a view to get his figures adjusted in the budget. A President as chair person of the EX Board, alwayes enjoyes the power to get the budget figures adjusted in the Board meeting according to needs of the Institution.I doubt he had this much patience and courage to face the Board this way.
The secretary appointed in his regime was a person who was under investigation of CBI, overlooking merit, seniority and sincierity of his other colleages towards the institution. It is generally seen in Govt. set up but in academic and litereary set up obvisiously it mars the intrigity and dignity of the Institution.
Strangly enough that the said ex president was desirous to contest election for the next session but due to internal opposition and the interference of the Ministry he was forced to withdraw in the last general meeting. Actually there are two precedents when the President was elected twice once in case Of Pt. Nehru and the other was renowned educationist philologist Dr . Suniti Kumar Chaterjee . He wanted put his foot in their shoes. Though he had manuplated the names of members for new General council with the help of one Hinduvadi political party. Finnaly he succeeded in influencing his vice president to contest for the post of President.Though the later had alredy declared that he will not contest for the Presidentship and he will support his friend who had declared to contest against the sitting President before he withdrew under the pressure of the Ministry. Surprisingly, and as has been reported, the present President is following his predecessor and is generally away either to America or Bangladesh. The Secretary is obtaining verbal instructions from the ex President.On his instructions the Dy. Secretary who was loking after Hindi, Maithily and Nepali has been made Editor of Hindi Journal Samkaleen Bharatya Sahitya. Understandably ,the President was away to America. The editor Samkaleen Bhatrtiye Sahitya is working since last few years as joint editor of A Hindi magazine being published by a private publisher without permission of the Akademy.He was already confirmed against his post of Dy Secretary. With out advertising the post of Editor of Hindi Journal the incubment working as Dy Secretary has been appointed as Editor. Post of Dy Secretary instead of Editor's post which had fallen vaccant, was advertised and non Hindi man has been appointed as Dy secretary who is looking after the Hindi section. No post is, of course earmarked for a particular language but traditionally renowned writers of Hindi like Prabhakar Machwe, Bharatbhushan Agrwal. Vishnu Khre, Ranjeet saha were there as dy Secretary to look after the Hindi section. The largest number of people read and write Hindi, largest number of writers are also from Hindi. Now there is no person of Hindi in the Akademy who is able to look after the interest of Hindi writing and writers. The present and past Presidents talk about Hindi but with the help of Secretary they are cutting down the roots of Hindi in a very calculative manner. IF THE INTELLECTULEs AND WRITERS OF THE COUNTRY DO NOT COME FORWARD TO PROTECT tHE AKADEMY FROM VESTED INTERESTS THIS GREAT INSTITUTION WILL FACE A DEEP CRISIS IN NEAR FUTURE.