Your column

jul 25th, 2007

i have to admit this email made me feel good, although i am a believer
in the gita's maxim of "tulya nindau stutir mauni" (equally
indifferent to abuse, praise and silence).

if i am making a difference in the perspective of at least a few
people, and helping them to aspire to do more for something greater
than themselves -- that is to say, the nation -- then all the hassle
is worth it. i believe that india can be number 1, the best in the
world -- it was, for so long. we just lost our way.

but i do admit the 'ticket-collector' bit threw me :-)

thank you, v. (v is an investment banker).

yes, most of vijayan's works are available in translation by himself.
vijayan's english is fabulous, occasionally even better than his
original malayalam. he was an original, a genius. there is an omnibus
edition of his works from penguin india. his last, magisterial work,
'generations', is not translated: he was working on it when his health
failed. his first, 'the epic of khasak', was released worldwide in
translation by viking a few years ago to good reviews.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: v

Dear Rajeev,

I read with great feeling your recent column on Rediff, especially the last
line on Mother India. Your words have power, my friend, and your columns
such as the ones enumerating the idea of 'Pax Indica' have stirred many a
heart. Keep it going. Maybe your role in Indian history will be similar to
that of the ticket collector who threw out Mahatma Gandhi from the
first-class railway compartment in the South African train. Let me explain.

It was perhaps that one singular instance that awakened the Mahatma in
Mohandas, who was till then an ordinary barrister. The resultant political
movement ended what you have described as Britain's trillion dollar loot of
India. That ticket collector perhaps caused billions of dollars of wealth
erosion for Britain by his act.

You, on the other hand. by awakening dormant Indians such as me, might just
inspire a handful of us to become the future tycoons of the globe which
might thereby create billions of dollars of wealth for the Mother. Your
contribution will therefore be similar: creating enormous wealth for India
-- something 'achieved' by that over-zealous ticket collector too !!

I talk of wealth, because that is the field I am associated with. Maybe
others will be inspired by the Pax Indica idea to go on to become
outstanding writers, doctors, et al. Who knows?

On a separate note, are you aware of English translations of Shri Vijayan's
novels?

Take care my friend, and thanks for preserving the annonymity as always,
especially as I use my office mail to write to you !

V