P. Govinda Pillai Explained

Birth Date:	1926 5, df=yes
Birth Place:	Pulluvazhy, Perumbavoor, Kerala, India
Death Place:	Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Nationality:	Indian
Occupation:	Politician

P. Govinda Pillai (23 May 1926 – 22 November 2012) was a veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and ideologue from Kerala, India, and former Chief Editor of Deshabhimani.

Biography

Pillai was born on 23 May 1926 in Pulluvazhi, Perumbavoor, in a Nair family, as the son of Parameswaran Pillai and Parukuttyamma. He graduated with BA Hons. from St.Xaviers', Mumbai. He was elected as a member of Thiru-Kochi Assembly in 1951 and later as a member of the Kerala Assembly 1967–70. He was the Kerala Press Academy Chairman 1981–82.

Pillai wrote and spoke widely on the subject of fine arts and served as the Chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation and as the founding Director of the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT).^[1]

Pillai often appeared on Kairali TV, commenting on national and international events. His unfavorable critical remarks about E.M.S. Namboodiripad on various issues invited fierce backlash from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo. The party saw it as "grave indiscipline" and publicly censured him on the issue. However, in 2010, he received the Janasevana Praveen from the V. Sambasivan Foundation.^[2]

He died on 22 November 2012 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.^[3] Aged 86 at the time of his death, he suffered from numerous aging-associated diseases like diabetes and heart disease. He was cremated with full state honours at Santhikavadam crematorium nearby the next day. Being an atheist, he was cremated without any religious rituals.

Bibliography

Books

• Marxum mooladhanavum (Marx and Capital)
• Isangalkkippuram (Within "ism"s)
• Marxist saundaryashastram, udbhavavum valarchayum (Marxist aesthetics: origin and growth)
• Bhudakaalavum Munvidhiyum (Past and Prejudice)
• Frederick Engels – Snigdhanaya Sahakari Varishtanaya viplavakari
• Mar Gregoriosinte Mathavum Marxisavum (Religion and Marxism of Mar Gregorios)
• EMS um Malayala Sahityavum (EMS and Kerala literature)
• Kerala Navodhanam Oru Marxist Veekshanam Vol 1 (Kerala renaissance: A Marxist perspective Vol 1)
• Kerala Navodhanam Oru Marxist Veekshanam – Mathacharyar Mathanishedhikal
• Mahabharatham Muthal Communism Vare (From Mahabharatha to Communism)
• Mulkraj Muthal Pavanan Vare (From Mulkraj to Pavanan)
• Aagolavalkaranam Maadhyamam Samskaram (Globalization Media Culture)
• EMS Namboothiripad – A Biography
• Charles Darwin;Jeevithavum Kaalavum (2009) (Charles Darwin: life and times)
• Vynjanika viplavam-Oru samskarika charithram (2011) (Knowledge revolution: A cultural history)
• Guide book for Gramcii readers (joint author with EMS)
• samskaravum navodhanavum translated by P. P. Sathyan.

Translations

• Kaattukadannal (Gadfly by Ethel Lilian Voynich)
• Bhoothakalavum Munvidhikalum (Past and Prejudice by Romila Thapar)

Awards

• 2007: Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (Scholarly literature)^[4]

External links

• "P. Govinda Pillai: Life Sktech" (in Malayalam). Grandhalokam. January 2007

Notes and References

1. News: P. Govinda Pillai passes away. 23 November 2012. Kerala Kaumudi. 23 November 2012.
2. News: Sambasivan award for P. Govinda Pillai . https://web.archive.org/web/20100414041323/http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/08/stories/2010040852790300.htm . dead . 14 April 2010 . Chennai, India . . 8 April 2010.
3. News: Kerala CPM leader P Govindapillai passes away. https://archive.today/20130630125613/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-23/thiruvananthapuram/35318529_1_kerala-cpm-leader-cpm-state-committee-govinda-pillai. dead. 30 June 2013. 23 November 2012. The Times of India. 23 November 2012.
4. Web site: ഗോവിന്ദപ്പിള്ളയ്ക്ക് ശക്തി അവാര്‍ഡ് . Webdunia.com . 4 January 2023 .