A Journo's Diary

He fell in love with England, more than fifty five years ago when he came here as a young student at Cambridge. This love was not only influenced by the city of London but also because he considered it as “city of books”. He considers himself as a browser in those days, due to lack of funds to buy books. He always wondered what city could be matched to London in terms of its well organised and systematic book shops. The answer was none other than his own city, Kolkata, which holds the largest book fair in the world.

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, the Harvard University professor of economics and philosophy delivered the ‘Chairman’s breakfast speech’ that traditionally opened the London Book Fair 2009.

Prof. Amartya Sen

In context of the Kolkata Book Fair, he said that it was not only a place for buyers but also for browsers, perhaps a good example of Karl Marx’s philosophy of “From each according to his ability and to each according to his needs.”

The world of books, according to him, belongs to the list of the most important connection between India and the modern world. And not just in the context of modernity today but of the respective modernity at every age. From the path breaking discoveries of mathematicians to innovations in decimals and trigonometry that have travelled worldwide now.

He said India has been a bit successful than other countries in the continent in terms of maintaining democracy, in sticking to secularism despite challenges from different quarters, in advancing modern technologies and in making room for innovative idea from across the world to breathe more life into India. And books have been a major instrument in making these things possible.

Answering a question about Samajwadi Party’s manifesto, Prof. Sen, criticised Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s campaign pledge to ban the use of English in Uttar Pradesh. He said such a move will create further division between the English speaking haves and the non-English speaking have-nots.

The London Book Fair kick-started with long queues of people waiting to enter the large Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre. The book fair’s market focus for this year is India and is being attended by some 50 Indian writers and 90 publishers. Although the global economic crisis might have affected exhibitor participation, the crowd seemed as enthusiastic as ever to visit the fair.

With India the focus country for the fair this year, a bag full of big names are expected to attend and deliver lectures at the fair. From Vikram Seth to Amartya Sen, Amit Chaudhuri and Ramchandra Guha, it seems like the country’s best writers are ready to share their intellect with England. At least 54 countries are represented at the fair.

An Interview with Javed Akhtar

I got an opportunity to interview Mr. Javed Akhtar

With Javed Akhtar

What is your take on India being the theme for London Book Fair 2009?

Well, it is a great thing but we shouldn’t be surprised. Today, India has a position in the International world. Indian films are making inroads everywhere and they are being appreciated worldwide. Indian artists are doing work outside across the world. Indian film-makers are making cross over movies. Great deals of things are happening at the moment in the Indian subcontinent. In terms of Indian literature, writers are doing extremely well in the western hemisphere. Looking at the aspect of music, Indian music has definitely become very popular worldwide. One might feel happy but not surprised with this.

Do you see a growing trend in Indian writers from India?

Yes, Of course. There is a growth and they are doing very well across the world.

Now, talking in terms of your organisation, Muslim for Secular Democracy, can you tell us a bit more about it and the kind of work it is doing?

As a matter of fact one can say and one won’t be too wrong if one says that there is a contradiction in terms that if you are secular or democratic then why Muslim, why Christian, why Hindu? And obviously all those people who are in this organisation were, till yesterday, part of different liberal, secular, progressive groups. But we realised that whenever we opposed the fundamentalist voice within our community where we were born, and that was not a matter of choice, the fundamentalist groups say that maybe these are some individuals who have opinions. But we are not some individuals, we are an organization and this organization’s opinion represents the opinion of the masses in the community. And thus we decided to give back an answer to them by forming a secular, liberal, progressive and democratic Muslims.

So, you can say that within this community there is another organisation which is a counter point of the fundamentalists. And this is also a voice, not of the individual but of a segment. I believe people who are against fundamentalist, against anti-women, anti-liberal and anti-conservative views should get a platform and make it very clear that the fundamentalist voice is not the sole representative of the community. That is the basic purpose.