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The remembered and the forgotten
Emphasised over and over again at the recent inauguration of the 25th annual Book Fair of the Booksellers and Publishers' Association of South India (BAPASI) was the honour of having on the same stage at the same time the country's two leading scientists, Professors A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and M. S. Swaminathan, both of whom made revolutionary contributions to India's progress, both Tamils as well as writers. Both, however, appeared to regret that they could not be members of the Association, pointing out that not only would a changed sequence in BAPASI's name be a better reflection of its commitment to the world of books but that including writers in it, making it the Writers', Publishers' and Booksellers' Association of South India, would make it a more meaningful association.
While speaker after speaker remembered the achievements of the two VIPs, it was sad to note that at a silver jubilee celebration, only one remembered the founders of the Fair who had made it a Madras institution, without which the evening's mela would not have been possible — and his mention of the founders was more an expression of regret over the omission rather than a remembrance of their contribution.
Most of these founders, who launched the Fair with just 16 stalls and built it up to over ten times that number, are still around. But only one or two were present on the occasion, leaving hanging the question whether any attempt had been made to ensure their presence. There was a promise, however, in response to that note of regret — that they'd be honoured... in due course. It'd be nice if they got the opportunity to see how big the Fair has grown, with well over 200 stalls.
S.MUTHIAH
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