CHENNAI: The family of late poet and writer Inquilab, who is also known as “Makkal Pavalar Inquilab”, has decided to decline the Sahitya Akademi award as he had always expressed his voice against the government.
The writer and activist who is a Communist was selected posthumously for the Sahitya Akademi award 2017. His daughter Amina is likely to send a formal letter to the Akademi explaining the family's decision.
The rationalist Tamil writer Inquilab (1944 - 2016) had retired as a professor of Tamil at The New College, Chennai.
His birth name is Shahul Hameed and he is a known follower of rationalist Periyar. His poems espousing rationality have been critically acclaimed.
“My father used to say that he never expected awards for his writings, instead he received only condemnations and accusations. He considered frequent calls for interrogation from the police as awards”, media reports quoting Ms. Amina, his daughter who is the managing trustee of the Inquilab Trust, said.
She is likely to send a formal letter to the Akademi, explaining that he had always expressed his voice against the governments. His poem Naanga Manushangada (We are human beings) is a famous freedom song of the dalits.
