P. Govinda Pilla fondly called as PG, the marxist ideologue and former Chief Editor of Deshabhimani, P. Govinda Pillai passed away at KIMS Hospital here at around 11 pm on Thursday. He was 86. A lively figure in the social, political, scientific, literary and intellectual fields of Kerala, Govinda Pillai was born on 25 March 1926 at Pulluvazhi village, Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district as the eldest son of M.N. Parameswaran Pillai and K. Parukuttyamma.
As a journalist, PG worked with New Age, CPI organ in New Delhi in 1954-55. He was the Editor of Peoples’ Publishing House, New Delhi during 1963-64. From 1964 to 1983, he served as Chief Editor of Desabhimani daily, a CPI (M) organ. He was the Kerala Press Academy Chairman from 1980 to ’83. He also served as Editorial Board Member at Chintha weekly during the 1990s.
PG was a major foreign affairs analyst on television as he used to anchor a popular weekly programme called ‘PG and World’ on the Kairali television channel besides being a regular face on other channels.
PG was dropped from the CPI (M) State Committee in 1993 for his sensational interview published in Bhashaposhini in which he made some critical remarks on EMS and the party. He was also divested of his post as general editor of the Collected Works of EMS.
PG has written and spoken widely on the subject of fine arts and served as the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation and also as the founder Director of Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT).
His major works include Isangalkkappuram, Viplavaprathibha, Keralam: Oru adhakrtha Samsthanam, Sahithyavum Rashtriyavum, Marxist Soundarya Sasthram: Uthbhavavum Valarchayum, Viplavangalute Charitram, Sahityam: Purogathiyum Adhogathiyum, Poonthanam muthal Simon Vare, Charitrasaasthram; Puthiya Manangal, Bhagvad Gita-Bible-Marxism, Mahabharatham Muthal Marxism Vare, Mar Gregoriosinte Mathavum Marxisavum, Svathanthryathinte Sarvadesiyatha, Agolavalkkaranam, Samskaram, Madhyamam, Kerala navothanam: Mathacharyar, mathanishedhikal, Frederich Engels: Snigdhanaya sahakaari, varshtanaya viplavakari, EMSum Malayala Sahityavum, EMS: A Biography, Mulkraj muthal Pavanan vare.
He has won Sahitya Akademi Award, Swadesabhimani Award, Sankaranarayanan Thampi Award and Press Akademi Award.
PG’s son M.G. Radhakrishnan and daughter R. Parvathi Devi are both journalists. M.G. Radhakrishnan is Special Correspondent at India Today in Thiruvananthapuram. R.Parvathy Devi is working as the Public Relations Officer of Kudumbasree Project in Thiruvananthapuram.
His son-in-law V. Sivan Kutty (Parvathy Devi’s husband) is a CPI (M) leader and legislator from Thiruvananthapuram East and daughter-in-law A. Jayshree is a scientist with the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of the Indian Space Research Organization. He has three grandchildren: Govind Sivan, Tejaswini and Mukulika.
PG’s body was brought to his house at Perunthanny at 12.30 am. The body will be kept there till 12 noon and will be brought to VJT Hall at 4 pm on Friday for the public to pay homage. The body will be cremated with full state honours at Shantikavadam, Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram at 4 pm on Friday.
