‘THE TRIPLE STREAM’

By K. RAMAKOTISWARA RAU

That Dream of 1958

I owe an explanation to the readers of Triveni regarding the recent history of the journal. In January 1958, Sri Burra V. Subrahmanyam, Advocate, High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, assumed the main responsibility for editing and publishing Triveni. He had been associated with me as Joint Editor during the years 1936 to 1940, when the journal was being published from Madras. He was in sole charge of it in 1941 when, as a member of the Madras Legislative Assembly, I offered individual Satyagraha and went to prison for a year. I can never forget the devotion and efficiency displayed by Sri Subrahmanyam in the years prior to the shifting of the office to Bangalore in 1942. From 1950 to 1957, the journal was published from Masulipatam by Sri B. Narasimha Rao of Triveni Publishers, with Sri M. Sivakamayya as Joint Editor. Towards the end of 1957, I suffered from a serious nervous breakdown and had to resign the Chief Editorship of the Southern Languages Book Trust, Madras, after a brief tenure of one year. The dear friends in Masulipatam were willing, as ever, to continue to co-operate with me and publish the journal from Masulipatam. But I had a feeling that if Triveni was to prosper and attain loftier heights in the realm of Indian Journalism, it ought to be published from a great city like Hyderabad which is the meeting-point of North and South, a university centre, and the home of scholars and writers belonging to half-a-dozen language groups. I therefore requested Sri Subrahmanyam to fulfil the function for which he had the requisite literary gifts, widespread influence, and financial resources. He agreed with pleasure and took the burden off my ageing shoulders. It seemed as if a new chapter was commencing in the history of the journal, and a younger and more energetic Editor would give it a fresh lease of glorious achievement.

For a time all went well, and the numbers of the journal edited by Sri Subrahmanyam bore evidence of his critical acumen and punctilious attention to detail. But by 1960, it became clear that he could not devote much attention to Triveni, because of his preoccupation with the growing volume of his professional work as a lawyer. He tried hard, and with the utmost sincerity, to do his duty by Triveni, but found it well-nigh impossible. The journal appeared irregularly and at prolonged intervals. The impression gained ground that it was languishing and would soon disappear from the literary scene. After anxious thought, and with some hesitation, I proposed to Sri Subrahmanyam, early in 1962, to restore Triveni to me and leave me free to make alternative arrangements for its publication. He took some time to come to a decision: he loved the work and had all along intended to pursue his two-fold aim of editing Triveni and of relieving me of the enormous strain I had borne for over thirty years. But he realized that our joint dream of 1958 had not come true and that a change-over was inevitable. The memory of that dream will, however, abide with me and my erstwhile colleague, and our mutual affection is unabated.

Triveni goes back to Masulipatam, and my new dream of 1962 is that Sri Sivakamayya and Sri Narasimha Rao will re-build this broken mansion. Sri Sivakamayya is Principal of the Andhra Jateeya Kalasala (National College) which celebrated its Golden Jubilee last year. Through him, as Editor-Principal, are linked two institutions with an idealistic bent, even as they were linked once before in 1933 and 1934 when I filled that dual role. On Sri Sivakamayya devolves the responsibility of editing the journal, with such slight assistance as a senior like me–tired and old, and with defective eyesight–can offer. Sri Sivakamayya is a scholar of distinction and devoted to cultural pursuits. And he has the advantage of being, like Sri Subrahmanyam, fifteen years younger than myself. The journalists of my generation are verging on seventy, and some of the noblest among them–Khasa Subba Rau, V. Bhaskaran, and K. Rama Rao–have passed away. But I am full of hope that Sri Sivakamayya and the writers of the younger generation will win added recognition for Triveni as a glowing symbol of our Renaissance.

The New Rashtrapathi

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, first President of India, has been succeeded by Dr. Radhakrishnan who had served for a decade as Vice-President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Parliament of India. Dr. Radhakrishnan’s election has been acclaimed the world over as a well-merited honour to the philosopher-statesman of modern India, whose achievement as a cultural ambassador between East and West is of supreme value in promoting international harmony and goodwill.

Dr. Prasad belonged to the band of distinguished lawyers of an earlier generation–Motilal Nehru, Chittaranjan Das, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajagopalachari and Prakasam–who renounced their careers at the Bar and threw themselves into the struggle for Indian freedom at the call of Gandhiji in 1920. And when Independence was achieved and the Constituent Assembly, with Dr. Prasad as its President, framed a constitution for Free India, the nation honoured itself by electing Dr. Prasad as the first President of the Republic. During two successive terms of office, Dr. Prasad endeared himself to the people of India and won the respect of the representatives of foreign nations. His saintly life and dignified bearing reminded everyone of Rajarshi Janaka of ancient India. He upheld the Gandhian tradition in our national life, and even in his retirement he is keen on maintaining the Sarvodaya attitude of simplicity and selfless service.

Dr. Radhakrishnan is cast in a different mould. He could have chosen Law as a profession, but he preferred Education as service. He owed a great deal to the training he received under an eminent Scottish Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Hogg of the Madras Christian College. Young Radhakrishnan began life as an Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the Presidency College, Madras. His precision of thought, clarity of expression and personal charm cast a spell over his students. The Government College at Rajahmundry and other seats of learning then provided him the forum for the exercise of his unique gifts as a lecturer on the abstruse problems of life and letters. His career as Professor in the Universities of Mysore and Calcutta, Vice-Chancellor of Andhra and Benares, Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford, Chairman of the UNESCO, Ambassador to Russia, and Vice- President of the Republic, has been the theme of constant praise. His great books-Indian Philosophy, An Idealist View of Life, and The Recovery of Faith–mark him out as a leader of thought in the modern world. He has been equally renowned as a statesman and man of affairs, easing the tensions of a troubled age.

But I love to dwell on Dr. Radhakrishnan as a connoisseur of literature and the fine arts, and as a patron and friend of all those who are struggling against odds to maintain institutions which mirror the awakening of a nation’s soul. His interest in the work of artists and poets in different parts of India is deep and abiding. Srimathi Rukmini Devi’s Kalakshetra in Adyar, Srimathi Durgabai Deshmukh’s Andhra Mahila Sabha in Mylapore, the P. E. N. India Centre founded by Srimathi Sophia Wadia, and the All-India Sahitya Akademi of Delhi have all benefited by Dr. Radhakrishnan’s sage counsel. There is always a word of cheer, a benignant smile, and even the offer of material assistance through his generous friends spread all over India. Rising poets and essayists look to him for a Preface to their writings and the request is never denied.

In 1929 he sponsored a cultural Monthly–The New Era–from Madras with Sri M. Seshachelapati (now a Judge of the Andhra High Court) as Editor, and with scholars of high attainment like Prof. K. T. Shah and Dr. Tarachand on the Advisory Board along with Dr. Radhakrishnan. The journal was, in appearance, like the famous Hibbert Journal and published articles of literary and political interest from distinguished writers. It had a bright, but very brief, existence and stopped with the thirteenth number. Triveni was then in the third year of its precarious life, and Sri Seshachelapati suggested that The New Era might be incorporated with Triveni. I appreciated the idea but wanted that Dr. Radhakrishnan, Prof. Shah, and Sri Seshachelapati should form the first Advisory Board of Triveni along with Sri C. Jinarajadasa and Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Dr. Radhakrishnan was then in England delivering the Hibbert Lectures for 1929. With his kind consent, the Advisory Board of Triveni came into being. All these years, Dr. Radhakrishnan has evinced a warm interest in me and Triveni, and given me strength in moments of utter depression. I am grateful to him for many “acts of kindness and of love”. There must be many others in all lands bound to him by similar ties of affection.

To the new Rashtrapathi of India Triveni renders loving homage, and rejoices that a philosopher like him has been chosen to guide the destinies of India during a critical period in the world’s history.

The Three-Language Formula

As part of a well-meant programme of national integration, the three-language formula has been accepted by the Chief Ministers of all the States of the Indian Union. But its implementation in the Hindi States presents some difficulties, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh is already “having second thoughts”. While provision may be made for the teaching of Hindi in all schools and colleges in the non-Hindi States, the compulsory study of Hindi by little children of eight or nine years, in addition to the mother-tongue and English, is a wholly unnecessary imposition. It is equally unnecessary and even futile to compel children in U. P., Rajasthan, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh to learn Kannada or Telugu. The Hindi-speaking students may find it more advantageous to learn Samskrit.

Recent happenings indicate that the prejudice against English as a ‘foreign’ language is not so pronounced now as in the first few years following the achievement of Independence. The Minister for Education in Andhra Pradesh has directed that the compulsory study of English in schools should begin at the third standard instead of at the sixth (corresponding to the First Form). In Madras State, English will be taught from the fourth standard. With regard to the medium of instruction, there is a divergence of opinion. While Dr. Shrimali visualizes the adoption of the regional languages in place of English by all the Indian universities before the end of the Third Plan period, educationists of the eminence of Dr. A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, Vice-Chancellor of the Madras university, are entirely opposed to such a sudden change. The Education Minister of Mysore is of the view that this question of the medium of instruction during the Degree Course in universities ought to be left to the unfettered decision of the universities which are autonomous bodies. Even in the higher secondary stage, the Education Department of Andhra Pradesh has suggested that, during the third and fourth years of the new four-year higher secondary course, English should be the medium for at least two subjects. And the Minister proposes to establish high schools in every district of the State with English as the sole medium of instruction.

If the three-language formula implies the teaching of three languages compulsorily to every boy and girl in every State of India, it ought to be scrapped forthwith¹ and give place to a sensible and practicable two-language formula, covering not only the educational sphere but also the spheres of legislation and administration. According to the assurance given by the Prime Minister, English and Hindi will be the two languages employed by the Centre for all-India purposes. In this connection, it must be clearly stated that the different States of the Indian Union will have the right to choose between English and Hindi as the medium of correspondence with the Centre. Within each State, the two-language formula will imply the use of English and the regional language at different levels.

The spread of Hindi in the Southern States was promoted by voluntary organisations like the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha for three decades prior to the era of Independence. Lakhs of students whose mother-tongue was Tamil or Telugu learnt Hindi voluntarily and with great zest. They passed with distinction the examinations conducted by the Sabha, and some of them served the cause of inter-State goodwill by translating valuable books from Hindi into their mother-tongue, and vice versa. This good work will continue when, in addition to the classes run by the Pracharaks of the Sabha, every high school and college provides for the optional study of Hindi. Any element of compulsion will only retard this normal progress of Hindi in the non-Hindi States. From this point of view, Hindi-enthusiasts of the type of Seth Govinda Das and Dr. Raghu Vira have done a disservice to the cause of Hindi. It is time they realized the futility of their ill-conceived propaganda and allowed students all over India to learn only two languages–their mother-tongue and English–compulsorily, and to take up a third one as a matter of free choice at a later stage.

It is welcome news that the Uttar Pradesh Government proposes to conduct evening classes for the optional study of a South Indian language in important centres like Lucknow, Agra and Aligarh for the benefit of students who have completed the Intermediate examination. Every inducement is being offered to the prospective students, including free tuition, free supply of text-books, a monthly stipend, and a money grant at the end of the first and second years. Other Hindi States may well copy this example of U. P.

Emotional integration through the mutual study of languages and literatures can be achieved only when the element of compulsion is excluded.

¹ Where, however, the regional language is different from the mother-tongue, it has to be learnt compulsorily from the First Form.

Back