Govinda Pillai, veteran Marxist scholar passed away.
A veteran scholar, orator, writer and publisher P. Govinda Pillai, generally known as PG, passed away yesterday night at Thiruvananthapuram. He was never tired of reading, even in his sick bed he was reading, as he could. The number of collections of books in his house is beyond anybody can imagine. He could authoritatively speak on any topic mainly in the fields of politics, literature and art.Though a Marxist and a member of Communist party, he was keeping strong relationships with people of all walks of life. He was even referred as a 'walking Encyclopaedia'. Everybody, irrespective of political connections kept open their ears to hear his words on any serious issues. He was in essence the window of world politics. People of Kerala looked at him to hear about the happenings in other countries.
He was the editor of Deshabhimani, the mouth piece of CPI(M), from 1964 to 1983. He has published about twenty books, all worth reading and studying. He edited the hundred volumes of EMS's complete works.
PG was born and brought up at Pulluvazhi, near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district. He studied at Pulluvazhi school, Aluva UC College and St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. PG's wife M.J. Rajamma, a retired Professor, is the niece of late M.N.Govindan Nair (Ex-Minister and State Secretary of CPI). His only sister Lakshmikuttyamma is the wife of Late P.K. Vasudevan Nair (Ex-chief Minister of Kerala). PG had been elected to the State Assembly three times.