P.S. Sreedharan Pillai: A Governor in his literary labyrinth

As Goa Governor, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai takes full advantage of his bully pulpit, speaking about, and disseminating his passion for reading and literature. He has authored more than 200 books which traverse an astonishing range of subjects – from history, politics, law to poetry and economy, being possibly the only personage in the Indian political scene with so many literary credits under his name

From his perch as Governor of the western Indian coastal State of Goa, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai takes full advantage of his bully pulpit, speaking about, and disseminating his passion for reading and literature.

A prodigious writer, he has authored more than 200 books which traverse an astonishing range of subjects – from history, politics, law to poetry and economy, being possibly the only personage in the Indian political scene with so many literary credits under his name.

Mr. Pillai firmly abides by his maxim that “Art and literature can unite people” and has utilised his love of literature to achieving this object, whether as a respected attorney, as a former two-time State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), or as Governor of first Mizoram and now Goa.

“Art and literature can guarantee unity among people. Private study in form of reading and writing has an educative dimension far greater than merely reading something to prepare a political speech,” says Mr. Pillai, speaking to The Hindu. 

A respected figure across the political spectrum in today’s polarised times, Mr. Pillai rues the plummeting standards of literary output and reading among today’s crop of politicos.

“Be it Gandhiji or Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, there used to be a rich tradition of scholar-politicians on the Indian political scene, particularly during the freedom struggle and the immediate decades after 1947. Regrettably, that tradition has seen a decline in recent times,” he says. 

Recalling his childhood days in Travancore’s Venmony village, Mr. Pillai says he was a dedicated reader of newspapers even as a boy.