Favorite Authors
I don’t have a favorite author—It would be hard to pick one. I have read the oeuvre of quite a few, for example, Amitav Ghosh, Salman Rushdie and it goes on. There are authors I really enjoyed reading. So, more than favorite authors, I have favorite texts.
Favorite Work of Fiction
When it comes to English Literature, a text which is very close to my heart is In an Antique Land by Amitav Ghosh. I have read the text over and over again and still find it very fascinating.
Do you read regional literature (In Malayalam, for instance)? If yes, any recommendations?
I do read quite a lot in Malayalam. My recommendation would be Theekkadal Kadanju Thirumadhuram (The Sacred Sweetness Churned out from the fiery Ocean) by C. Radhakrishnan, which is a very imaginative account of how Malayalam came into being. The central character of the novel is Ezhuthachan, who is considered the father of the Malayalam language – how he invented the script and how Malayalam evolved over time. The second is Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil by M. Mukundan, which is translated into English as On The Banks Of The Mayyazhi. It is set in Mahe, which used to be a French Colony. It is a really fascinating text.
You have a special interest and expertise in Sanskrit Literary Theory. What drew you to the Sanskrit language and this area of research?
Well, that was a very natural decision. I had a couple of courses in college on Indian aesthetics and Sanskrit Poetics. I found them really fascinating. As I started reading further, I realized that this is an area where not many Indians are presently working. I thought it would be very interesting to know the tradition and the culture inside out. In short, it all began with a general curiosity. Later on, when I joined IIT Kanpur for my doctoral program, I actually wanted to work on Indian Literature. But soon we realized my supervisor was also interested in Sanskrit poetics. That is how I started working on Sanskrit poetics.
Theorists who have most influenced your work
I don’t see a theorist as a guiding spirit in my life. I feel that theory has to be used to take a particular standpoint. No theory is complete in itself. So, it is not like I am smitten by a particular critical thinker. I use all theoretical positions as and when needed to conceptualize an idea.
One lesson that your career until now as a researcher and professor has taught you?
I feel that teaching is really important. Teaching and research are not two independent streams. They are mutually enhancing and nourishing. So if you want to be a good researcher, you necessarily have to be a good teacher, and if you want to be a good teacher, you necessarily need to be a good researcher. The second lesson is that – be mutually intelligible. If your writing is unintelligible to your colleague from another, I don’t think your writing has served the purpose. I am not against using jargon, but it should not be used to put off the audience. Jargon is often used to compress a particular idea for the sake of your convenience. You will have to explain what you mean by this particular term at some point, but then whenever you want to refer to that particular idea, you can use the jargon.
TV Show Recommendations
The Knick. It talks about the development of surgery in the US in the 19th century. The second is Breaking Bad.
Which is your go-to comfort place for outings in Chennai?
I don’t go out much, but whenever I do, one place I love to visit is Another Kitchen in Adyar – I really like their food. Then there is Aeseo, The Brew Room for coffee, and Chamiers.
Music Recommendations
I just like to listen to music. I don’t think I am the right person to recommend but I like listening to Hindustani Classical – Pandit Shujat Ali Khan, Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar.
Which out of the places you have travelled to or lived in is your favorite?
I have lived in many places, and they are all close to my heart. I lived in Kerala for some time, then I went to Kanpur and lived there for some time, and then came back to Thiruvarur which is a small town in Tamil Nadu. Then I went to Bhopal, and now I am here. So, I like all these places and among them, I would recommend Bhopal. When you hear about Bhopal, the first thing that comes to your mind is the Bhopal tragedy. But Bhopal is such a wonderful place. I do recommend that one should go visit Bhopal. There are many other places worth visiting in and around Bhopal. For example, Sanchi and Bhimbetka. You will have a lot to explore.
If you weren’t a prof, what would you have become?
I had never planned to become an academician. I wanted to become a writer. I was briefly associated with Malayala Manorama as a children’s writer after my post-graduation Even during my PhD days, I used to write for kids.
A course you would like to introduce if given the chance.
A course I haven’t offered here, but hopefully I will be offering soon is – The Nation and Narration. It is not actually talking about the Indian Nationalist movement but how the idea of nationalism radically changed the culture and how it reinvented tradition.
Advice to PhD scholars
PhD is not just about producing a few papers and ultimately getting a job. PhD can be really life changing for you. Your perspective can change; the way you approach a discipline can change. Use this time to know your field really well. You’re not going to get this luxury again. Once you join a job, you’ll have many other commitments. If you want to be good in your field, this is the time for it. The second advice is –talk to your colleagues, friends and people from other disciplines about your work. Don’t think that your work matters only to you. They can really give you good perspectives about it. And the last advice would be – do attend the lectures here. Just because you are from a particular discipline that does not mean a lecture pertaining to another disclipine is going to be insignificant.
When not occupied with work, how do you like to spend your free time?
I am a coffee lover. I love to experiment with coffee, collect different beans, and drink different kinds of coffee. I have a whole set of coffee items at home – a French press, a moka pot, and a small coffee machine. So I love to spend time making coffee and cooking, and I also like to do some physical activities. That’s how I spend my time. I usually cook Indian, primarily Malalyali food and experiment my own recipes. I am a COVID cook in the sense that I learned to cook during the Pandemic, and ever since, I have really enjoyed it.
— Interview by Priyam Moonka
Article 19 