A personality of untiring activeness-

A personality of untiring activeness

Dr George Onakkur

Sunny Kulathakkal signifies heartfelt love. He is the symbol of relentless efforts and hard work. An optimism that never gets lost in the face of odds is success secret. This good friend has enough to be genuinely proud of when he attempts introspection in the noontime of his life.

I first got aquatinted with Sunny when he was a student and at a time when he was the President of the Malayala Manorama Balajana Sakhyam.He was the successor of Oommen chandy in that much celebrated post. He thus became the centre of attraction of the young. I also used to take note of his name and photos appearing in the Manorama daily and had rated him as a great promise of the future.

I naturally expected that Sunny would land in politics and reach the leadership front very fast. But he had opted for a broader spectrum of activity. Motivated by humane love Sunny became the head of YMCA. He presented noted performances in Ernakulam and Thiruvalla. Organised seminars and training programmes for the Youth. He became the guiding force of a generation of energetic and active youth.

The role played by Sunny in building a headquarters for Thiruvalla YMCA was historic.. Subsequently he was appointed as Assistant Development Director of the United Theological College in Bangalore. And very soon he became its Director.

It is only accidental that the earthquake of crisis occurs while stepping from one step to the other of progressive growth. It might also be the great calling of the destiny. Sunny who became a victim of personal animosity did not waver in the face of adversities. He faced it all alone. Shunning the cozy comforts of life he gained the strength for a test of fire.

Then it was as a free lance journalist Sunny Kulathakkal had appeared later. He was in the forefront of all the agitations of the Malayalees of Bangalore for their genuine rights. He could also easily become a significant force in political and administrative echelons. It was while venturing into preparing a series on the issues being faced by the Gulf Malayalees, the novel idea of compiling a Gulf Directory hit his mind. He also launched a publication titled “Gulf Asian Magazine”.

Sunny’s Gulf Directory is a commendable and distinctive contribution. This reference manual introduces rulers as well as politicians. This assumes more importance in the wake of Globalisation. Thus Sunny’s field of activity is growing and flourishing in both Gulf countries and Bangalore.

Sunny’s individuality is also bright as an author, especially in respect of three books-The World of Drugs, The World of Prostitutes and The Story of a Martyr. These books are testifmonials to his ability to closely observe and evaluate facts. Apart from this Sunny has published several articles of contemporary relevance both in English and Malayalam.

What makes Sunny dearer to me is his loving mind which always reacts to contemporary realities quite powerfully. More correct would be to say that he is one who runs around with love. He is least bothered about his status and comforts. Sunny is there to help any who requests for it. There he never takes into account one’s social or financial status. He may be a job seeker approaching with lot of expectations, a top person in the ruling hierarchy, a person from any part of India or even from abroad. Sunny is there for everyone, everywhere with his self less mind and energy.

Sunny might be entering into the latter half of his life. But the youthfulness of his mind is still blazing as a mid-day sun. I am optimistic of a bright future wherein Sunny’s personality of persistent activeness is recognized and honoured even more.

Note of blessing

Commendable

V R Krishna Iyer

The propriety of publishing as a book, the different articles written by Sunny Kulathakkal at various occasions is quite commendable. The book is full of the recollections of how he had overcome a lot of tough experiences and negative situations through his hard and sincere efforts after his migration to Gulf through a little bit of political clout after his initial stint as a journalist in India. It is commendable that he found time to care for his family matters while struggling to build up his future. One of his distinctive contributions was the Gulf directory which he compiled for the benefit of Gulf Malayalees while he was in the Middle East.

I consider that this series written in beautiful and stylish language without a tinge of exaggeration on several subjects of interest to the ordinary people are highly informative. There is no doubt that this book will give an interesting and informative reading to the Malayalees in Gulf and especially their relatives back home. I would also like to particularly point out that the Keralites and Non resident Malayalees are equally obliged to him for this venture.

Birthday gift

P Govindapillai

I had the fortune to acquaint and earn the love of Sunny Kulathakkal who is entering his 60’s as a generous host, a dynamic organizer, a selfless person in the service of public, and a pot filled to the brim with knowledge gained through wide reading and true life experiences. But it was only through the touching life sketch written by my friend George Onakkur, I learnt that it was with clarity in ideology^th and hardwork as his only assets he has reached his 60^th birth day braving on the way many odds like “stone, dirt, thorn and fierce cobra” to borrow the language of Appan Thampuran. With this realisatrion, let me say that my love and respect towards him has doubled. This book, which is just going to be published, too was an added reason for my feelings towards him getting doubled. What takes Sunny closer to the readers is not just the fact that he writes in such a beautiful and simple style as if in an encyclopedia about a variety of subjects which apparently do not have any connection among them. Whether it is about Martin Luther King, life of prostitutes, the Christian shrine of Tirupathur, the Salar Jung Museum of Hyderabad, the menace of drugs, transcendental meditation or visit to the Himalayas, there is a red thread linking them. It is nothing but the humaneness in him. It is this very humaneness that made him a YMCA activist, a partner of movements which propagate liberation theology as well as attracted him to leftist politics. Even those who have met him at least for once might have felt the cool gentle breeze of humanness in him.

Don’t we happen to see Christ who walked to Calvary bleeding from the wounds inflicted on the crown of thorns hammered down on his head and meekly suffering the spitting, lashing and frown is now being given the colour of the white man and lead in procession with golden crown and golden cross and in glittering attire? But the real Christ was the saviour and liberator of all those who were sidelined like lepers, the downtrodden, the oppressed and debtors in the society. Even amidst this festive clout attached to Christ in modern times, sincere efforts to rediscover the real Christ who tirelessly traveled through the length and breadth of his country giving solace and good advises to the oppressed, discarded and the suffering lot was a distinctive feature of the dawn of the Socialistic era. For these reasons it is not surprising that Sunny in his high voltage ideological passion of the youthful days was lured into services and organizations having a basic Christian approach. His subsequent swing towards the much broader leftist ideology can be described only as a continuation of his Christian social service legacy of the earlier days. This compilation of articles as a whole is true mirror of his ideological transformation.

For example take the case of his touching and highly meaningful article titled “a few tears for the hapless women” itself. The question whether Mary Magdalene was a prostitute which surfaced with the discovery of the “Gospel of Maria” in 1896 assumed the nature of fierce controversy debated across the globe after Dan Brown’s novel “Da Vinci Code was published. Whatever it is, the social and philosophical connotation of Christ the Lord washing away the sins of the deer eyed Maria who pleaded “Though I have done what I should not have, please don’t despise me” during the supper at Simons beautiful chamber cannot be ignored. All priests and leading reformers had always been compassionate to harassed women. Sunny was also influenced by this great humanitarian bend of mind. His wonderful book on prostitutes is an excellent reflection of this fact. Let me quote a few lines from chapter 8 of the book.

“Oh World, shed tears for the prostitutes who die due to venereal ailments in the stinking drainages of the society after dispensing pleasure to man. Prostitutes are angels, they are sages, and they are goddesses, shed tears for them” this plea is from the pen of M Mukundan. Those who have directly heard and read prostitutes’ “confessional secrets” which have the “dampness and taste of tears” would never hesitate to shed tears for them. Whether just tears are enough for those thousands of young women who are spending their days and nights within the confines of bird like nests behind iron railings with stories that have the sour taste of tears is a different question. Many of those hapless women who had to lead an immoral life after being cheated by bogus romance might deserve respectful sympathy. What they could tell are not just the heart rending stories of a sinful life and the pathetic condition of the dirty drains on which they had been drifting. Also they need not consider the offensive things they had commited in their cursed life are all wrong. To them the border line between right and wrong will be very thin. (Page 60)

Many of the articles in the book reflect Sunny’s intense passion towards the great Indian traditions and his boundless respect for the legacy of the motherland’s struggle for freedom. The attempt made during the 1563 Udayamperoor Synod by the Portuguese imperialists along with their representative Bishop, Menesis to uproot the ancient Christian church moored in the Indian soil and the scent and transform it into a foreign faith as well as the later attempt to replant and nurture the Christian Church back in the soil of the Mother land through the resistance movement of Hunchback cross oath (Koonan Kurisu Sathyam) of 1653 are two indelible chapters of History. In the article titled “The Christian Shrine of Tirupathur” one could feel the reverberations of the nationalism and national pride reflected in the oath of “Hunchback cross”. In the same way, Tippu Sultan was a freedom fighter who made a strong offensive against the British imperialist occupation of India. After Tippu’s killing in the Battle at Srirangam, The British annexed Mysore to their empire and shifted Tippu’s family members to Calcutta and settled them under the British supervision. After Indian independence they did not have any problem to return to their native place of Mysore. Sunny’s National pride is quite eloquent in his article telling the story of the return of Tippu’s grandson who finally returned to Mysore.

If I attempt to analyse and quote in this manner this note will become as lengthy as this book itself. Therefore I am concluding. I let the leaders to have the opportunity to read and feel for themselves the rest of the things. It is quite appropriate that Sunny Kulathakkal’s 60^th birthday celebrations were clubbed with the releasing of this book which I should say is a true mirror of his life of sacrifice and unstinted service as well as the honest declaration of his humaneness. 60 is not a big old age. If I use the language of northern ballads (Vadakkan Pattu) there is enough adolescence left in Sunny Kulathakkal for one more battle. Let Sunny be able to continue his life full of love, incessant service and thoughtfulness with a long and healthy life. Once again I wish all the best to my dear friend.

Translation: Saj Mathews

Malayalee mind strengthened by sand dunes

Sunny Kulathakal has of course to say a lot about the distance from Maramon to the seat of success in Bahrain. Most of them are stories of his hurdles and setbacks. The biography of a journalist who changed crises into glistening pearls of success! Apart from being an excellent organizer, journalist, sincere social worker, humanist, Sunny Kulathakkal is hard work personified.

There are many who have achieved success in life by utilising the opportunities wisely. But, only those who are brilliant and talented can turn adversities into steps of success. That is what Sunny Kulathakkal is. The story of Sunny is that of rising to the position of an editor in Gulf from running a newspaper distribution firm in Bangalore. That too of a renowned publication in Gulf!

Sunny’s assets were his hard work and sincerity. Sunny didn’t waver even when purity of his intentions were questioned. Instead he tried to understand people better, cast the net by rightly reading the sea and got hold of an empire. “The Gulf Who is Who Directory- today that name is Sunny’s own.

Now at his 60, Sunny has no complaint against anyone. The reason for his influence in Karnataka politics is his Journalistic stint. His close relationship with leading political personalities like former Maharashtra Governor P C Alexander, Former Union Minister late A C George, Meghalaya Governor M M Jacob and Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy provided his enough opportunities to build friendships with many a key figure in Karnataka politics. What proved to be a break in his life was his coming to Bangalore after post graduation. For eight years he was the Development Director of the United Theological College (UTC) of Bangalore.

It was his Bangalore life which has opened up the doors to Gulf. Sunny who started as a distribution agent and later the correspondent of Malayala Manorama later became the correspondent of the Illustrated Weekly. Reaching Gulf to write a series about the problems of Gulf Malayalees, Sunny succeeded in hoisting the victory flag in his professional career. It was in 1977 that sunny reached Gulf. The mission was to study the life of Malayalees to write a feature. In those days several Indian publications had come out with Sunny’s stories about Gulf Malayalees who reached heights as well as those who had to sacrifice their life mid way through. It was his thinking of how to make use the information he had collected without returning to India that led to the publication of the “Gulf Who is Who Directory”. It was in 1978, the first edition came out. He is genuinely satisfied and proud of the fact that it has turned out to be an authentic reference book in Gulf.

It was through Malayala Manorama’s Balajana Sakhyam that Sunny made his debut into public life and journalism. While studying in S B College, Chenganacherry, he managed to get an opportunity for journalistic tranining through corresponding with Malayala Manorama Chief Editor K M Mathew. It was his five months’ training in Malayala Manorama that helped him to become an excellent freelancer.

Born to a priest of the Orthodox Church, it was at the age of eight sunny had become a member of the Balajana Sakhyam. For years he has served as the central committee member of the organisation. This paved the way for him to become a brilliant organizer. He was elected as the president of the Sakhyam succeeding Oommen Chandy who later became the Kerala Chief Minister. Manorama used to pay TA and DA when he used to come to Kottayam for work related to the Sakhyam. Later many used to stay in lodges outside and claim more money from Manorama. But Sunny used to spend his time in the daily’s editorial and library and return to Maramon in the newspaper van of Manorama at 3 0 clock in the morning. Palai K M Mathew who was the then representative of Sankarachettan had always been informed about the TA he was claiming this way.

From childhood itself Sunny had a special quality to change anybody whom he meets as a friend. This has helped him in several crucial moments. Malayala Manorama’s photographer John was a great help to him in several occasions. It was John who introduced Sunny to Mannathu Padmanabhan and his wife Thottakkattu Madhaviamma while they had come to attend a conference in Maramon. Instantly Sunny requested Madhaviamma to give an autograph. “I wish all the best for my son Sunny” she wrote. He then turned to Mannam to write in the next page. He refused saying that his wife had already given the autograph. But he came down following Sunny’s insistence and wrote his best wishes.

It was Sunny’s habit to collect the signature and message of prominent persons he happened to meet. Two of them written by senior journalists of Manorama-Varghese Kalathil, editor of Manorama Weekly and Babu Chenganoor-were something special. The former wrote “Do not give the key of your heart to anyone” and on the other side of the page was the latter’s advice “Give the key of your heart to only one”. And it so happened that finally he gave the key to Elizabeth, an employee of State Bank of India.

He fondly recollects that it was Elizabeth who stood as a pillar of support and shade of comfort behind all his success. Elizabeth at present is the Director of the Bahrain based Sunlis Publications.

When looking back Sunny has so much to be proud of. Mainly, he could give the best education for his children. Son Biju, an aeronautical engineer is running his own computer establishment in Chicago. The second son Binu and his wife Ranjini are doctors. Both of them are doing their post graduation in World renowned John Hopkin’s University in Baltimore. Youngest daughter Bindu is working in “World Education”, a Non Governmental Organisation based in Boston. A financial assistance programme is now undergoing under her leadership for the poor children of Raichur District in Karnataka.

It was while he was undergoing training in Ernakulam YMCA after his studies in 1966 that Sunny got the opportunity for secretarial training of YMCA at Bangalore. Since journalism was his dream he used to regularly send news reports and features to Malayala Manorama and used to write feature series in Mathrubhumi Weekly. Once, while visiting the Mathrubhumi office in Kozhikode to hand over a feature series, he also dropped into the Manorama office during which he was asked to submit an application for the post of a newspaper agent for the daily in Bangalore. Thus for this youth who aspired to become a journalist got an opportunity to learn a lot about the field of news distribution. But what attracted him was the permission given to file news reports and articles. For sunny journalism was never a breadwinner. On the other hand it was a part of his life. Those days Sunny, his brother and their two friends used to wait at Majestic waiting for the newspaper vehicle coming from Kozhikode. Then they rush in their scooters to newspaper stands.

After a short while, copies of Mathrubhumi daily started reach Bangalore in the early hours in a private bus named S K S. The bus owner refused the request to bring also the Manorama news paper because it was such an exclusive contract they had with Mathrubhumi.

But this was brought to the attention of M M Jacob and Union Mnister Henry Austin who came to participate in the AICC session in Bangalore as Kerala representatives of the party. Henry Austin conveyed this issue to Karnataka Transport Minister Asees Sait. It was under the threat of Sait the Bus owner started to bring Manorama too from Kozhikode. It was in the presence of Sunny, the minister talked to the bus owner in his office. The minister threatened to cancel the bus permit if Manorama copies were also not transported. Following this Manorama also started arriving in the morning.

It was in 1968, Sunny got appointment as the official secretary of the Thiruvalla YMCA. Sunny is happy that he could manage to construct an own building for the YMCA within a year. It was after this he got the letter appointing him as the Assistant Director in the Department of Development in the United Theological College in Bangalore. The help of R D Cooper a foreigner who was an all India office bearer of YMCA only had made it possible. Soon he was elevated as Director.

While working with the Ernakulam YMCA in 1966, he had taken initiatives to organize district/state level seminars for college students. A souvenir also was published in this connection. The then office bearers of YMCA might have felt that a new comer was overtaking them. It was when he was undergoing YMCA’s Secretarial training in Bangalore that he got a letter from the secretary of Ernakulam YMCA seeking explanation about the missing from the accounts of a sum of Rs 50 received from a Company in Ernakulam for the souvenir. A copy of the letter was sent to Cooper too. Since it was attempt to tarnish him, Sunny set off to Ernakulam with the permission of Cooper. It was proved that the amount in question was handed over to another person while Sunny was not in the office. Sunny still keeps the letter of apology from the secretary of Ernakulam YMCA.

Sunny had an eight year stint in UTC and had an unceremonious exit. Sunny attributes the same to personal animosity. The first allegation was that he created hurdles for the College principal’s Gulf visit. Following this the Principal Dr J R Chandran served a show cause notice to Sunny. The reason was that he did not attend the Governing Council meeting. The next notice was based on flimsy grounds. The Governing Council’s rejection of Dr Chandran’s request for an extension also was used as a weapon against Sunny. Shortly Sunny’s application for eight months leave was granted by the Governing Council. It was after this the dismissal notice was issued. Those who pulled the strings to get rid of Chandran from the post were making use of Sunny also. They used Sunny to trace the age certificate of Chandran from Thiruvananthapuram secretly. Coming to know of this the Principal influenced the Bangalore City Police Commissioner. Though an attempt was made by the police under the instructions of the Commissioner to block Sunny when he landed in Trivandrum to get the certificate he escaped with the help of Oommen Chandy. In the case filed by Sunny against his dismissal from UTC, the verdict of the Civil, High Court and the Supreme Court was to reinstate him. By that time Sunny had built up his empire in Bangalore and Gulf. He did not need the UTC job or its benefits anymore. But he considers as invaluable the judgment that states that he is not guilty. As a journalist Sunny used to accompany any political leaders who landed in Bangalore. Those who maintained close relationship with him included A C George, M M Thomas, M M Jacob, and Oommen Chandy.

Sunny recalls that A C George was a leader who gave extreme importance to personal relationships. Whenever he was in Bangalore Sunny used to be with him throughout.

Since his Balajana Sakhyam days Sunny had a personal relationship with P C Alexander This helped him a .lot in his life. Alexander used to rely on Sunny several times to get information relating Karnataka.

Sunny had the opportunity to closely watch the practical hurdles to implement the decision taken by Prime Minsiter Rajiv Gandhi to remove Veerendra Patil from Karnataka Chief Ministership. The proposal for P C Alexander’s intervention in the matter was Sunny’s. This was conveyed to Moopanar through Oscar Fernandes. Thus the party leaders could get out of the entanglement after having talks with Rajiv Gandhi at the latter’s house along with Moopanar.

Sunny was also a small star in the backstage of the drama enacted by Veerappa Moily to become the Karnataka Chief Minister. Veerappa Moily had used Sunny’s closeness with Alexander to his benefit. Sunny could arrange meetings between Alexander and Moily several times. Sunny was with them till the stage when Alexander gave an assurance on the lines of “may you been seen in a different position next time”.

It was Sunny who went to Mumbai with the congratulatory message of Moily when Alexander was appointed as Maharashtra Governor. But when Moily turned against former Chief Secretary J Alexander, a Malayalee, Sunny was in the forefront fighting against the move. The article written by Sunny in Kalakaumudi in 1994 against the step motherly attitude being adopted by Moily towards the people of other states proved to be an excellent example of daring journalism. (The correspondences between Sunny and Moily on this issue were also noteworthy). Exposed in the article was Moily’s growth from nothingness to a millionaire, the gap between his preaching and practice and his thanklessness.

What made Sunny to be out of the good books of Moily was the former’s move to organize Malayalees and other communities against the denial of justice to Alexander. For years Sunny had been a frontline fighter of all the struggles for the cause of the Malayalee community in Bangalore.

Sunny also was in the forefront of the prolonged agitations organised on the issue of the missing of two Malayalee girls-Lilly and Lissy- in Bangalore. Those days he was pillion rider on the scooter of Fr Mani Gayles, the then Christ college principal and later the Mananthawadi Bishop for several of his trips to submit representations on the issue. He could manage to bring this issue to the attention of the then Karnataka Chief Minister Mr Devaraj Urs and later Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, through A C George and Oommen Chandy. Sunny’s name is quite familiar to the early Malayalee community of Bangalore.

As a freelance journalist he could undoubtedly draw the attention of the authorities to many pressing issues of the Malayalee community through his features in many a publication.

The feature titled “The World of Drugs” by Sunny serialized in Mathrubhumi those days was highly appreaciated. It was NBS which distributed the same as a book. The series titled “The World of Prostitutes” was probe into the World’s oldest profession. It was published by NBS. It was Vidhyarthi Mithram which published another serial titled “The Story of a Martyr”

Sunny also was the local guardian of many who have landed in Bangalore for higher studies and other purposes. Sunny says that crises and hurdles had turned only to be blessings to him. It was with an excellent idea that Sunny who went to Gulf to write a serial on the problems of the Malayalee Community came back. This he implemented successfully.

Tens of thousands from Kerala and other Indian states are working in top position in various companies in Gulf. It was a time when there were no means for them to know each other. The idea of a Gulf Directory dawned while thinking about a solution for this issue. Sunny also had a feeling that such a venture would make it known to the world that

Malayalees are not that inferior.

After coming back from Gulf, he had detailed discussions with D C Kizhakemuri about bringing out such a directory. The initial thinking was to bring out the same in Malayalam. Then it was decided to publish the same in English since it was felt that then it would benefit more people. The first edition came out in 1978. It contained the details of the prominent Indians in Gulf. It was at that time the idea of launching an English magazine from Gulf sprang up. In 1983, “Gulf Asian Magazine” came with sunny as the editor. The Magazine which was uniquely different from many other contemporary magazines turned out to be an instant hit. However its publication had to be discontinued following the government decision to ban English Publications as solution to increase the circulation of Arabic publications.

His return to Bangalore in 1984 helped him to provide better education for his children. According to Sunny he was reeling under severe financial difficulties during the educational period of the children. Understanding the difficulties at home the children also took care to minimize the expenses and reached higher positions.

According to laws in vogue in Karnataka at that time if a student has to get admission to Medical College under merit quota he or she had to be resident of the state for at least 15 years. Since he had come back in 1984 this stipulation could be met. He returned again to Gulf only after the education of the children was over. This paved the way for bringing out the second edition of the “Gulf Who is Who directory”. The second edition which was published after a gap of 23 years today is an authentic reference guide on the business/industrial establishments and prominent personalities.

Sunny who first reached Gulf on the invitation of a friend, could realize the existing limitations of personal relationships. The idea of Directory was a small attempt to help overcome this limitation. But with the dawn of the days of globalization, the relevance of such kind of a publication has increased. Personal acquaintances, the savings from his journalistic career, when processed in the workshop of the directory, it resulted in the formulation of one of the best reference book.

This book which presents prominent personalities at governmental level and major businessmen/industrialists and companies with photos also contain details like their phone numbers, E mail, and postal address.

This is one of the ideal contributions a person could give to the business world. A portion of the income from this publication has been set part for scholarship for the students from Gulf coming for higher studies in Bangalore.

Sunny who is currently in the workshop of bringing out a Global Indian Directory has also plans to revive his Gulf Asia Magazine. Last year Sunny was selected for the best social worker award of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin. It was from Prime Minsiter I K Gujral, he received the award in Delhi.

The success secret of Sunny who gives extreme importance to human relationship is his friendships. He says that even those who had worked against him also used to come to

Gulf and Bangalore seeking his help and hospitality. What makes Sunny distinct as a person is his good will to extend a helping hand to even such persons.

Though there are many Malayalees who have mined Gold in Gulf, Sunny Kulathakkal is a different Non Resident Malayalee. He also has plans to bring out separate directories containing the listings of Malayalees in different gulf countries. In next November work on Dubai Malayalee Directory is scheduled to commence.

The argument of Dr Letty Russel

By Sunny Kulathakal

Dr Letty Russel, one of the leading activists of Women’s Liberation movement and herself a priest has stated that in the US a new awareness has been spreading about the inevitable role of women in shaping the future of mankind and women have become a major force in bringing in social change.

She had portrayed a general picture of the women’s Lib movement of the US in an interview I had with her who was returning to America after a three month’s stay in India.

To my query whether the movement would turn into a movement to dominate men by breaking apart the chains of submissiveness her reply was the following: “the intention of women’s liberation movement is not to usurp power from the hands of men. The real intention is to work together for triggering necessary changes in the social set up so as to ensure a more dignified existence with more freedom for all suppressed sections of the society inclusive of menfolk”.

As if feeling that her reply was not clear enough she asked me whether any more explanation is needed.

“Certainly yes, I would like to have little more explanation”, I said. Following was her lengthy reply:

“Total freedom of mankind is a goal which is yet to be achieved. We are only on a pilgrimage to achieve that freedom. The compelling factor behind today’s social changes is also the same. In that process many social institutions will have to undergo changes. This change is affecting women-men relationships too. The tide of changes will no doubt make its inroads into all levels of social and political relationships.

Freedom is something that everyone has to aspire for and strive to achieve. If you look at this way it can be seen that women are not alone in this struggle. Women need to be part of this pilgrimage with others for ensuring a better tomorrow. Women could contribute a lot to mankind in their own perspective.

The women’s lib activists in the US and elsewhere had challenged the traditional concepts about men. They will not accept the traditional concept that human beings constitute only the menfolk and women is lower class of human beings.

For centuries women-men relationship were understood in terms of the tradition of men’s dominance and suppression. Efforts had always been on to re-establish this perception with the help of theological and other doctrines. It was only recently a creative and commendable initiative has come up under the emancipation theory of the gospel.

Dr Russel had published a book- “Women’s liberation, a biblical perspective”- questioning the efforts of a few to establish with the help of biblical quotes that men should have dominance and women have to stay behind and proving that such a theory is wrong. It was as per the suggestion of the YWCA she had written that book.

She said that many were trying to use biblical quotes out of place to serve their purpose. She was seriously concerned about this. Just because woman was created by using a rib taken out from man’s body, it is not correct to say that women are inferior to men. If it is so, men who were made out of dust should be inferior to dust she asks. She is also opposed to those who consider women as inferior because of the reference in the book of Genesis that woman who was created after creating man was the one who sinned first. She said it was regrettable that there are people who are not ready to accept that as per the creation theory both men and women have got divine nature in equal measure and both have equal role in the struggle of life.

When I pointed out quoting from a recent book of Edwin Louis that the women of the 20^th century are destined to lead a life under the shadow of the 19^th century women she said it was wrong. She said it was because of the defects of the existing social system that the women had to enact the role of their sisters of the 19^th century. She and her colleagues’ effort was to remove such a perception and convince that men and women are the two sides of a single coin, she pointed out

It was through women’s liberation struggle of August 1970 that the women of the US got equal rights on par with men for education and employment. She said the present mission is to find new lifestyles and create fresh roles for women in the joint effort with men to build a new society.

“More than ever there is opportunity and need for women of today to find new avenues in life rather than just being a house wife, mother or a sex partner. As much as 40% of the American women, an employment is a financial necessity. There is no need for today’s women to spend the whole day for household chores. These changes are certain to lead to significant changes at various levels of the society. The role of both men and women in western countries which have achieved technological and economic progress was undergoing changes day by day. Will not changes happening in women’s life turn out to be revolutionary with advent of test tube babies and artificial insemination?” saying this Dr Russel came to the conclusion of the conversation.

She admitted that the mankind living in a world which is undergoing continuous transformation has the freedom and responsibility to develop different social systems so as to ensure an orderly life.

A Negro’s victory

By Sunny Kulathakal

There was time when the blacks were not getting justice from the US courts. It was a time when they were not sure about an objective treatment under the American system of jurisprudence. There were enough evidences to prove that trials against Negroes in the American courts presided by white judges were highly prejudiced. But with the acquittal of Angelo Davis, a Negro extremist by a jury comprising totally of Whites, let us hope that the prolonged agonies suffered by the blacks in courts will come to an end.

The trial of Davis who was in jail for 16 months continued for 18 weeks. The California State spent a total of Rs 87 lakh for the trial. Fourteen renowned Soviet scientists had sent an appeal to President Nixon about the case which has attracted worldwide attention.

Similar appeals had also started pouring in from various countries and prominent personalities. A few month ago a white has commented about the case like this: “Ms Davis is being put under trial neither because she is a communist nor on account of her political beliefs. The charge against is her involvement in the serious crime of murdering four persons including a judge”

Life and death issue

About this one Negro leader, Dr Wilmore (member of the Martin Luther King Memorial Trust) who visited Bangalore had told me “As far as Negroes are concerned it is not just and issue relating to our pride. This is also a life and death issue for us. A number of Negroes have been inescapably dragged into legal wrangles. This should not recur. We shall fight till the last for the same”.

Let us look into the back ground of the Angelo Davis incident which had been presented diametrically different by the whites and blacks. Ms Davis who had been charged with conspiracy, kidnapping and murder was put into jail just on the basis of circumstantial evidence. A white Jail guard was murdered by a gang of three Negroes who were later known as “Soldad Brothers”. They might have got this nickname because the three-George Jackson, John Clutchet and Flitadomingo- committed the crime at the Soldad. There was another incident that made them to commit the crime. A white guard had killed three negro inmates of that jail where both Negroes and Whites were accommodated together. The very next day of the guard was pronounced not guilty by the court, he was murdered by someone. The Soldad brothers were arrested for the same. In the attempt to rescue them a few including a judge were killed. The prosecution contention was that the gun used for the crime did belong to Ms Davis.

I am narrating the incident here on the basis of the details provided to me by Wilmore who had led many a Negro agitation and the article written by Criminology Professor of California University Jerome Scolnic in “New Scoety” Magazine.

It was in August 1970, the incident took place. Time: 10’o clock. In a California court, Sanquintine is cross examining prisoner James McClain. In the witness’ stand is ruchel Maggie. She is being cross examined by Assistant District Attorney. The negro youth who suddenly appeared with a gun releases McClain, Maggie and another prisoner named William Christmas. The released prisoners lead the three women members of the jury and the attorney judge at gun point. As they were trying to take them out in a vehicle two cars comes from the opposite direction and gunshots follow. A pandemonium erupts amidst sound of gun shots and wailings. Once the situation calmed down, four were dead. Others had injuries. The deceased were Maclain, Christmas, Jackson and the judge.

It was in connection with this case Ms Davis was arrested. It was her going into hiding after the incident was the main reason that prompted the police to arrest her. Within hours after the incident she fled from San Francisco to Chicago.

Another factor which implicated here in the case was that the four guns used in the crime were bought by her. The third was the fact that she was a communist and extremist. It was even said that she had excitingly argued in favour of the release of Soldad Brothers.

The prosecution argument was she can be put into trial for murder charges inviting capital punishment on account of the above mentioned circumstantial evidences. But the court did not find these arguments and evidences valid before the law. This was what led to her acquittal.

Misconceptions change

There were genuine doubts as to whether she would get justice from a jury comprising entirely of whites because she was accused in a crime that culminated in the murder of even a judge and she being an extremist. Once the judgment came out the conception of the Negroes changed. Several whites had written many a letter and article condemning the decision of the jury. Whatever it is the case of Angel Davis which created havoc by all counts will remain as historic one in the annals of American jurisprudence.

There was time when the blacks were not getting justice from the US courts. It was a time when they were not sure about an objective treatment under the American system of jurisprudence. There were enough evidences to prove that trials against Negroes in the American courts presided by white judges were highly prejudiced. But with the acquittal of Angelo Davis, a Negro extremist by a jury comprising totally of Whites, let us hope that the prolonged agonies suffered by the blacks in courts will come to an end.

The trial of Davis who was in jail for 16 months continued for 18 weeks. The California State spent a total of Rs 87 lakh for the trial. Fourteen renowned Soviet scientists had sent an appeal to President Nixon about the case which has attracted worldwide attention.

Similar appeals had also started pouring in from various countries and prominent personalities. A few month ago a white has commented about the case like this: “Ms Davis is being put under trial neither because she is a communist nor on account of her political beliefs. The charge against is her involvement in the serious crime of murdering four persons including a judge”

Life and death issue

About this one Negro leader, Dr Wilmore (member of the Martin Luther King Memorial Trust) who visited Bangalore had told me “As far as Negroes are concerned it is not just and issue relating to our pride. This is also a life and death issue for us. A number of Negroes have been inescapably dragged into legal wrangles. This should not recur. We shall fight till the last for the same”.

Let us look into the back ground of the Angelo Davis incident which had been presented diametrically different by the whites and blacks. Ms Davis who had been charged with conspiracy, kidnapping and murder was put into jail just on the basis of circumstantial evidence. A white Jail guard was murdered by a gang of three Negroes who were later known as “Soldad Brothers”. They might have got this nickname because the three-George Jackson, John Clutchet and Flitadomingo- committed the crime at the Soldad. There was another incident that made them to commit the crime. A white guard had killed three negro inmates of that jail where both Negroes and Whites were accommodated together. The very next day of the guard was pronounced not guilty by the court, he was murdered by someone. The Soldad brothers were arrested for the same. In the attempt to rescue them a few including a judge were killed. The prosecution contention was that the gun used for the crime did belong to Ms Davis.

I am narrating the incident here on the basis of the details provided to me by Wilmore who had led many a Negro agitation and the article written by Criminology Professor of California University Jerome Scolnic in “New Scoety” Magazine.

It was in August 1970, the incident took place. Time: 10’o clock. In a California court, Sanquintine is cross examining prisoner James McClain. In the witness’ stand is ruchel Maggie. She is being cross examined by Assistant District Attorney. The negro youth who suddenly appeared with a gun releases McClain, Maggie and another prisoner named William Christmas. The released prisoners lead the three women members of the jury and the attorney judge at gun point. As they were trying to take them out in a vehicle two cars comes from the opposite direction and gunshots follow. A pandemonium erupts amidst sound of gun shots and wailings. Once the situation calmed down, four were dead. Others had injuries. The deceased were Maclain, Christmas, Jackson and the judge.

It was in connection with this case Ms Davis was arrested. It was her going into hiding after the incident was the main reason that prompted the police to arrest her. Within hours after the incident she fled from San Francisco to Chicago.

Another factor which implicated here in the case was that the four guns used in the crime were bought by her. The third was the fact that she was a communist and extremist. It was even said that she had excitingly argued in favour of the release of Soldad Brothers.

The prosecution argument was she can be put into trial for murder charges inviting capital punishment on account of the above mentioned circumstantial evidences. But the court did not find these arguments and evidences valid before the law. This was what led to her acquittal.

Misconceptions change

There were genuine doubts as to whether she would get justice from a jury comprising entirely of whites because she was accused in a crime that culminated in the murder of even a judge and she being an extremist. Once the judgment came out the conception of the Negroes changed. Several whites had written many a letter and article condemning the decision of the jury. Whatever it is the case of Angel Davis which created havoc by all counts will remain as historic one in the annals of American jurisprudence.

സണ്ണീ കുലത്താക്കലിന്‍റെ ലേഖനം

പ്രസിദ്ധ നിരൂപകനായിരുന്ന കെ. എം. തരകന്‍, സണ്ണി കുലത്താക്കലിനെക്കുറിച്ച്‌ എഴുതുന്നു

സണ്ണി കുലത്താക്കലുമായി അഭിമുഖം

തയ്യാറാക്കിയത്‌: ശൈലേഷ്‌ തൃക്കളത്തൂര്‍

സക്കറിയ , സണ്ണി കുലത്താക്കലിനെക്കുറിച്ച്‌ എഴുതുന്നു

ഡി ബാബുപോള്‍ , സണ്ണി കുലത്താക്കലിനെക്കുറിച്ച്‌ എഴുതുന്നു