G. Sankara Pillai | |
|---|---|
 G Sankara Pillai | |
| Born | (1930-06-22)22 June 1930 |
| Died | 1 January 1989(1989-01-01) (aged 58) Kerala |
| Occupation | Playwright, literary critic |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Genre | Theatre, literary criticism |
| Notable works |
|
| Notable awards |
|
Gopala Pillai Sankara Pillai (22 June 1930 – 1 January 1989), better known asG. Sankara Pillai, was an Indian playwright, literary critic, and director, known to be one of the pioneers of modern Malayalam theatre. A proponent oftotal theater, he was the founder ofNataka Kalari movement in Kerala and the chairman of theKerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi. He was a recipient of a number of awards including theKerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama in 1964 for the workRail Palangal (Railway track) and theSangeet Natak Akademi Award for the best playwright in 1979.
Pillai was born on 22 June 1930, at Naluthattuvila inChirayinkeezhu taluk inThiruvananthapuram district of the south Indian state ofKerala to Ottaveettil V. Gopala Pillai and Muttaykkal Kamalakshi Amma.[1] After completing his schooling fromKollam,Chirayinkeezhu,Attingal andThiruvananthapuram, He passed post-graduation from the Travencore university (Present day kerala university) inMalayalam literature withhonours in 1952, securing the first rank. From 1953 to 1960 he worked in various colleges including Gandhigram rural institute in Madurai as a lecturer.
After working in the lexicon office of the Kerala University from 1961 to 1964. He was appointed as a professor in devaswam board college (Shasthamcotta) in 1967. Where he continued until 1977.
He joined theUniversity of Kerala for research on the folk music tradition of Kerala in 1954.[2] In 1957, he moved toMadurai to take up the position as a teacher at theGandhigram Rural Institute and stayed there until his move to the Lexicon Office in 1961.[2]
Three years later, Pillai returned to academics whenDewaswom Board College,Sasthamcotta was established in 1964 by joining the institution as a faculty.
He was a member of board of studies and fine arts faculty in Kerala university, Calicut university, Gandhigram and Tanjaore university. Was also a member of the curriculum development committee constituted by UGC for fine arts.
Later, he became the founder director of theSchool of Drama and Fine Arts of theUniversity of Calicut when the school was established in 1977.[3] TheMahatma Gandhi University established theSchool of Letters, an interdisciplinary centre of literary studies and research, in 1988 andU. R. Ananthamurthy, notedKannada writer and the then vice chancellor of the university invited Pillai to head the institution.[4] He was holding the position while he died in harness on theNew Year's Day of 1989, at the age of 58.[1] He remained a bachelor throughout his life.[2]
Sankarapillai showcased his acting prowess in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's much-acclaimed movie 'Swayamvaram' (One's Own Choice)[5][6] and in another movie produced by Madhu, 'Sathi', which was loosely based on Shankarapillai's drama called 'Poojaamuri' (Prayer Room).
Pillai was one of pioneers of modern Malayalam theatre and an advocate oftotal theater,[7] he helped introduce a system and academic discipline to it.[8][9][10] One of his main contributions was in the initiation of theNataka Kalari Movement in Kerala in 1967, along withC. N. Sreekantan Nair,M. Govindan,M. V. Devan, K. S. Narayana Pillai andK. Ayyappa Paniker,[11] which nurtured several theatre practitioners such asVayala Vasudevan Pillai[12] and helped revive a number of earlier dramas such asAvan Veendum Varunnu ofC. J. Thomas in a new form.[13] The movement staged weekly plays inKochi and introduced courses n theatre which was later taken up by aplayhouse movement,Vaikkom Thirunal Natakavedi, based inVaikkom.[14] It was this movement which influenced the establishment of theSchool of Drama and Fine Arts of theUniversity of Calicut in 1977[citation needed] where he served as the founder director.[3] He was also the founder director of the School of Letters ofMahatma Gandhi University and he chaired theKerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi,[15] served as a member of the executive council of theNational School of Drama and sat in the advisory board of theUniversity Grants Commission of India.[16]
Pillai visited Russia in 1977 as part of a cultural delegation send by government of India. Again visited Tashkent as part of Indian Sangeetha Nataka academy contingent as part of the festival of India. Visited United Kingdom in 1986-87 as part of on a British council invitation and in 1987–88, in connection with a joint play production project and co-directed a play in London named ‘The exile in the forest’.
Pillai's first work was a one-act play titledSnehadoothan (Messenger of Love), published in 1956.[2] This was followed by 43 plays and 11 books of essay compilations.[17]Vivaham Swargathil Nadakkunnu (1958) (Marriages happen in heaven),Bharatha Vakyam,[18] Kiratham, Thirumbi Vandan Thambi (The brother who returned),Raksha Purushan (The rescuer),Bandi (The hostage),Sharashayanam (Bed of arrows),Poymukhangal (Masked faces),Kauzhukanmar (The eagles),Vilangum Veenayum,Peipidicha lokam (The world gone mad),Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre, Olapambu (Fake Snake),Pushpakireedam (Floral Crown),Nizhal (The Shadow),Gurudakshina (Offering to the Master),Nidhiyum Neethiyum (Treasure and Justice),Maddalangal (Drums),Rail Palangal (Rail Tracks),Ponnumkudam (Golden Pot),Chithra Salabhangal (Butterflies),Thamara (Lotus) andOrukoottam Urumbukal (A Group of Ants) are some of his major plays[2][19] whileThe Theater of the Earth is Never Dead,[20]Selected essays of G. Sankara Pillai,[21]Ibsante Nataka Sankalpam,Njan Kanda Delhi (The Delhi I saw),Bertolt Brecht, Nataka Paramparyangal (Drama and heritage),Samvidhayaka Sankalpam (The concept of a director),C. V. yude Hasya Sankalpam (C. V.’s Concept of Humour),Malayala Nataka Sahithya Charitram (The history of Malayalam Drama) andG. Sankara Pillayude Lekhanangal (Collection of articles by G. Sankara Pillai) are some of his works of prose,[17] of whichMalayala Nataka Sahithya Charitram is considered as an authentic work on the history of Malayalam theatre.[2] "Sankara Pillai's efforts rendered the stage and theatre actors a dignity that was lacking until then", saidSajitha Madathil, on the occasion of the 25th death anniversary of Sankara Pillai.
Sakara Pillai received theSangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1964 for play-writing;[22][23] the same year as theKerala Sahitya Akademi honoured him with theirannual award for drama for his work,Rail Palangal.[24] Three years later, he was selected for the 1967 Sahitya Pravartaka Sahakarana Sanghom Award.[16] In 1986, he received theKerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship.[25] He was also a recipient of the All India Critics Award and the Nandikar National Award.[15] His biography has been included in twoOxford University Press publications,The Oxford Companion to Theatre and Performance[26] andThe Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance.[27]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}:|first1= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
