RATIONALIST INTERNATIONAL
Bulletin # 29
9 February 2000

Editor: Sanal Edamaruku
Address: P.O.Box 9110, New Delhi-110091, India.
Telephone: +91-11-2253255, Fax: +91-11-84539526
E-mail: edamaruku@yahoo.com




KERALA LITERARY ACADEMY AWARD FOR
JOSEPH EDAMARUKU


The Kerala Sahithya Academy (Kerala Literary Academy)
today announced its award for the best book in
Malayalam language in the field of autobiography
published in the years 1997, 98 and 99. It goes to the
autobiography of senior rationalist and President of
Indian Rationalist Association, Joseph Edamaruku. The
book was last year's sensation in the Malayalam book
program of Indian Atheist Publishers, India's largest
freethought publishing house.

Under the title "Kodungattu Uyarthiya Kalam" (The
Times that Raised the Tempest), the work  describes
the ups and downs of Joseph Edamaruku's eventful life
in Kerala, his emerging as a rationalist leader who
shaped Kerala's rationalist movement, his career as a
writer and one of the most famous journalists of
Malayalam language. On the folio of his personal life
Joseph Edamaruku gives deep insights in the history of
Kerala's rationalist movement and reveals unknown
layers of the cultural history of Kerala. A treasure
of personal and political experience and a rich source
for historians, the book was widely discussed and is
considered a classic.

Joseph Edamaruku hails from an Orthodox Syrian
Christian family that was proud on the number of
priests and bishops they produced. A former student
for priesthood, the reading of bible and its close
examination made him a rationalist. For a book he
wrote at the age of 19 years, based on his
observations about Jesus Christ, he was excommunicated
from the church and thrown out from the parental home
and village. He married Soley from a Hindu family
without observing any religious ceremony. He became a
powerful campaigner against religions and shaped the
rationalist movement of Kerala.

A successful journalist, Joseph Edamaruku argued for
freedom of thought and expression and defended human
rights. As a historian he authored one of the finest
books on the cultural history of Kerala. Two times he
was imprisoned, first in 1970 in a cooked up case (and
terribly tortured), second in 1975 during the National
Emergency. He was elected the president of Indian
Rationalist Association in 1994.

Joseph Edamaruku has authored more than 150 books in
Malayalam language. His famous book in Malayalam
language "Christ and Krishna never lived" has meantime
appeared in the thirteenth edition. Published in 1981
as the first book of Indian Atheist Publishers, it has
all through the years remained both, its most
provocative and best selling book. Crossing the line
of 100,000 sold copies now, it may be the largest sold
rationalist book in the century. Hundreds of readers
tell that this book has marked a turning point on
their way to become rationalists. Over the time it has
steadily increased its pages, including replies to all
major attempts, which have been made to counter it.

Yet another controversial Malayalam language book
authored by Joseph Edamaruku is "Koran - a Critical
Study" published in 1983, a pioneer book exposing
Koran. Though the book provoked the anger of
fundamentalists and fundamentalist outfits burned his
effigies, it survived efforts to ban it and assisted
an exodus from Islam to rationalism. Today there are
hundreds of ex-Muslim rationalists in Kerala,
including some who reached the Kerala state leadership
of the rationalist movement. Meantime, "Koran - a
Critical Study" appeared in the 9th edition with
replies to all its critics and sold nearly 80,000
copies in Malayalam language. "Koran - a Critical
Study" awaits its English translation now.

All major books of Joseph Edamaruku since 1981 were
published by Indian Atheist Publishers, a rationalist
publishing house, started by his son and Secretary
General of Indian Rationalist Association, Sanal
Edamaruku. Indian Atheist Publishers (IAP) is the
largest freethought publishing house in India. Now in
the 19th year of existence, IAP has contributed more
than 650 books, most of them in Malayalam language and
many of them translated to other Indian languages,
helped to broaden the rationalist horizon of many to
an extend which has no comparison. The publishing
program of IAP included a wide spectrum of works in
the field of philosophy, sociology and history,
written by classical and contemporary Indian and
foreign authors in the tradition of rationalist,
atheist and freethought movement, among them Periyar
E.V. Ramaswamy, A.T. Kovoor, Joseph Edamaruku, Paul
Kurtz, Barbara Smoker, Jim Herrick and Robert Green
Ingersoll.

Joseph Edamaruku's autobiography is the second book
that brings the Kerala Literary Academy's Award for
the books from IAP. The first was a play "To Nelson
Mandela with love from Vinnie", authored by P.M.
Antony while he was in jail for life  in a cooked-up
case for writing a book which provoked the powerful
church in Kerala . The Indian Rationalist Association
under the active leadership of Sanal Edamaruku and
other authors in India campaigning for his release and
obtaining a state government decree releasing him
after two years in jail is another success story of
Indian Rationalist Association.

The Rationalist International congratulates Joseph
Edamaruku for getting the Literary Academy Award. We
also announce that an abridged English version of his
autobiography will appear (the Malayalam language
original version has 1152 pages).


INTERNATIONAL RATIONALIST CONFERENCE

We have received some encouraging mail from the
participants of the 2nd International Rationalist
Conference held at Trivandrum, Kerala, India, from 17
to 21 January 2000. The Conference theme was:
"Rationalist Agenda for the 21st Century".

"A fascinating conference"
-Bill Cooke, New Zealand Association of Rationalists
and Humanists.

"I enjoyed the impressive conference."
-Jim Herrick, Director, Rationalist Press association.

As newcomers to the world of Rationalism, the
conference was an eye-opener for us."
-Alec Leggat, British Humanist Association.

"I enjoyed being in Trivandrum immensely and learned a
lot from the conference."
-Tove B. Pedersen, Secretary General, Human Etisk
Forbund, Norway.

"A very successful rationalist conference indeed"
-Jean-Claude Pecker, depuis le Collhge de France,
France

"Everyone I spoke to was full of admiration not only
for the organisation, but for the quality of the
participants and for the huge commitment everyone
showed to the cause of rationalism."
-Roy W. Brown, Population and Development Foundation,
Switzerland.

"Yes, the conference certainly was a success and I was
delighted to have the opportunity to visit Trivandrum
for the first time."
-Jane Wynne Wilson, Vice-President, Rationalist Press
Association, and Vice-President, International
Humanist and Ethical Union, UK.

"Many thanks for the delightful days in Trivandrum."
-Levi Fragell, President, International Humanist and
Ethical Union.

"I am pleased the conference was such a success and
even more disappointed that I could not attend. I hope
my paper was well received. Paul Kurtz called me and
told me that the conference was quite exciting."
-Vern L. Bullough, Secretary, Academy of Humanism, and
former co-president, International Humanist and
Ethical Union.


The selected papers presented during the 2nd
International Rationalist Conference and the
concluding observations in the grand symposium will
appear as a book soon, which will also include
photographs from the conference, pictures of the
authors and their biographical sketches.

Copies are limited and the edition will be available
only for those who reserve in advance. Single copy,
including airmail charges will cost only US $ 29 (or
equivalent in Pound Sterling or Euro). The payment has
to be made by cheque favouring "International
Rationalist Conference" and posted to: Indian
Rationalist Association, 779, Pocket V, Mayur Vihar I,
New Delhi 110 091, India.


INTERNET IN 11,00,000 POST OFFICES IN INDIA

Internet and electronic communication make big leaps
in India. Soon people can walk into the neighborhood
post office, get their own e-mail addresses, send or
receive e-mails and take the printout home.

The scheme will be launched first at major post
offices in the metros and the Government of India
proposes to link all the 11,00,000 post offices in the
country within the next five years. According to the
proposal, the post office will give a free e-mail
address and charge Rs.10 per page printout of the
message.

The Government proposes to invest Rs. 60,000 on
installing computers at every post office. Besides,
staff will be trained to operate and maintain the
equipment. The scheme conceived by the Ministry of
Post and Telecommunications will be sent shortly to
the Prime Minister for approval.




Rationalist International Bulletin # 29 may be
reproduced, forwarded or quoted from by recipients if
they wish. Please acknowledge the source while
reproducing: "Rationalist International Bulletin # 29".
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