S.K. Pottekkatt
A commemorative postage stamp on Sankaran Kutty Pottekkatt, a Malayalam writer and politician from Kerala [a part of the series ‘Jnanpith Award Winners : Malayalam‘] :
Issued by India
Issued on Oct 9, 2003
Issued for : The Jnanpith awards for literary excellence, covering all the languages listed in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution of India, symbolises the unity of vision in Indian culture. They celebrate the vibrant creative energy of Indian literature by recognising the masters whose writings have enthralled readers in different parts of the country. Continuing with the series on Jnanpith laureates, which started in 1997, the Department of Posts now issues a set of three commemorative postage stamps on three writers in Malayalam, namely G. Sankara Kurup, S.K. Pottekkatt and Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai.
Design : The stamp designs incorporate visuals that recall the life and times of the three writers, apart from their portraits. Thus, the stamp on G. Sankara Kurup carries pictures of the writing desk and chair reminiscent of his intense intellectual pursuits. The next stamp, featuring S.K. Pottekkatt who was a legendary traveller, has a vintage steam locomotive chugging away in the distance. The third stamp which honours Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai has water wheel in the background, a regular sight in the paddy field of Kuttanad, the background of most of his stories.
Credits :
Stamp : Namboodiri
FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma; based on the ‘Bhartiya Jnanpith‘ publications.
Type : Horizontal Se–tenant Strip of 3 Stamps, Mint condition
Colour : Two colour
Denomination : 500 Paise
Overall size : 2.90 x 3.91 cms.
Printing size : 2.90 x 3.91 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Imported un w/m Adhesive Gravure Coated stamp paper in Sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.
Stamps Printed : Eighty Thousand Mixed Sheetlet
Number per issue sheetlet : 15
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printer : India Security Press, Nashik
Name : Sankaran Kutty Pottekkatt
Born on Mar 14, 1913 at Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Died on Aug 6, 1982 at Kerala, India
About :
- S.K. Pottekkatt (1913-1982) was a writer, traveller and political idealist whose humanitarian vision left a deep imprint in the minds of his contemporaries. As a writer he was adept in different genres like the short story, novel, play, poetry and travelogue. Invariably carrying an element of surprise, his stories left readers pondering over the immense ironies behind human relations. A keen observer of men’s habits and mannerisms, Pottekkatt is seen at his best in his novels, combining a romantic sensibility with a realistic outlook. Works like Nadan Premam (Village Love-story), Oru Desathinte Katha (Story of a Country-side) and Oru Theruvinte Katha (Story of a Street) brought him renown as one of the leading novelists of India. He believed that a writer had a responsibility towards shaping the destiny of society, and this responsibility often charted the direction that his writings took. Pottekkatt was one of the pioneers of travel writing in the country. His travelogues, a unique blend of information, personal impressions and anecdotes made as exciting reading as any well-written thriller.
- Text : Based on inputs from Bhasha Samanwaya Vedi – Kerala, Department of Culture, Government of Kerala and Sahitya Akademi publications.
