THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It seems more embarrassments are waiting for Kerala State Institute of Languages (KSIL) than having had to withdraw one of the 141 books published in a recent jumbo release event which reportedly made it to the Limca Book of Guinness Records. Nearly half of the 100 newly-released titles have been identified as printed almost a year ago. The titles, lying in wait of an official release, were obviously included in the publication marathon after their first pages were replaced to change the dates of publication. The mass book release organised by the Institute, an initiative credited to its current director M R Thampan, was part of the 100-day action programme announced by the State Government. According to the Institute authorities, hundred new titles and a host of reprints were made ready for a simultaneous release in a span of 100 days. The much-hyped event, held at the Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan here on September 12, had reportedly entered the Guinness Book for the most number of books released on a single day. It was not long before one of the books - ‘Maranamillatha Mahaprathibhakal’, - was withdrawn after the omission of two personalities Mahatma Gandhi and Kumaran Asan in the book was pointed out. ‘’Of the total books released at the event, 100 were new titles published for the very first time and the rest were reprints of sold-out books,’’ said Shibu Sreedhar, Assistant Director of the Institute, who said that he was also in charge of the Sales department. “It does not matter whether private book shops have copies of these books. When we run out of stock of any of the titles, we reprint them,” he said. However, books such as ‘Malayathile Veeragadhakal’ by Thonnakkal Vasudevan and ‘Poonthanam - Patavum Paanavum’ by V Soman were already printed towards the end of 2010 and complementary copies handed over to the authors, confirmed a source who had been working in the publishing division of the Institute during the period. So are titles such as ‘Paramparya Visha Chikitsa’ by Manoj Komath, ‘Kuttikalude Arogyam’ by Dr Muraleedaran and many other titles including ‘Paniya Bhasha Nignadu’, ‘Malayalavum Classical Padaviyum’, and ‘Kerala Charithrathile Nayakanmar’ The first pages of these books, which show the publication details, have allegedly been changed to enter a new date of publication and publishing authority. ‘Nakshatra Deepanagal’ penned by Ravi Menon was brought out about three months back and cannot obviously figure among either new titles or reprints. Contrary to the claim of the Institute, a major share of the books are reprints of old titles and a sizable amount of the rest are those appropriated from the works commissioned and completed much before the new director took charge. Several of the authors and editors whose books have been included in the 141 titles have alleged that the remuneration due to them have not yet been given. Despite several reminders from the authors, the payments remain due and the inclusion in the record-winning list is seen by many as a measure of appeasement. It has been a long-standing allegation that the books published by the Institute do not reach bookshops and that the authors themselves are not notified when they are brought out. The poor editing and printing quality are also proof of a make-do system that is at work at the Institute. The omission that caused the withdrawal of one of the books stand testimony to the hasty manner in which the release of the books was undertaken.
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