Life of PG

P. Govinda Pillai (1926-2012), known as PG, was one of the foremost public intellectuals and Marxist leaders who left an indelible mark on Kerala's cultural, social, and political life over the past sixty years.   

PG was born on 26 March 1926 in Pulluvazhi, Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district to MN Parameswaran Pillai and K. Parukkutti Amma. Attracted to the national movement during his school days, he first joined the Congress Party and subsequently the Communist Party of India while in college. Active in the All India Students Federation, he was incarcerated in Pune's Yervada prison for participating in mass agitations while he was doing his graduate studies in Mumbai's St Xavier's College. 

On his return to Kerala, PG became a full time activist of the CPI and its peasant organisation, the Kisan Sabha. Winning in the first general election held in1951 after the country became independent, PG became a young legislator from Perumbavoor in the Travancore -Cochin assembly. He won again from Perumbavoor in 1957, in the first legislative election held after the formation of Kerala State. Joining the CPI(M) after the split of the party, PG became the editor of the party organ, Desabhimani and was arrested along with other CPI(M) leaders across the country, with the outbreak of the India-China war in 1964. He won the 1965 assembly election while undergoing imprisonment and again in the 1967 legislative polls from Perumbavoor. 

Besides having been a three-time legislator, PG was an eminent editor, author, orator, and an institution-builder. As the Chief editor of Deshabhimani for over two decades, he raised it from a party mouthpiece to one of Malayalam's best and most popular newspapers. PG penned over 25 books on aesthetics, popular culture, literature, arts, science, history, philosophy, and Kerala's Renaissance, among several biographies. 

As two-time chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, PG made seminal contributions to Malayalam's meaningful cinema and founded the Centre for Imaging Technology (C-Dit), the first of its kind in the country. He was also a leader of Kerala's film society movement. 

PG was also a pioneer in the state's popular science movement and the library movement, which have played significant roles in shaping modern Kerala. Notwithstanding all these, PG always wanted to be known only as an activist who worked to improve the lives of the oppressed people around him. 

PG was married to the late Prof. M J. Rajamma who was a teacher of philosophy. Their son , MG Radhakrishnan and daughter R. Parvathi Devi are senior journalists. PG’s son in law is V. Sivankutty, a CPI(M) leader and former State Education Minister and his daughter in law is A Jayasree, former scientist with the Indian Space Research Organisation. PG’s grandchildren are Govind Sivan, Tejaswini and Mukulika. 

P. Govinda Pillai Samskruthi Kendram was established in 2018 under the Charitable Societies Act by the CPI(M) Thiruvananthapuram District Committee, in memory of P. Govinda Pillai after his demise. The centre is committed to introducing the contributions of P.G., who was a thinker and writer, to the new generation and to preserving his rare collection of books.

Historian the late  Prof. K. N. Panikkar is the Founding Chairman. Executive Director: V. Joy, MLA
Secretary: R. Parvathi Devi
Treasurer: K. C. Vikraman

Executive Committee Members:
V. Sivankutty, Dr. Rajan Gurukkal, Dr. B. Iqbal, Dr. Sunil P. Ilayidom, Dr. T. N. Seema, M. Vijayakumar, Kadakampally Surendran, Ezhacherry Ramachandran, Malayinkeezh Gopalakrishnan, M. G. Radhakrishnan, V. K. Madhu, N. Ratheendran, Sudarsanan Kunnathukal.