When Mulk Raj Anand received a ‘shock’ from Malabar

It’s hardly surprising that a state like Kerala, where social reforms and education were prioritised, appreciated the work of the prolific and great writer Mulk Raj Anand, whose works depicted the lives of India’s poor. His 1935 novel ‘Untouchable’, translated to Malayalam as ‘Ayithakkaran’, remains popular across generations in the state.

In 1955, when Anand was a well-accomplished writer, he received an unexpected letter from what he thought was an enthusiastic young fan. The handwritten letter by Kolady Balakrishan from Eramangalam in South Malabar, went straight to the point.

“I have translated your book ‘Story of India’ into Malayalam and it is in the press,” Balakrishnan wrote. “I request I may be forwarded with a preface to be published with the Malayalam edition.” Balakrishnan also asked Anand for a photograph and promised to send a copy of the book to the acclaimed writer.

Anand did not take kindly to the request from Kerala and thought Balakrishnan had gone ahead with an unauthorised translation.

“You are probably not aware of the fact that this book is copyright (sic) and that you have, unwittingly, already committed breach of copyright by allowing things to go so far,” Anand wrote in a reply. “I presume that you are a very innocent and enthusiastic person and do not know much about this matter.”

Anand asked Balakrishnan to contact his publisher and ask for a formal contract where the terms and conditions are clearly laid out.

“If you have a publisher or printer who has undertaken to publish or print this book, they will also find themselves receiving a solicitor’s notice,” Anand wrote. “I advise you to hold up the printing immediately. No new preface is needed for me for this book. Nor is there a need for a photo to be reproduced.”

It turned out that Balakrishnan was neither some “innocent or enthusiastic person” nor was he committing any breach of copyright. He ran a press called the Kolady Prasidikaranalayam, and had very much followed the rules when it came to the translation.

“I am also equally, if not more surprised, to receive such a letter from you,” Balakrishnan wrote in a typed response to Anand. “I am afraid you taken me (sic) to be an enthusiastic young man who translates books without getting permission, only to satisfy my enthusiasm.”

Balakrishnan added, “Before embarking upon the labour of translating your book, I approached your publishers and got permission from them duly.” He attached the permission letter from Anand’s publisher Kutub Publishers, which was dated October 5, 1951.

He had already paid an advance against royalties four years before contacting Anand. In the attached letter, Kutub mentioned that the writer was in China at that time.

“Now I hope you will try to reconcile with these facts and form a new opinion about this translation of your book by me,” Balakrishnan wrote in the letter to Anand. He once again requested a special introduction and a photograph from the writer. This time, Balakrishnan also asked for a brief bio of Anand.

Writing back to Balakrishnan, Anand said that he was surprised that Kutub did not inform him of any arrangement for the translation.

Since this was a fait accompli, Anand raised no further objection to the Malayalam translation, but was still particular about the translation conforming to the “style and format” of the original English edition. “That is to say, the cover must be more or less like the original design of the first or second edition,” he wrote in the letter to Balakrishnan.

Anand was adamant that no photograph, introduction and bio was necessary for the book. Balakrishan had said in an earlier letter that a photograph of the acclaimed writer would “most definitely be a most covetable and added attraction.”

Anand said he would once again contact Balakrishnan about the translation after speaking to his publisher, but gave him one more reminder on what he felt was the most important part of the book. “Meanwhile please try and conform to the format of the English edition of ‘Story of India’ in the publication of your Malayalam translation,” he wrote.

It would be interesting to browse the state libraries of Kerala to see if the Malayalam translations of Mulk Raj Anand’s translations followed the format he was insistent on. A large section of Malayali readers nonetheless reveres his works, as they should be for depicting the lives of the masses of India.