Interview of Dr. Minketan Pradhan by VSSS-Singapore Anusuya Sahu @anusuyasahu1565

Overview

Dr. Meen Ketan Pradhan (former Hindi professor and former president of a study board from Raigarh, India) describes his post-retirement focus on literature as a lifelong service. He emphasizes that education should produce socially responsible citizens—not people who study only for jobs or marks.

He argues that the younger generation must cultivate a sense of belonging and a collective public-welfare mindset, often invoking the idea of Sarve Bhavantu… (“all together for well-being”). He also maintains that writers cannot ignore contemporary social and political realities, since society and lived life are shaped by them.

Editorial Work, Publishing Initiatives, and Student Writing

A major part of his commentary centers on his editorial work and publishing initiatives. He explains that during his teaching career he edited a college magazine, using it to help emerging student writers develop their creative submissions in line with the needs of the present era.

He also recounts producing major special issues, including:

• A “Prachi” special issue around “Prachi Jayanti”
• A “Golden Jubilee” special issue

Through these initiatives, he stresses that educational institutions function like “mines/mints” for new consciousness and future social transformation.

Engaging Politics Responsibly

Pradhan highlights the need for young people to engage with current politics in a responsible, socially conscious way. For him, politics should be:

• Clean
• Humane
• Not merely power-seeking

COVID-19 Lockdown and Institutional “Pillars”

Pradhan discusses how the COVID-19 lockdown (from March 2020) affected students and society. He claims online teaching helped compensate for lost learning time, but could not fully replace the broader “pillars” that institutions build.

He frames service and institutional responsibility as continuous—viewing work as a duty extending from the individual up through:

• Family
• Society
• Nation
• The world

He also points to modern global problems such as:

• Inequality
• War-like conflicts
• Political distortions
• Religious tensions

Despite these challenges, he remains optimistic, arguing that improvements are possible if society increases empathy and compassion.

International Scholarly Work: 100 Years of Chhayavad (छायावाद)

Internationally, Pradhan describes his edited and research-based work on “100 Years of Chhayavad (छायावाद)” by Mukutdhar Pandey. Key points include:

• The volume spans 122 articles
• Contributions were coordinated through an online international process (referenced as 28–29 July in the subtitles)
• The book is positioned as a global-literature umbrella connecting Hindi literary scholarship across countries

He emphasizes bringing “global consciousness” into dialogue through literature and sensitivity.

Chhayavad’s Spread and Naming

He explains that Chhayavad (roughly 1918–1936) became widespread wherever Hindi was taught. He also describes how the movement’s naming and development relate to Mukutdhar Pandey’s role—arguing that the trend evolved first and was then named.

Scholarly Novelty and Conceptual Framing

A key scholarly argument he makes is that research on Chhayavad is already extensive, but his approach adds novelty by emphasizing conceptual framing attributed to Mukutdhar Pandey. He suggests Chhayavad can be understood through emerging ideas such as:

• “Prakriti Ki Satta” (as referenced in the subtitles)
• The continuity of influence even after the period ends

He also notes that the project was connected to Guinness-record efforts, though (according to his account) it was not fully completed through the platform process at the time.

Compassion, Sorrow, and Corona-Period Emotions

Pradhan links themes of compassion and sorrow within Chhayavad to emotions he observed during the Corona period. He connects empathy to literary tendency, referencing terms such as:

• “Karu Kaal”

He frames compassion as a fundamental human tendency that can persist even amid war.

Personal and Literary-Historical Influences

He recounts personal meetings with Mahadevi Verma in Allahabad (around 1967, as he says). He describes her as spiritually sensitive and culturally compassionate, portraying her as an important “pillar” in Chhayavad’s later phase (in Mukutdhar Pandey’s relative chronology).

He also speaks about engaging with Mukutdhar Pandey and discussing the origins of Chhayavad, including a dispute over “who originated” the movement. Pradhan argues that:

• Jaishankar Prasad (Jayashankar Prasad) and certain figures were treated as originators by Mukutdhar Pandey
• Some critics focus too narrowly on Jaishankar Prasad or (as he suggests) another figure

Mission of Vishwa Hindi Adhisthan (विश्व हिन्दी अधिष्ठान)

Finally, Pradhan outlines the mission of Vishwa Hindi Adhisthan / the Vishwa Hindi-related establishment. He defines “Adhisthan” as a base/platform and frames the institution’s purpose as:

• Creating research
• Supporting comparative literary work across contexts
• Covering ancient to contemporary writing that may not be widely published

Rejection of “High vs Low” Literary Ranking

A core principle of his program is rejecting “high vs low” ranking among writers, including:

• Writers outside India (expatriate/Hindi writers abroad)

He argues that expatriate literature should not be treated as lesser or separate, but as part of one connected stream where dignity and equal consideration apply.

He further emphasizes the need for comparative analysis across world languages and literatures, with Indian literature as necessary for genuine understanding—and for building broader human brotherhood beyond theory.

Concluding Message

Overall, his message is that literature should drive ideological and emotional change—not remain abstract. He offers a moral-like example: achievements become visible at the right time, so workers should persist without demanding immediate recognition, letting the work speak through creativity and impact.

He concludes with optimism that writers and institutions aligned with this purpose will collaborate to create a more creative, positive direction for global society.

Presenters / Contributors

• Anusuya Sahu (host; VSSS-Singapore)
• Dr. Meen Ketan Pradhan (guest; former president of a study board, Raigarh; Hindi professor; editor of the works discussed)

Mentioned participants / contributors / supporters

• Mukutdhar Pandey
• Jaishankar Prasad
• Mahadevi Verma
• Namvar Singh

Mentioned international coordinators / participants (by location)

• Vinod Kumar Mishra
• Sudhanshu
• Mona Kaushik (Bulgaria)
• Ram Prasad Bhatt (Poland)