Dravidian Stock debuts at book fair, aims to popularise ideology

CHENNAI: When he started a publishing house three years ago, the name Dravidian Stock seemed like a no brainer to its founder T Gowtham, who has been a regular at the book fair for over a decade now.

‘Dravidian Stock’ is now a popular usage in Tamil Nadu, the main proponent being the Chief Minister MK Stalin himself. Being a subscriber to the ideology, the publisher was naturally drawn to it to christen his publishing house. Pointing to the young volunteers issuing entry tickets and regulating the public at the book fair, Gowtham recalled that he was a volunteer for the BAPASI (Book Sellers and Publishers Association of South India) a decade ago and that his association with the publishing world started then.

Gowtham (32) told DT Next that this is the first time they have set up a stall at the Chennai book fair. “For the first two years, we were supplying titles to other publishing houses and agencies who had set up stalls,” said a staff of Dravidian Stock.

Apart from the writings of social reformer Periyar and former Chief Ministers CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi which are a given at the stall considering its anointed name, the publishing house has also brought out novels by Tamil writers whom, the publisher says should reach more readers.

“Even ardent readers who follow the writings of Arignar Anna and Periyar and those who pore through critical essays seem to not read the Dravidian novelists,” said Gowtham. He referred to the novels like Manappor by novelist Thillai Villalan and other writings by writers such as ‘Kuthoosi’ S Gurusamy, Walaja Vallavan among others.

Apart from making Dravidian novelists and lesser-known writers popular, the publishing house also intends to translate books and essay collections propagating the Dravidian ideology into other languages.

“We have already made a start. We have brought out Arignar Anna’s Arya Mayai’s translation in English, which is a first. Since Anna’s writings have a lot of depth, it was not easy finding a translator. The book is translated by Neyveli Ashok,” Gowtham told this newspaper.

For the first three days, the most sold title at his stall is Pen Yaen Adimaiyaanal (Why were women enslaved) by Thanthai Periyar.