Mightier than the sword

 

 

Armed with nothing but a typewriter, Anthony Parakal has moved many mountains by writing ‘letters to the editor’ for the last 52 years, discovers Tina Aranha

 

Rat-a-tat-tat….zing… Rat-a-tat-tat….zing… This is the sound which has reverberated incessantly in Anthony Parakal’s house since 1954. The house is now swallowed by silence. No more ‘letters to the editor’ from this 76-year-old indefatigable pen pusher—he has finally put his typewriter to rest. This is because of health problems like diabetes and failing memory. For Parakal, it’s been a 52-year journey, which has brought him fulfillment as well as accolades. Sadly, a voice of the masses speaketh no more. 

 

This writer of 5, 000-odd letters is an ex-employee of the Department of Railways. He came to Mumbai from Kerala in 1954. The miserable living conditions in the city appalled Parakal but he felt handicapped by his lack of proficiency in English. He started visiting People’s Library at Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus. He read one news item each day, consulted the dictionary, and learnt shorthand as well as writing techniques from senior reporter U Rao. As he gained confidence, he started writing letters to newspaper editors with remarkable regularity. “When I started slowing down recently, editors called to ask, ‘Why are you so quiet these days’? ” he grins.

 

The conditions in government hospitals, the Emergency, squalor under the flyovers and public cemeteries–he’s covered them all. Garbage dumping near mangroves made him shoot off several letters, but to no avail. He wrote a final letter declaring, ‘We have a national bird, a flower, a flag….and even a smell!’ It was followed by immediate action and the dumping ground was shifted elsewhere. Additional post boxes were installed in Malad as a result of another one of his letters.

 

Parakal believes that newspapers are stronger than other media and finds letter writing to be very effective. “People appreciate that someone is raising a voice. Concerned authorities take note of the issues mentioned. Without any political affiliations, one can address a large number of readers and ensure that action is taken.”

 

The Times of India (TOI) alone has published a thousand of Parakal’s letters. His files hold personal replies from renowned persons like Morarjee Desai, Gulzarilal Nanda and Rajiv Gandhi. His name has found its way into the Limca Book Of Records as well as the Indian edition of the Guinness Book Of Records, 1993. In 1999, the All India Press Writers Association honoured him with the ‘Knight of Conscience’ award. While the TOI has honoured him twice, his letters have also got him an honorary doctorate in mass media.

 

His last letter was published in the December 12, 2005 issue of Time magazine. He has much more time at hand now and is enjoying it. “I read the papers in the mornings and scan the news on TV. My regular habit of watching one English movie everyday, which I started primarily to improve my English, still continues. I also pray because to me life is all about discipline. Mostly I catch up on old times with my wife,” he chuckles.

 

His children (two daughters and a son) are highly educated in spite of the family’s financial constraints. He didn’t want his own children to follow in their father’s footsteps. Being a liberal, Parakal is glad they are capable of making their own decisions.

 

But for Parakal, his nephew Anup Mathew (20) has shown the most promise. “My brother called me to say that Anup has started writing letters to the editor. Looks like my legacy is going to be carried forward,” he winks.