Sick Kerala banker returns to Sharjah as successful publisher

Seriously ill R Valsan, alias Krishnna Das, had left the UAE in the 1990s after serving the British Bank of the Middle East, now HSBC, for 28 eight years, uncertain about retired life in India.

The expatriate, who lived in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, returned home depressed with a chronic kidney problem at a young age.

Now after 14 years, Krishnadas is back in the UAE with 12 works of diaspora literature that his company Green Books has published. The books include ‘Aadujeevitham’ (‘A Goat’s Life) by Bahrain-based Benyamin, 99 editions of which has been published in three years. Each edition was of 1,000 copies.

‘Aadujeevitham,’ a novel whose manuscript was rejected by many established publishers in Kerala, is now being sought by them from Green Books to sell in international book fairs and through their distribution network. 

During the last Sharjah International Book Fair, 2,000 copies of ‘Aadujeevitham’ were sold and this year also the book will be available, despite some initial doubts.

Ahmed bin Rakid Al Ameri, director of Sharjah International Book Fair, has said on record that there is no censorship in SIBF. “All the books are welcome except pirated ones,” said Al Ameri recently.

Krishnadas’ own book ‘Dubai Puzha’ (‘Dubai River’) has been published 17 times.

Green Books, started by a depressed Gulf returnee in the 1990s, is now receiving several manuscripts from within and outside India, thanks to the success of ‘Aadujeevitham’ which narrates the story of an Indian worker who gets trapped as a shepherd in the Gulf and his escape from the tragic situation.

“Starting a publishing company was risky in the 1990s. We took the initiative only because of our love of literature and the printed word. We had seen the negative attitude of the established publishing houses towards expatriate writers,” Krishnadas said, reflecting on his own experience.

“Expatriate writers are shown as comic figures in many Malayalam movies. While giving literary awards, there is clear discrimination against expatriates. There is a strong awards lobby that works to grab all major awards for their authors. Expatriate writers should be treated,” said K V Vasudevan, chairman of Green Books and a businessman and social worker in Abu Dhabi.

“Benyamin was depressed after so many rejections by established publishing houses. He was about to throw the manuscript into a waste basket when he approached me. Within a year, we could sell all the printed copies of ‘Aadujeevitham,’” said Krishnadas who used to work as a journalist in the UAE even before the first newspaper was printed here.

“I used to work for the Reuters Bulletin which consisted of a few pages of cyclostyled news pages printed and distributed by Reuters in the UAE. It was later that big newspapers were started here,” said Krishna Das, who is planning to bring out the 100th edition of ‘Aadujeevitham.’

“It is wonderful to head a publishing company that accepted the manuscript of an expatriate writer after it was rejected by all major publishing houses in Kerala,” said Krishnadas who is coming to the Sharjah International Book Fair 2014 for the first time.

“Due to the popularity of ‘Aadujeevitham,’ Benyamin became well known. His books have been translated into English by Penguin Books and even into Arabic. Publishers who rejected him started wooing him and we feared that he would break his five-year contract with Green Books. But he stayed on, remembering his bitter experience with the big publishers,” Krishnadas added.

“Setting up a publishing company with the participation of NRI friends from Abu Dhabi was a challenge that we undertook and after ten years, we have every reason to feel happy,” said Krishnadas, who has also authored many books and published a number of books written by expatriates.

Green Books is presenting more than 10 Malayalam titles by well-known and not so well known expatriate authors at the Sharjah International Book Fair 2014.

Daispora books displayed at Green Books’ counter at SIBF

‘Marana Pushthaakam’ (‘Book of Death’), a novel by O M Aboobaker

‘Kadal Kadannavar’ (‘Those Who Went Abroad’), memoirs by Manu Rahman

‘Aadujeevitham’ (‘A Goat’s Life’), a novel by Benyamin

‘Dubai Puzha’ (‘Dubai River’), 17th edition by Krishna Das

‘Eeeyalukal’ (‘These People’), a novel by Shahul Valapattanam

‘Salala Salala’, a novel  by Vijayan Paravoor

‘Oru Thakkali Krishikkarante Swapnangal’ (‘Dreams of a Tomato Farmer’), a novel by Rasheed Parakkal

‘Arabiayile Adimakal’ (‘Slaves in Arabia’) a novel by Nissamudeen Rawther

‘Palayanam’ (‘Exodus’), short stories by K M Abbas

‘Arabian Jeevithathinte 100 Kathakal’ (‘100 Stories about Life in Arabia’) by Hamsa New Mahi

‘Veedu Marannavar’ (‘Those Who Forgot their Homes’), a study of expatriates, edited by Dr V Shobha.

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