'A K Ramanujan didn't get enough recognition in India'

Scholar and promoter of Indo-Spanish relations Guillermo Rodriguez said on Sunday that writer A K Ramanujan did not get recognition in India, though he was acclaimed worldwide for his works.

A Spanish student-turned student of Indian culture and tradition, Rodriguez said Ramanujan played a major role in the West by opening a window to India when the discourse on the subcontinent was confined to a handful of Sanskrit texts.

Responding to questions by DH, Rodriguez said Ramanujan would have chosen not to talk about the ongoing row over separation of Veerashaiva and Lingayat traditions.

"Knowing Ramanujan, he would have taken the question to look inward rather than making a comment on the political scenario. He would have left it for others like Girish Karnad who choose to speak out," he said.

On writing about some of Ramanujan's personal life, Rodriguez said he felt the writer himself helped him bring it out. The author was part of the panel, along with writer Girish Karnad and Chandan Gowda, at a session organised as part of the Bangalore Literature Festival.