Page 33 - K M PANNIKAR and The Growth of a Maritime Consciousness in India

THE VERSATILITY OF SARDAR K. M. PANIKKAR’S
INTELLECT: An Overview

The paper attempts a journey through K. M. Panikkar’s major works and
endeavours to resuscitate his stature among the great personalities of India.
It endeavours for a peregrination on Panikkar’s intellectual persona. In his
approach to history, he is a nationalist and in method he is analytical. His
education and experience in international affairs made him a seasoned
historian. Ancient, medieval, modern as well as the history of his lifetime is
recorded in his historical texts. Panikkar’s treatise on Malabar history is very
noteworthy. Panikkar’s interest in matters of the state, nationalism, federalism
and Hindu religion are analysed on the basis on his various works on themA
glimpse on his infamous British and Chinese bias is put into analysis. The
educationist, diplomat, literary writer and cultural ambassador in Panikkar
is eked out. The versatility of Panikkar proves him to be an English educated
intellectual with a liberal outlook and global vision. He studied the past, lived
and interacted with his milieu and predicted on prospective India in defence,
politics and education. Despite the criticism of his Chinese/British/Hindu bias,
the thoughts of Panikkar cannot be overlooked as the simple ramblings of a
historian. The compartmentalization of Panikkar as a leftist too is fallacy for, he
viewed everything beyond categorical binaries. He is a trailblazer in all walks of
his life and left a legacy for the posterity to nourish and develop. In this way the
paper draws the portrait of Panikkar in a wide canvass.

23-24 March 2021 | Sapru House, New Delhi 33