Emphasising that this novel is based on ideas and is meant to get the readers to
thinking on the topics discussed in his book, noted writer and businessman
Datta Damodar Naik, released his novel Savitri at a function at Ravindra Bhavan
Margao at the hands of Goa University professor Dr Nandakumar Kamat.
Published by Sanjana Publications, the novel is a story of the
generations of a Saraswat family in Goa, spanning from pre-liberation to
post-liberation.
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Describing the tone and overall thought process behind the
book,Naik stated that he was looking at questioning how things have come to be
in our society. For that, he studied the various interactions across various
communities, especially the Saraswat, and in that the relations between members
of society, be it a father and son, or men and women in a community or the
general ways of society.
Calling it a social product,Naik said the purpose of such an
examination of the culture and its exponent via this fictitious novel was to
try and understand why people think the way they do and the decisions based on
such thinking, whether the outcome is good or bad.
He pointed out that some of thecharacters in the novel could be
seen as a mixture of various personalities that had influenced him personally.
Expressing that sometimes the lines between fiction and non fiction can get
blurred, Naik said that he had spent a lot of energy and time writing this book
in order to get that perfect product and the right message across.
He further stated that the draft novel was ready about a year or
two ago but he had sent it to different writers and based on their suggestions,
rewrote it.
“ Now I feel I will still further rewrite it as there can be
further continuation to this story and the characters can be developed
further.I have got many suggestions and I am intellectually receptive and so I
will make the changes based on the new ideas in the Marathi novel,” he said.
Naik, a national Sahitya Akademi award winner for his book ‘Jai
Kai Jui’ ( his collection of essays in Konkani), is known to be a rationalist
thinker. In 1991, he founded Samata Andolan, a front for secular-minded
rationalist people from all over Goa, and since then, he has been taking an
initiative in organising Samajik Parishad, a convention to spread scientific
temper and strengthen the spirit of communal harmony.
Right from his student days, Naik has been writing for
newspapers and magazines and has also produced informative booklets with
on-the-field study on Canacona and Sattari talukas. Being a passionate
traveller, his travelogues in Konkani have been a valuable addition to Konkani
literature.
Besides
‘Jai Kai Jui’, his English book ‘Uncommon Wealth’ had made waves among the
children as Modern Panchtantra while his Marathi book ‘Atmadipo Bhav’ on
management and personality development was well-received even in Maharashtra.
