| Gracious Benjamin, Kattachalkuzhi, near Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram |
To a farmer with a pass in Class X as his academic credential what could writing books have meant? Surely one wouldn’t expect him to write books on varied topic, including agriculture to be sure, and that too 122 of them. But that is what Gracious Benjamin from Kattachalkuzhi, near Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram has done.
How did it all start? Like a mighty river beginning as a tiny streamlet, Benjamin started his writing career by passing on farming tips to agriculturists. Based on their demand he wrote a book on organic farming. Vidyarthi Mitram Publishers brought out that 200-page book ‘Karshika Guide’ in 1999. The book was well received and he did not have to look back since then.
That book gave him the necessary confidence. He soon ventured into the world computers and internet and learned English, the lingua franca of that realm.
That learning process resulted in another book titled ‘Easy English’. His later books include ‘Charitra Vijnana Kosham’, Science Master Series, rank files of competitive exam etc. Further he has written approaximately 450 newspaper articles and was the recipient of the Karshaka Bharati Award for best farm journalist in 2002.
Admittedly, it is easy to cobble together information in the age of internet. But then not every one among the net-savvy can match his stamina and perseverance and the sheer joy of acquiring knowledge. He is now working on a project to bring out a book on general studies of Civil Service exams.
When he started jotting down tips for sharing with like-minded farmers, would he have thought that one day the books written by him would come to occupy a major portion of his bookshelf?
Courtesy: Meedhu Miriyam Joseph (text), The Hindu, October 1, 2012
