Every year a distinguished writer and creative thinker who has studied Indian literature deeply is invited to give the Sahitya Akademi Samvatsar Lectures. Reflecting a deep concern for human values, the lectures open up new vistas of thinking regarding a literary movement, a current literary trend, some original thinking about a great writer or a new path in literary criticism or literary creation.
The first Samvatsar Lectures were given in 1986 by S.H. Vatsyayan and the subject was "Perspectives of Memory"; the second in 1987 by Annada Sankar Ray on "Renaissance in Bengal: In Retrospect", and the third by Umashankar Joshi in 1988 on "The Idea of Indian Literature".
The fourth Samvatsar Lectures were delivered by K.R. Srinivasa lyengar (b. 1907) in 1989 and the theme was "The Man of Letters and the Doomsday Clock". lyengar gave two lectures: the first on 18 February on "The Machine and the Clock"; the second on 19 February on "The Clock and the Man of Letters".
A father figure of Indian literature, lyengar finds that "it is a new age we are living in, for mankind moved, on 16 July 1945, from Anno Domini to Anno Bombini, and we are in the 44th year of this age of delirious ambiguity." Outlining the nuclear peril he observes: "Either scenario is open to humanity today: the mad plunge into the abyss of pride and strife and racial suicide, or the long night's journey back to brotherhood and survival, and the tasks of peace and universal well-being." He hopes that "when the man of letters turns his words into winged squadrons of the Spirit, the resulting revolution in thought, feeling, conviction and action will avert nuclear Doomsday, smash the Machine and the Clock, and greet the Greater Dawn."
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