Parakala Prabhakar

A political economist and social commentator, a columnist in well-respected newspapers, a YouTuber with a large fan following, an author of a hard-hitting book, Parakala Prabhakar stands for all that is olden and golden, a value system based in deep integrity. He is a delightful foodie and a gentleman full of old-world charm.

Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor    

Location: The Kasauli Club, Himachal Pradesh

 

What does Parakala mean?

It’s a village near Warangal, about 150 kms from Hyderabad. It’s from where my ancestors came.

 

Oh! I see, and you were born around there, in the town of Narsapuram?

Yes, my great, great, great, many times great grandfather went to that region during the reign of the Golkonda kings when local officers were needed for the administration of the town. He settled there and that’s where our family grew.

 

How interesting is that! And what was your childhood like?

Comfortable, very comfortable. Even privileged, I would say. For the simple reason that I was neither conceived in the womb of a tribal woman, nor was I born in a depressed class of a poor, untouchable family in a village. I was not a religious minority either and above all I was not born a female, which was almost a curse in those days.

 

So tragic we have to think on those lines, but I get your point. We take for granted the ‘accident’ of birth. Talking of birth and death, you lost your dad, a minister, very early on, way back in 1981, I hear it affected you rather strongly.

That is a mild word. The earth shook for me. Death hits you deeply only when it snatches away a very loved one. I was in Delhi those days and I went to every library and read every book on death to understand its meaning and come to terms with it.

 

You live in Hyderabad with your mum now? Is that where you were educated, too?

Yes, she is 93 years old, a remarkable woman called Kalikamba who has been an MLA from Andhra Pradesh. And yes again, I studied in Hyderabd. At a municipal school, at first then a missionary school, college was at Loyola, a Jesuit establishment and then I did my MA and MPhil from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). After that I did my PhD from the London School of Economics (LSE).

 

Hyderabad is synonymous with good food, would you say food is a passion for you?

I certainly enjoy eating all kinds of food, varied cuisines. South Indian, of course, but also Chinese, Mexican, Continental and yes Mughlai.

 

You are a vegetarian…

Says who? I ate non-vegetarian food as a child, then became vegetarian for a while. I went back to eating meat, became a carnivore and then a herbivore again, a vegan at that. Now I am a multivore, I eat everything! And enjoy it too, if I may add.

 

Oh wow, quite a culinary journey. Do you cook?

In fact, I do. And I am quite good at it. Basic dal, curries, I can get people very interested in the vegetarian meals that I cook, though cooking non-veg is a lot easier. Unfortunately, in my native place, at home, I only concentrated on eating, not cooking, so my repertoire is limited. But I have to say, I clean up very well and am excellent at doing the dishes!

 

Good food goes with good travelling…

Absolutely. I have travelled a fair deal and want to travel even more. Food, yes, but I also like to meet local people wherever I go. Talk to them, learn about their customs, get to know details about their way of life.

 

What’s on your bucket list?

South America! I would like to go to the Amazon region, also the southern tip of Chile. Once you like travelling, there is no stopping!

 

What about India?

I have travelled very extensively in our beautiful country, and visited most of the national parks. Been very lucky with tiger sightings in Ranthambore, Bhandavgarh and even Amrabad, nearer home, a good tiger reserve near Hyderabad and Srisailam, part of the Nallamala forest.

 

Maybe the tigers got attracted to your innate spirituality. Decided you were a harmless soul, a cool dude!

Ha, ha, ha. Perhaps.

 

I presume you are an easy, no-fuss traveller…

Travelling itself is so easy these days. Unlike when we were children. When even the seats in trains had no cushioning. But I can still rough it out. I will sleep in whatever lodgings are available, including forest guest houses.

 

Where would you like to go next? Kashmir, have you been there?

Long ago, in 2015, I think it was. It’s very beautiful there. Nature in all its serene glory. However, where I want to go is the North East of India. I have been there, but not sufficiently.

 

Any hobbies that you pursue?

I play the flute. Correction, I am trying to play the flute, the bamboo one. I go to a guru once a month. He is actually a scientist who is also a passionate flautist.  It’s not an easy musical instrument to master. Needs a lot of practise. Even the courage to play in front of friends takes at least seven years! But I am patient. I have told my guru not to fast-track me.

 

Anything else?

Languages. I like learning new languages. I speak French, a bit rusty now, but I was very fluent at one time. I know a smattering of Tamil and a bit more of Sanskrit, which I can actually also speak.

 

You have been attending Lit Fests promoting your book, called The Crooked Timber of New India. A powerful title which tells all… a metaphor for flawed morality, for man’s imperfections…

Look, when the timber itself is crooked, no carpenter can fashion anything straight out of it. The times today are very telling. Nothing seems to be straightforward. Dishonesty flourishes. Things are vague, people evasive. As we all know, an action can only be moral if it is motivated by a pure sense of duty. Unfortunately the basic factors themselves are terribly eroded.

 

Have you faced any flak from the powers that be?

How can I? How can anyone deny a single word in my book? It’s all based on facts, figures, statistics. Situations
that have happened, taken place. I have not invented any of it. I am a very thorough economist. I also comment with deep thought.

 

Well, I agree, I have read the book. Any new offerings?

A new book is coming up soon! This time it’s not essays.

 

Recipe by Parakala Prabhakar