Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad is a leftist outfit in the state of Kerala, India. It was conceived as a people's science movement. At the time of its founding in 1962 it was a 40-member group consisting of science writers and teachers with an interest in science from a social perspective. Over the past four decades its membership has grown to over 60,000 individuals, in more than 2,300 units spread all over Kerala. In 1996, the group received the Right Livelihood Award "for its major contribution to a model of development rooted in social justice and popular participation."
Introduction
The original objective at the time of the founding of Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad was limited to publishing scientific literature in Malayalam, the local language, and popularizing science. However it was soon realized that publication and giving lessons alone were not enough to popularize science and extend its benefits to the common people. KSSP held that a privileged minority was monopolizing the benefits of science and technology and its results for their own profit at the expense of the majority. KSSP chose as its mission, the challenge of arming people with the tools of science and technology so that they can reverse this process. Thus in 1974, KSSP decided to become a people's science movement and adopted "science for social revolution" as its motto. Over the past four decades it has grown into a large people's science movement with a membership of about 60,000, drawn from all walks of life, and distributed in about 2,300 units within the state of Kerala. Over the years, it has also expanded its fields of interest and activities to almost all fields of human endeavor. The KSSP is involved, broadly in three types of activities: education, agitatative, and constructive, in areas like environment, health, education, energy, literacy, micro planning and development in general. Presently A.P. Muraleedharan is the president and K.Radhan is the general secretary. Intellectuals such as M. K. Prasad, R. V. G. Menon, Kavumbayi Balakrishnan, B. Ekbal, K. Pappooty, M. P. Parameswaran, Kunhikkannan TP, etc. have been past presidents of the organization.
Publications
KSSP publishes two monthly magazines, Sastrakeralam and Sastragathi, and a biweekly, Eureka and also a newsletter . Eureka and Sastrakeralam are intended for children and the newsletter for members. Sastragathi is the organization's main magazine. Also KSSP's major contribution is in publishing science books in Malayalam with more than 700 titles already published. One of the latest books published is Jeevarekha by Dr.M.P.Parameswaran. In addition, KSSP has already published hundreds of small booklets, related to different issues. is the online science portal of KSSP.
Research
Kerala Padanam
In 2004, KSSP conducted a survey of the living conditions in Kerala. The survey was titled Kerala Padanam-Keralam engane jeevikkunnu Keralam Engane Chinthikkunnu, translated as The Kerala Study-How Does Kerala Live? How Does Kerala Think?. It covered about 6000 households in the state. The activists spent hours with each family to understand their lifestyle and thoughts. The findings follow. The population of Kerala has been divided into four classes or groups. Around 40% of the people are very poor, and only a minority of about 10% of the people belong to the upper middle class and control their state of affairs. More and more people are moving towards extreme poverty and the rich minority are growing their wealth. The findings have been published in a book with the same title as the survey Kerala Padanam-Keralam engane jeevikkunnu Keralam Engane Chinthikkunnu.
Products
The KSSP has developed a number of self-reliant products and has been marketing them though its units and the local offices of the Parishad Production Centre and the Samata Production Center which are attached to district KSSP offices.
Hot box
Hot box is an energy efficient therrmocol box which keeps the temperature constant for hours, saving energy and fuel. It is ideal for rice cooking and for keeping normal food items hot. Rice is cooked in boiled water. The boiling point of water is and will not increase with further heating. When rice is cooked normally, the fire is maintained until it is cooked. If the water temperature can be maintained at without further heating, fuel is saved. This is what the Hot Box is designed to do. Rice is cooked in water until it has boild and the bowl is put in the Hotbox until it is fully cooked.
IRTC, the research wing of KSSP has launched yet another product, the Portable biogas plant. This helps with the proper disposal of waste and conserves energy. The new equipment has many advantages and added features that other portable gas plants now available on the market do not have.
