Patriarch of Indian Circus to Turn 90

Thalassery: While watching the hectic moves of this simple and agile man, no one could realise his age or identity. The news that Kannur will celebrate the 90th birthday of Gemini Sankaran alias M V Sankaran who paved the way for the modernisation of Indian Circus has surprised even those who have long-standing association with him. With simple lifestyle and gentle interaction, people can hardly find any trace of egoism and pomp in Sankaran, who is now the owner of three prominent Indian circuses and many other business enterprises.
   "It was the Kittunni Circus popular in Malabar in 1940s that attracted me to the wonders of circus," recalls Sankaran. After acquiring the basic lessons of circus from the school of Keeleri Kunhikannan, the father of Indian circus, Sankaran began his tent life as a trapeze artiste in Bosline Circus of Calcutta in 1942. In the early 1950s, he had mesmerised spectators with chilling performances on horizontal bar and flying trapeze, the most attractive and challenging items in circus those days. He has been serving the Indian circus for over 70 years, initially as an artiste and later as the owner of Gemini, Jumbo and Royal circuses.
    Circus enthusiasts began to call him fondly as Gemini Sankarettan, ever since he founded his first circus company Gemini, named after his birth star in 1951 at Chikora in Billimora district of Gujarat. Gemini later became a world-renowned Indian circus troupe. Sankaran also had the pioneering role in converting circus troupes in India as pan-Indian touring companies. He established his second circus company, Jumbo, in 1971 at Patna. His sons Asok Sankar and Ajay Sankar also joined as partners in this circus. With Sankaran's troupes, circus became a popular entertainment in India, which could draw thousands of spectators to each show. He also became the guardian of thousands of circus artists and their families, majority of whom belonged to very poor families, Sreedharan Champad, renowned circus artist novelist and scriptwriter, recalls in his book on Indian circus ‘An Album of Indian Big Tops: A History of Indian Circus' to be published soon.
    Sankaran was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Indian Circus held at Talkotra Stadium, Delhi, on November 24, 2004, organised by the Circus Owners Federation of India. The autobiography of Gemini Sankaran ‘Malakkam Marayunna Jeevitham' compiled by Taha Madayi was published in 2012. The documentary on him ‘The Circus Legend', directed by Taha, will be released at a function to be held in Kannur on Thursday in connection with Gemini Sankaran's 90th birthday celebrations. “It was Sankaran who facilitated the entry of thousands of Malayalis to Indian circus which was earlier predominated by north Indian artistes and owners. The quality of Sankaran that deserves special mention is his readiness to modernise Indian circus by imbibing innovative items of circuses from countries like Russia,” Taha said.
   Sankaran had the rare fortune to see Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Dalai Lama, A K Gopalan, Feroze Gandhi and many other great leaders watching his circuses. In recognition of his varied talents, Nehru sent him to the World Circus Conference held in Moscow in 1963 as the representative of Indian circus. Old age does not prevent Sankaran from preserving youthful enthusiasm in extending wholehearted support to India's premier Circus Academy in Thalassery, Circus Employees Union, North Malabar Chamber of Commerce and Palmgrove Retreat Hotel in Kannur.

The New Indian Express June 11