P. Raja
P. Raja | |
---|---|
Author and Professor from Pondicherry | |
Born |
October 07, 1952 Pondicherry |
Occupation | Bilingual Writer, Columnist, Editor, Professor |
Children | 3 |
Website | www.professorraja.com |
Professor P. Raja (born 1952) is an award-winning Indian author and professor who writes in his chosen language, English, and also in his mother tongue, Tamil. More than 5000 of his works – poems, short stories, interviews, articles, book reviews, plays, skits, features and novellas – have seen the light through newspapers and magazines that number to 350 in both India and elsewhere.
He has 30 books for adults and 8 books for children in English and 14 books in Tamil. Apart from contributing special articles to Encyclopaedia of Post-Colonial Literature in English (London), Encyclopaedia of Tamil Literature in English, and to several other edited volumes, he has also written scripts for Television (Delhi). He broadcasts his short stories and poems from All India Radio, Pondicherry.
He was General Council Member of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi (English Advisory Board (2008–2012)) representing Pondicherry University. He is the Editor of TRANSFIRE, a literary quarterly devoted to translations from various languages into English.
Biography
Early life
P.Raja was born on October 7, 1952 at Olandai-Keerapalayam, a village in Pondicherry. His father, M.Purushothaman, was a clerk in Rodier Mill, later known as Anglo-French Textiles, Pondicherry, and his knowledge of French, English and Tamil helped him work as a translator too for his English and French officers. His mother, Sagunthala, managed the home and the kitchen. He graduated in English Literature from Tagore Arts College, and then moved to Annamalai University (Tamil Nadu) for his post-graduation. He holds a Ph.D. degree from Madras University.
Marriage
Prof. P.Raja is married to Periyanayaki. And the couple live with their children and grandchildren.
Published works
Exposed to a cosmopolitan culture since childhood, P.Raja, a professor of English, began writing in his early youth and has published poems, short stories, interviews, articles, book reviews, plays, skits and features in more than 150 periodicals both in India and abroad. Two eminent American journals – Spindrift and Aristos – brought out special issues to highlight his writings.
His two collections of poems From Zero To Infinity (1987) and To A Lonely Grey Hair (1997) reflect his various concerns. P.Raja’s works won him International Eminent Poet Award (1988) from Chennai and Michael Madhusudan Academy Award (1991) from Kolkata. Pondicherry University honoured him with its literary award in 1987. And in 2009 the Govt. of Pondicherry honoured him with ‘Excellence in Literature’ Award.
His fame as a creative writer rests partly on his two collections of short stories The Blood and Other Stories (1989) and Kozhi Grandpa’s Chickens (1997), and a collection of autobiographical essays For Your Ears Only (1997). The title story in the first collection was nominated for America’s prestigious literary award – the Pushcart Prize.
He has collected a vast number of folktales, songs and riddles and rendered them into English. These volumes include Folktales of Pondicherry (1987), Tales of Mulla Nasruddin (1989) and Sudden Tales the Folks told (1995). Among his non-fictional works A Concise History of Pondicherry (1987), M.P.Pandit: A Peep into His past (1993), Many Worlds of Manoj Das (1993) the first one is a mini-classic. Probably as a sequel to this book he is working on a five volume Encyclopaedia Pondicherriana which will contain exhaustive information about this ex- French colony.
Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions
(In chronological order)
- Literary Award (Pondicherry University, Pondicherry),
- International Eminent Poet award (Madras),
- Michael Madhusudan Academy Award (Calcutta),
- Gold medal and citation (American Biographical Institute, USA)
- Best Poem of the Year Award (Una Poesia Per La Vita, Italy)
- Academy of Indo-Asian Literature Award (Delhi)
- Nalli Thisai-Ettum Award for Translation (Chennai )
- Indian Literature Golden Jubilee Literary Translation Prize (Sahitya Akademi, Delhi)
- Excellence in Literature Award (Govt. of Puducherry)
- Lifetime Achievement Award (International Poets Academy, Intercontinental,)
- Best Writer Award (NLC, Neyveli)
- Rock Pebbles Award (Odisha)
Bibliography
Books Published
Prof. P. Raja has authored 30 books for adults and 8 booklets for children:
Poems:
- From Zero to Infinity (Pondicherry: All India Books, 1987)
- To A Lonely Grey Hair ( Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 1997)
- To Live in Love (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2003)
- Five-Headed Arrow (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2013)
- Dhoti and Other Poems (New Delhi: Authors Press, 2014)
Short stories:
- The Blood and Other Stories (Delhi: B. R. Publishers, 1989; Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2011, 2014)
- Kozhi Grandpa’s Chickens (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 1997)
- My Father’s Bicycle (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2005)
- The Black Bitch & Other Stories (New Delhi: Ocean Books Pvt. Ltd, 2016)
Plays:
- Water Please (New Delhi: Authors Press, 2014)
Folktales:
- Folktales of Pondicherry (Delhi: Sterling, 1987, Busy Bee Books, 2007)
- Tales of Mulla Nasruddin (Delhi: B.R.Publishers, 1989)
- Sudden Tales the Folks Told (Delhi: B.R.Publishers, 1995)
History:
- A Concise History of Pondicherry (Pondicherry: All India Books, 1987; Busy Bee Books, 2003; 2006)
- Glimpses of Pondicherry (co-author: Rita Nath Keshari) (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2005)
Translations:
Translated nearly 200 articles for Brittanica Thakaval Kalai Kalanjiyam (Ananda Vikatan, Chennai)
- The Stupid Guru and His Foolish Disciples (Sivaganga: Agaram, 1981; Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2005)
- The Sun and the Stars (Sivaganga: Agaram, 1982)
- Coloured Curtain (Delhi: B.R.Publishers, 2003)
- Thambala (Chennai: Nivethitha Puthaga Poonga,, 2009)
- As is in the Original (Delhi: Macmillan, 2009)
Biography & Criticism:
- M.P.Pandit: A Peep into His Past (Pondicherry: Dipti, 1993)
- Many Worlds of Manoj Das (Delhi: B.R.Publishers, 1993)
- K .D. Sethna: An Introduction through Interaction (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2005)
Autobiography:
- For Your Ears Only (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 1997)
Essays:
- Love Teaches Even Asses to Dance (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2006)
Edited Volumes:
- In Celebration: Women Poets of Pondicherry (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2003)
- Busy Bee Book of Contemporary Indian Poetry in English (Pondicherry: Busy Bee Books, 2007)
- Inna Narpatu, Inniyavai Narpatu, Karnarpatu, Kalavalinarpatu (Chennai: Central Institute of Classical Tamil, 2012)
- Manoj Das: A Reader (New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 2014)
Publications in Tamil
His very first short story ‘Nandu Pidikka Poi’ was shortlisted for the prestigious Jothi Vinayagam Memorial Award. Later included in the anthology Erupadhaam Nootrandu Pudhuvai Kathaigal edited by Prabhanjan and Bharathi Vasandhan (Kavitha Publications, Chennai, 2001).
Books published:
Translations
- Greika Kaadal Kavithaikal (Greek Love Poems) Marudham Pathipakam, Orathanadu.
- Summa Kida (Henri Borell’s Wu Wei) Marudham Pathipakam, Orathanadu.
- Marma Kullai: Manoj Das Kathaikal (Manoj Das’s The Mystyery of the Missing Cap and Other Stories) Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
- Yaro Oruthiyin Kaditham (Stefan Zweig’s Letter from the Unknown woman) Thamizhini, Chennai
- Odiponavan (Stefan Zweig’s The Runaway) Niveditha Puthaga Poonga, Chennai
- Charitthirethil Edam Peradha Oru Andil (Kahlil Gibran’s Selected short stories) Mutram, Chennai
- O Thoorathil Irrupavarei! (A selection from World poetry) Niveditha Puthaga Poonga, Chennai
- Nane Kadavul Nane Mirugam (Hrusikesh Panda’s Odia play God Demon) Sahitya akademi, New Delhi.
Essays – Original
- Kadhakadhayam Kaaranamam (22 essays on world literature) (Aalaya, Chennai)
- Padaipathanal Naanum Eraivanei (25 essays on Society & Literature) (Alamelu Pathipakam, Kurinjipadi)
- Khalil Gibranin Kaadhal Kathai (27 essays on society and literature) (Shri Shenbaga Pathipakam, Chennai) (Short Stories – Original)
Short Stories - Collection
- Nandu Pidika Poi (Alamelu Pathipakam, Kurinjipadi)
Poems- Original
- Ninaivai Vittu Neenga Oruvanukkaga (Mutram, Chennai)
Awards for Tamil works
- Thirupur Thamizh Sangam Award for ‘Yaro Oruthiyin Kaditham’.
- Nalli Thisai Ettum Award for Translating a Tamil Novel ‘Chayathirai’ into English (The Coloured Curtain)
- Best Writer Award (NLC, Neyveli)
Credits
- In 1988 Korea conducted Seoul Poetry Olympiad to coincide with Seoul Olympic Games and brought out an anthology of prize winning poems – World Poetry: 1988. Only five poets from India were included in that anthology. P.Raja was one.
- In 1988 British High Commission, British Council Division and the Poetry Society (India) conducted All India Poetry Competition. One poem of P.Raja was short listed and included in the anthology Poetry India: Voices in the Making edited by H.K.Kaul and published by Arnold Heinemann, Delhi.
- Spindrift, a literary quarterly from USA brought out a special issue of P.Raja’s writings – Vol, No.5. Summer 1990.
- Aristos, a literary quarterly from USA devoted its inaugural number (Summer 1991) to the creative writings of P.Raja.
- Writer’s Lifeline, a bi-monthly from Canada, published a selection of P.Raja’s poems in its 3rd number (1987).
- Prophetic Voices, a literary half-yearly from USA, introduced P.Raja as a poet and short story writer to its readers by publishing a sample of his works in its 16th number.
- “The Blood”, P.Raja’s well known short story, first published in The Heritage (India) and later reproduced in Prophetic Voices(USA) was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. The story didn’t bag the prize but its mere submission is considered an honour in USA.
- Canadian Troubadour Publishing Company, Canada brought out the best of World Poetry Written in English under the title Planetary Poetry (1993). It included only two Indian poets. P.Raja was one.
- Chosen for distinguished standing and conferred with an honorary appointment to the Research Board of Advisors (1999) by the American Biographical Institute.
- Jury Member of the selection committee for the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for the year 1999.
- Translation Committee Member and translator of selected poems of Bharathidasan, Vanidasan, Pudhuvai Sivam and Tamizh Oli for Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture since 2000.
- Delivered TAGORE MEMORIAL LECTURES in Annamalai University in 2004
- ECONOMIC TIMES (Feb.2,2004) published a Folio titled PONDICHERRY: A LEGACY in which several articles by P.Raja on Pondicherry were included.
- THE HINDU & BUSINESS LINE brought out a 20-page pull-out on Aug.16,2004 to celebrate Pondicherry’s 50 Years of Independence. It included 39 articles of P.Raja on Pondicherry.
- 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award (International Poets Academy, Intercontinental)
- 2010 Best writer of the year award (NLC, Neyveli)
External links
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References
- http://www.worldofmanojdas.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=281:dr-p-raja&catid=57:under-the-scanner-contemporary&Itemid=112
- http://www.professorraja.com