Thomas, A.J. An Indian English poet, author, translator, and editor. He translates poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction prose from Malayalam to English, with more than 20 titles to his credit. Has M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in English Literature (Translation Studies) from the School of Letters, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. He has been in the editorial team of Indian Literature, India’s national literary journal, for more than 23 years as its Assistant Editor, Editor and as Guest Editor. Taught English in Benghazi University, Ajdabiya Branch, Libya from 2008 to 2014. He was also a Senior Consultant at Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. His noted contributions include Germination (Poetry, 1989), Aagaami Pal Ka Nirman (His poetry in Hindi translation-2010), and his poetry published in about ten international and national level anthologies. His important literary translation contributions include, Bhaskara Pattelar and Other Stories, (Manas, 1993), Reflections of a Hen in Her Last Hour and Other Stories (Penguin India), both Paul Zacharia's story-collections in translation, Keshavan’s Lamentations (Keshavante Vilaapangal, renowned novelist M. Mukundan’s premier work), the Jnanpith awarded poet ONV Kurup’s verse-novel Ujjayini, (Rupa) The End of the Day, a long poem, and a poetry collection of ONV he translated and edited, This Ancient Lyre (Sahitya Akademi), Like a Psalm (translation of Perumpadavam Sreedharan’s acclaimed novel Oru Sankeertanam Pole and many others. Co-edited with Nirmal kanti Bhattacharjee, Best of Indian Literature (1500 pages in two books and four volumes, Sahitya Akademi). He has several anthology appearances in national and international publications. He is the recipient of Katha Award, AKMG Prize (which enabled him to tour USA, UK, and Europe for 4 months in 1997. In USA, he was invited to participate in the International Writing Program at Writers’ Centre, Bethesda, Maryland, and to take part in the Annual Conference of American Writers’ Federation) and Vodafone Crossword Award (2007), for Keshavan’s Lamentations. He is Senior Fellow, Department of Culture, Govt. of India and has been an Honorary Fellow, Department of Culture, Government of South Korea.
He has been invited thrice as a Guest Speaker in writers’ conferences and readings in South Korea. He has read his poems and made presentations in Biennial Symposia of Asia-Pacific Writers in Australia and Hong Kong, on invitation, and in conferences in Thailand and Nepal. At home, he has read his poems in the forums of the Sahitya Akademi like the prestigious Kavi Sandhi solo reading programme of his own poems, besides reading in a national poetry meet, Kaavya Bhaarati, as well as Multilingual Poets’ Meet, and the several Literary Forums organized by the Akademi. He has also read his poems in important Literature Festivals like the Jaipur Literature Festival, The SAARC Literature Festival Bangalore Poetry Festival, Chandrabhaga Poetry Festival, the Brahmaputra Literature Festival, the Gateway Literature

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Born 7 February 1980 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Amit Kalla did his Masters in Art and Aesthetics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi & studied Art History from the National Museum Institute specializing in ancient Indian art (Iconography). He is widely observing children response on art mediums while working as a freelance artist and writer. The first collection of Amit Kalla’s poems Hone Na Hone Se Pare was awarded the prestigious Jyanpeeth’s Young Poet Award, a national award for emerging poets. He has since published 4 collections including ShabdShabdVisarjan, Rit – Anrit and One Death God all of which have been critically acclaimed. He had 14 one-man shows participated in more than 60 group shows along with Art Singapore, OZ Asia Festival Australia, International writer’s meet UAE. His poems and drawings are widely published in many contemporary Indian literary journals and magazines including NayaGyanoday, Kritya, Vagarth, Ravivar, Parikatha, Purvagraha ‘ka’ Kala Vaichariki, Doaaba, SamkalinBhartiya , Kavita Kosh, Navya, AkharKalash. He has been one of the assistant coordinators of the Kritya International poetry festival Kritya since 2008 and has been deeply engaged in various art and literary promotional programs through the RamtaDrig Collective a movement inclined towards social change through creativity, which he initiated in 2010.
Amit KallaAmit is also one of the coordinators of Jaipur Art Summit. Much of the body of Kalla’s work can be represented by his commitment to experimenting with social engagement through the arts. It is where his strength lies. Through his deep connection to a cultural expression of a universal spirituality and passionate sense of humanity Kalla, continuously draws people from all communities into acts of creativity in the belief that through creativity people are empowered and communities move incrementally closer to the truth.
His poetry and paintings are spiritually intuited. While his poems create a secretive world of words, where silence speaks his paintings are calligraphic and draw on the same silent unknowing of invented texts. His paintings represent moments on the continuum; a slice snatched from his deeper hidden journey. Amit KallaThe strength of Kalla’s work is that it represents an Indian artist’s quest for an indigenous tenor rather than a superficial inventory of native motifs, there is nothing about his work which relies on a static Indian Identity. In the context of New India with its glamour and explosive economics, he is searching for a new representation of the innermost dramas of his culture while maintaining universality and individuality. There is a certain naivety in both his painting and writing which represents detachment but contains too a knowing gesture of assurance.
The RamtaDrig concept was formed by poet and visual artist, Amit Kalla, in 2008 while he and fellow artist and friend Daniel Connell traveled on a long train journey across northern India towards Calcutta. Based on the notion of the Wandering Seer, a philosophical treatise on the continuous line of seeing and being seen, observance and perception that links all beings, RamtaDrig has become a collective of artists representing all genres interested in broadening and engaging a new audience for the Creativity is at the heart of the RamtaDrig philosophy. Amit KallaIn the context of India where gaping extremes exist between communities and individuals, RamtaDrig attempts to create opportunities for crossing boundaries. ‘Creativity is our last hope’ spoke a young woman of RamtaDrig during a recent workshop which brought children from the wealthiest and the poorest communities of a small city together to create music, visual arts and view animated films. ‘Creativity has the potential to provide a spiritual framework like an alternative to religion, support those who need it and challenge the inequalities and injustices that diminish humanity.’
Ramtadrig is not aligned with any religious, social or political movement. It is nonhierarchical and nonprofit. It is a fluid but a rigorously supportive and active group of dedicated artists interested in transforming society gently and intelligently from the inside out

Anvar Ali B.1966, Trivandrum, Kerala, India Poet, Lyricist, Documentary Filmmaker, Screen writer, Translator, Literary Editor and Critic. Mazhakalam, his first collection of poems in 1999 established him as one of the prominent voices in contemporary Malayalam Poetry. His poems have been translated into various Indian and foreign languages. He co-wrote the scenario of Margam, a critically aclaimed feature film in Malayalam and directed Maruvili (Call from the Other Shore), a biographical documentary film on the life and works of Attoor Ravivarma, the renowned Malayalam poet. He published 4 collections of poetry and 1 novella. Translated Toto-Chan, the little Girl at the Window, the famous autobiographical book by Thetsuko Kuroyanagi. Penned Iyrics for some of the trend setting Malayalam movies. Best script awards in South-South Film Encounter, Asilah, Morocco (2004), in Fajr International Film Festival (2004), Teheran, Iran and in the Annual State Award Competition of the Government of Kerala (2003) for the scenario of Margam. Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (2021) and Ayanam A Ayyappan award (2021) for Mehaboob Express, his latest book of poems. Best lyricist award among the Kerala state film awards, 2021 and the best Biopic Award in the SIGNS Documentary Festival, 2015 for Maruvili. Kunchu Pillai Memorial Award for young Poets (1992) and Kanakasree Endowment Award of Kerala Sahitya Akademi (2000) for Mazhakkalam. He has lived in South Korea for 6 months as part of the Writer-in-Residence Program of Literature Translation Institute, South Korea during 2007. He also represented Indian poetry in the Afro-Asian Lit fest, Jonju, 2007, Sharjah Book Fair, 2013 & 2019 and in Paju Book Festival, North Korea, 2014 and represented Malayalam poetry in various national writers’ meets across the country.

Born: September 1944; holds M.Sc. in Botany and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry; retired as a college teacher in Botany in 2004 after almost 40 years. A bilingual poet, critic, translator, editor, anthologist, columnist, book designer, small-scale publisher; writes both in Marathi and Hindi and occasionally in English; Published 63 books among which 46 in Marathi and 17 in Hindi; books include 4 collections of poems in Marathi ( ‘Nissandarbh’, ‘Itthambhoot’, ’Baayaka aani Itar Kavita’,) 1 collection of poems in Hindi (‘Apani Bhasha ke Sameep’), 1 Collection of poems translated in English (‘ChandrakantPatil : Selected Poems’) and 1 collection of poems translated in Hindi (‘Samaanaantaran’), 6 collections of criticism and many others ; more than 20 books of translation in Marathi and 13 books of translations in Hindi ; total number of poems translated in Marathi and Hindi is more than 1250 ; worked as a guest editor for 6 Marathi and 6 Hindi literary journals; poems and articles included in many Marathi, Hindi and English anthologies, books etc.; was actively engaged in Little Magazine Movement in Marathi during ‘60s and ‘70s.; was one of the editors and publisher of highly discussed little magazine “Wacha” and one of the founders of Wacha Prakashan that published first collections of many avant-garde poets of Marathi; started a small-scale publishing house, Tula Prakashan, exclusively for poetry. Participated and presented poems in a number of international and national poetry festivals including Beijing, Johannesburg, Dubai etc.; organized more than 50 seminars, workshops, poetry recitals, etc for National as well as State level events including Madhya Pradesh Hindi Sahitya Academy, Goa Marathi Sahitya Academy, Andhra Pradesh Marathi Sahitya Parishad, Keral International Literary Festival, Doordarshan Kendra, Deharadun etc etc.
Recipient of more than 20 National and State-level awards including Sahitya Akademi Translation award (1991), Souhard Samman U.P; was the recipient of the First Shrikant Varma Memorial Fellowship for Translation by Bharat Bhavan ,Bhopal (1987), Maharashtra Foundation award(US), Rashtriya Hindi Samman (Madhya Pradesh), Maharashtra Bharati Samman, Mangesh Padagaonkar Marathi Bhasha Vruddhi Puraskaar, Meera Smruti Samman ( Allahabad), Mahatma Gandhi Aantar Rashtreey Hindi Vishvavidyalay Samman, (Wardha), etc etc.

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Kanji Patel is Gujarati poet and fiction writer. His poetry and fiction centre round Adivasi and Denotified Tribes and communities(DNTs). Author of 3 novellas.Novella 'Dahelu' has been published in English as Rear Verandah.(Macmillan, 1997) , Janpad(Vicinage),Dungar Dev(Mountain-Deity),Dharati na Vachan(,Earthspeak) and Desh(Country) are his 4 collections of poetry,1 collection of short fiction is Dero(Encampment) is about DNTs.He has won many awards ,as the Katha award 1996,Umashankar Joshi Award for novel and the Dhumketu prize for short fiction. He is a cultural and language activist of Adivasis and DNTs. His poems have been translated into Assamese,Bangla,Hindi,Kannada,Marathi,Odiya ,Malayalam,Tamil including English,Irish.Was on an Indian government committee for study to improve the life conditions of 7 crore DNTs.Has established the Kaleshwari Mela in Mahisagar district for cultural expression of DNTs and Adivasis. He has been Editor of ‘Vahi’, a journal of poetry, ritual and multilingual expression of society.He has traveled to Sweden in 1998 and participated the World Book Fair,Frankfurt in 2013 in Indian literary and cultural delegations.Has read at three SAARC literary Festivals,the Commonwealth Literature Festival,Delhi in 2006, Katha International festival,Global Adivasi Festival in Delhi by Bhasha and ECLALS ,Vak poetry Festival by Raza foundation,Unmesh-International literature festival ,2022 ,by Sahitya Akademi and Culture Ministry of India at Shimla. Delievered lectures,keynote speeches at several national and international seminars on Adivasi communities, their ways of life and Literature

Mrityunjay Kumar Singh is an ingenious and multifaceted cultural personality who has successfully traversed and blended together the paths of creative writing, literature, music and theatre.
Publications: Mrityunjay has transliterated and trans-created Kalidas's Meghdoot into English and Hindi, the publishers being Trafford and Raj Kamal respectively. He has also released two volumes of poetry (titled as ‘Kirchen’ and ‘Aas ke Abhas’). His latest novel ‘Ganga Ratan Bidesi’ (both in Bhojpuri and Hindi) published by Bharatiya Gyanpeeth, New Delhi, is a saga spanning a century and many continents; it is the story of generations of indentured Bhojpuri speaking labourers who had migrated to various parts of the world in pre independent India. His latest khand–kavya (long narrative poem) ‘Draupadi’ from Vani Prakashan, New Delhi is being sung well in the literary circles of Hindi language.
Music: Mrityunjay is an accomplished writer of lyrics and has contributed to Rituparno Ghosh’s Chokher Bali & Antarmahal, and other films like 'Via Darjeeling', 'Dharm', ‘Bibar’, 'Chaturang', 'Nazarband' and recently for a short film ‘Every 68 Minutes’. Besides, he has written songs for a song video awareness project ‘Rihayi’ of Sreecheta Das of Satyajit Roy Film Institute, Kolkata, Corona awareness video produced by GOLIATH. Mrityunjay is an established category singer for Bhojpuri folk songs and has lent his voice to a soulful bhojpuri number in Rituparno Ghosh’s film Chokher Bali. Mrityunjay has two Bhojpuri folk music albums released by T series titled as 'Ae Babua' and 'Ruk ja Sajanw.
Theatre: Mrityunjay is also a playwright. He has conceptualised and scripted the Bhojpuri musical dance drama ‘Bidesiya’. He also conceptualised and staged ‘Shikandini’ at the Festival of India in Jakarta, which was a grand medley of Kathak and Indonesian dance forms set to amazing music and drama. Recently, Mrityunjay has penned and staged ‘Dev-Sabha’, a satire on the Council of Gods gathered to decide the fate of those souls that have died untimely deaths because of sexual and other violence.
Culture Crown: Mrityunjay’s cultural acumen can also be gauged through his tenure as Director, Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Center, Jakarta, Indonesia, which brought never before glory to JNICC. It was in Mrityunjay’s tenure that the Festival of India 2009-10 was organized to successfully showcase Indian cultural heritage in Indonesia.
M.K.Singh does all of this despite his duties as a senior IPS officer of the West Bengal Cadre.

Pramod KM is a Malayalam poet, scientist and a teacher born at Kadoor, Kerala. First poetry collection "Adiyantharavastha Nashtappeduthiya Aaru Varshangal" (Six years lost by Emergency) was published by Current Books Thrissur in 2009 and received V.T. Kumaran Master Memorial Award. His poems have been translated into different languages by Sahithya Academi. Poems were included in the Indian Literature journal special edition “21st Century Malayalam Poetry” in 2018. His second collection "Korea Eso Kadoor Kachi" (From Korea to Kadoor) is published by DC Books in 2021. Currently he is working as an Assistant Professor in Chemistry at St. Joseph's College, Bangalore.

DR. T. SUMATHY (A) THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN Dr. T. Sumathy (A) Thamizhachi Thangapandian is a Member of parliament from South Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She contested in the Indian General Elections in 2019 and was elected to the 17th Lok Sabha. She is one of the prominent women leaders and orators in the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kachagam) Party. She serves as a Member of the Standing Committee on Information Technology and the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. She is also a member of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Fashion Technology.
Dr. Sumathy is a former lecturer, widely acclaimed Tamil poet, lyricist, orator and writer. She taught at the Department of English, Queen Mary’s College which is affiliated to the University of Madras in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She also taught in the Department of English in Valliammal College for Women and PGP College of Arts and Science. She holds a PhD in English Literature and has had a stellar academic record throughout. She won the “General Proficiency Award” in her undergraduate studies and a “Proficiency Award” from the Faculty of Languages, Sri Niketan Madras. She was a university rank holder and a gold medalist during her postgraduate studies in English Literature. In 2004 she was awarded the Fellowship for the study of Australia from The Australia-India Council. She also visited Australia as an AIC Fellow as a part of her doctoral research. She won the Dr. Vedagiri Shan muga sundaram Prize which is awarded to the successful PhD scholar of Research Departments at Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai. She has presented research papers in both international and national conferences at various universities including La Trobe University Melbourne, Monash University Australia. Several research scholars have done their MPhil and PhD theses on Dr. Sumathy’s work. Dr. Sumathy has more than 20 publications to her name which have been included in university curriculums across India. This includes. “Island to Island -The Voice of Sri Lankan Australian Playwright”, “Ernest Thalayasingham Macintyre” (2013) and “Internal Colloquies”. She has presented her literary works at international platforms in the US, France, Japan, Singapore, Australia.
Her work titled “Enjottu Penn '' has been awarded Sirpi Literary Prize 2004. Her literary and cultural excellence made her the recipient of several awards like The Young Achiever Trophy in Theatre by Wisdom Publications, Pavendhar Bharathidasan Virudhu award byTamil Nadu State Government, Carolina Tamil Sangam Award by Tamil Sangam of Carolina, K Sivathambi Award, Bharathi Pani Selvam Award, Justice MM Ismail Memorial Award and the Crown Jewel of Social Activities Award by Madras Development Society. She was awarded Citation by the University of Madras for advancing the cause of women in the field of Literature on International Women`s Day 2010.