Dr K. V. Raghupathi Writes in English. He Is a Poet, Short Story Writer, Novelist, Book Reviewer and Critic
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Dr K. V. Raghupathi writes in English. He is a poet, short story writer, novelist, book reviewer and critic. An Indian author best known for his poetry in English language. His poetry is rooted in the abundance of philosophy, nature, transcendentalism, imagery and social perspectives, and replete with similes, metaphors, personifications, apostrophe, irony, climax, anti-climax and full of rhetoric and symbols. More often he takes the readers on the spiritual exploration of radical philosophical thoughts which strongly speak through all the collections. Academic qualifications: received Post-graduate degree in English Literature and Ph.D. in 1979 and 1997 from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. He holds PGDTE from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. Seminars/Conferences/Publication in Journals: Attended many conferences and seminars and presented papers on literature, language and philosophy. Chaired sessions, delivered plenary talks and key note/valedictory addresses. Published more than sixty articles and over forty book reviews in various national and international journals. Career: After having taught for twelve years in S.V.University, Tirupati and four and a half years in Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh he moved to Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, where he has been teaching in the Department English since December 2011. Other Areas of Interest: He is a great lover and promoter of classical Karnatic music. Holds a Diploma in Karnatic Music (Veena). Yoga Practitioner, Published two books on Yoga and over thirty articles on Yoga in various cultural journals like Sri Aurobindp’s Action (Pondicherry), Vedanta Kesari (Chennai), Prabhudda Bharat (Kolkata) and Saptagiri (Tirupati). Writing Career: He began writing seriously in 1985. Since then he has published ten books in English Verse, two novels, and one collection of short stories. His poems and short stories have appeared in various newspapers like The Hindu, The Statesman, Print journals and on-line journals. Awards: He is a recipient of several awards that include Michael Madhusudhan Dutt Award, Kolkata in 2001, H.D.Thoreau Fellowship, Dhvanyaloka, Mysore in 2000, the best chosen poet for 2003, Poetry Society of India, New Delhi Poetry Chain, Mumbai, Life Time Achievement Award, Chennai Poetry Circle, Chennai in 2010, and Rock Pebbles National Award for creativity, 2014, Bhubaneswar. His works: Poetry: 1. Desert Blooms. Kolkata: Writers Workshop, 1987. Print. 2. Echoes Silent. Kolkata: Writers Workshop, 1988. Print 3. The Images of a Growing Dying City. Kolkata: Writers Workshop, 1989. Print 4. Small Reflections. Kolkata: Writers Workshop, 2000. Print 5. Voice of the Valley. New Delhi: Minerva Press India Pvt. Ltd. 2006. Print Reprinted by Authorspress, New Delhi, 2014. Print. 6. Wisdom of the Peepal Tree. New Delhi: Minerva Press India Pvt. Ltd. 2006. Print Reprinted by Autorspress, New Delhi, 2014. Print. 7. Samarpana. New Delhi: Reliance Publsihing House, 2006. Print. ` 8. Orphan and other Poems. New Delhi: Snbun, 2010. Print. ` 9. Dispersed Symphonies. New Delhi: APH Publishing Corporation, 2010. Print. 10. Between Me and the Babe. New Delhi: Authorsspress, 2014. Print. Long Fiction: 1. The Invalid. Allahabad: Cyberwit.net, 2012. Print. 2. The Disapointed. Allahabad: Cyberwit.net, 2014. Print. Short Fiction: 1. The Untouchable Piglet (A collection of short stories). New Delhi: Reliance Publishing House, 2015. Print. Critical/Edited Works: 1. Emerson’s Orientalism. New Delhi: Prestige Books, 2007. Print. 2. Brave New Wave: 21 Indian English Poets. Jaipur: Book Enclave, 2009 3. Critical Exposition of Gopal Honnalgere Poems. New Delhi: Authorspress, 2011. Print. 4. The Rural Muse: The Poetry of T.Vasudeva Reddy. New Delhi: Authorspress, 2014. Print. 5. Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Women Poets in Indian English Poetry. Jaipur: Aadi Publications, 2015. Print. 6. A Portable P.Raja. New Delhi: Reliance Publishing House, 2015. Print. 7. An Anthology of Critical Perspectives on the Post-1980 Indian English Novel, Jaipur: Yking Press, 2016. Print. Books on Yoga: 1. Yoga for Peace. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications, 2006. Print. 2. Yoga and Zen: A Monograph. New Delhi: Sharada publishers, 2007. Print. Areas of Interest: Indian Writing in English Women’s writings in English in India Literary Criticism and Theory Aesthetics Indian Philosophy/Yoga E mail: [email protected] [email protected] Contact numbers: (0) 8903927414/(0)9491296113 Contact address: Dr. K.V.Raghupathi Department of English Studies Central University of Tamil Nadu Neelakudi Campus THIRUVARUR – 610 101 Poetry Collections: 1. DESERT BLOOMS: Calcutta: Writer's Workshop, 1987. Raghupathi’s Desert Blooms is a poetic journey of experiences in the form of dialogue among the three souls. The dialogue is centered on Philosophy of life from different dimensions in the universe. Each soul argues in its own way commenting, disputing and summing of life not in agreement with the argument of the other two souls. The poet presents his experiences from the tree of life, tree of human life, the world of Illusions, fantasies, surplus life, sack of life, lock of life, infinite and incomplete life, life of darkness and light, life of silence and emptiness, life of connections and disconnections, life as a river of force so on and so forth. Raghupathi philosophizes the mysteries of life, presents the path, the purpose and meaning of life in subtle dimensions by unfolding ‘desert blooms’. 2. ECHOES SILENT, Calcutta: Writer's Workshop, 1988 It is a single long poem in which the poet is disenchanted with many things, especially our educational system and all we were taught in schools and colleges. Instead he is in love with silence. The outpourings of his heart make interesting reading. He undergoes every experience, feels all things and tries to undergo every kind of thing. 3. THE IMAGES OF A GROWING DYING CITY, Calcutta: Writers Workshop, 1989. It is a collection in which Dr.K.V. Raghupathi has presented 81 sordid images of not a particular city but that which represents any other city that is simply growing and dying in terms of values and quality of life. The poet presents a few pertinent images in the course of the city’s evolution from its pristine state to its present state of decay and death. The poet intelligently traces the history of this imaginary city, which was uninhabited, undiscovered, and inaccessible and remained unknown to human species. Soon, it became the land predominantly occupied by human beings who are largely self- conscious. It is now a city that is dazzling and colorful built upon with tireless pursuits and ambitions. Multi-colored structures emerged on the city. Human population exploded day by day like swarms of bees and multiplied by moving in the streets, lanes and by lanes. With the advent of science and technology, the city has developed beyond expectations. All the forests have been cleared; roads and rail routes have been laid like branches of a tree. Factories and machines in city become symbols of pollution. It is all buzzing, zooming and blooming. The poet has captured the decaying images lucidly and vividly. 4. SMALL REFLECTIONS, Calcutta: Writer's Workshop, 2000. ISBN: 8175957174. In the book Dr.K.V.Raghupathi the poet from Triupati presents eighty five invigorating poems. As the title suggests the reflections are small, but at the same time they are multifaceted, because they reveal the humane and humble thoughts of the poet on sensitive and somber topics he chose to express himself poetically. 5. VOICE OF THE VALLEY, New Delhi, Minerva Press, (India) Pvt. Ltd, 2003. Reprint: New Delhi: Authorspress, 2014. ISBN: 978-81- 7273-916-4. Voice of the Valley is full of esoteric wisdom. Set in the backdrop of an unknown and unnamed valley, the wanderer in his search of pure wisdom falls unconscious. From his unconsciousness his alter ego rises and thus enters into a debate with the wanderer. It is Pure Consciousness, and nothing else. Voice of the Pure Consciousness ultimately becomes the voice of the valley. The voice pours infinite wisdom to the wanderer, Bindura who, awakened and enlightened, resumes his journey endowed with abundant vitality and energy. And as he left he dropped his name Bindura. The wisdom is poured in pure poetry, running into several pages. It is an exhilarating experience to derive such wisdom. 6. WISDOM OF THE PEEPAL TREE, New Delhi, Minerva Press (India) Pvt. Ltd., 2003. Reprint: New Delhi: Authorspress, 2014. ISBN: 978- 81-7273-917-1. The Peepal Tree drops the ageless wisdom of ancient India through its leaves. The seeker approaches the Peepal Tree with veneration, and the latter bestows upon him peace, tranquillity and self- transcendence. The Peepal Tree speaks, with the wisdom of eternity taking the reader along a mystical journey of revelations… 7. SAMARPANA, New Delhi, Reliance Publishing House, 2006. ISBN: 81-7510-145-8. These fifty poems were reflections written while the author was holding H.D.Thoreau Fellowship at Dhvanyaloka in Mysore in 2000. Dhvanyaloka is a Literary Criterion Centre founded by late Professor C.D.Narasimaiah at Mysore. The serene atmosphere in Dhvanyaloka had further initiated the author into such ecstatic moods which finally yielded in the form of reflections. Their hospitality had touched him deeply and hence he recorded this gratitude in printed words. The poems are full of romantic and transcendental elements. 8. DISPERSED SYMPHONIES, New Delhi, APH Publishing Corporation, 2010. ISBN: 978-8131309629. Dispersed Symphonies by K. V. Raghupathi is a collection of small scale symphonies charting his spiritual development and the struggle towards faith. The symphonies are published one per page with a black and white drawing on the verso. At a time when much poetry is growing narrower and more self-referential, Raghupathi is a poet who dares to ask the larger questions. Raghupathi’s goal is to create an ethics of memory, a system that will allow the transcendent moment to be relived, but which still admits the growth of spirituality.