The Sahitya Akademi (साहित्य अकादमी), India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India.^[1] Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of, the Indian government and situated at Rabindra Bhavan near Mandi House area.

The Sahitya Akademi organises national and regional workshops and seminars; provides research and travel grants to authors; publishes books and journals, including the Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature; and presents the annual Sahitya Akademi Award of Rs. 100,000 (approx. USD 2,200) in each of the 24 languages it supports, as well as the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement. The Sahitya Akademi Library is one of the largest multi-lingual libraries in India, with a rich collection of books on literature and allied subjects. It also publishes two bimonthly literary journals -- Indian Literature in English and Samkaleen Bharatiya Sahitya in Hindi.^[1][2]

Supported languages[link]

• Assamese
• Bengali
• Dogri
• English
• Gujarati
• Hindi
• Kannada
• Kashmiri
• Konkani
• Maithili
• Malayalam
• Meitei
• Marathi
• Nepali
• Oriya
• Punjabi
• Rajasthani
• Sanskrit
• Sindhi
• Tamil
• Telugu
• Urdu [1]

See also[link]

• Jnanpith Award
• Sahitya Kala Parishad
• List_of_Sahitya_Akademi_Award_winners_for_Tamil
• List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Bengali
• List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Oriya

References[link]

• Sahitya Akademi (India) at UNESCO

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sahitya Akademi

• Sahitya Akademi , official website

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Nanjil Nadan (Tamil: நாஞ்சில் நாடன்) is the pseudonym of G. Subramaniam (b. 31 December 1947), a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India.

Biography[link]

Nanjil Nadan was born in Veera Narayanamangalam in Kanyakumari District to Ganapathiya Pillai and Saraswathi Ammal.^[1][2] Born as G. Subramaniam, he uses the pseudonym Nanjil Nadan (means a native of the Nanjil Nadu - the area comprising the taluks of Agastheeswaram and Thovalai in Kanyakumari district^[3] ). He has a M.Sc degree in Mathematics.^[4] He currently works at W. H. Brady and Co in Coimbatore. He began his literary career by working in Bombay Tamil Sangam's literary magazine Aedu. His first short story Viradham was published in July 1975 in the magazine Deepam run by Na. Parthasarathy. In 2002, his novel Thalaikeezh Vigithangal was made into a Tamil film titled Solla Marandha Kadhai by Thangar Bachan.^[5] In 2010 he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil for his short story collection Soodiya poo soodarka.^[6] Currently his novel Ettu Thikkum Madha Yaanai is being made into a Tamil film titled Padithurai.^[7] He has authored a total of six novels, 112 short stories,2 short story anthologies, 5 essay collections and 2 poetry collections.^[8] Some of his works have been translated to English, Malayalam and French. Also some of them are part of the curriculum in several educational institutions.^[1]

Awards and recognitions[link]

• 2010 Sahitya Akademi Award (for Soodiya poo soodarka)
• Ilakkiya Sinthanai Award (for Viradham)
• Govt of Tamil Nadu literary award for best novel (for Sathuranga Kudhirai)
• Kasthuri Seenivasan Trust Award
• Thirupur Tamil Sangam award
• Kannadasan Award
• Lily Devasigamani Award

Bibliography[link]

Novels[link]

• Thalaikeezh vigithangal
• Mamisapadaippu
• Enbiladanai veyilkayum
• Midhavai
• Ettuthikkum madhayaanai
• Sadhuranga Kuthiraigal

Short stories[link]

• Deivangal adugal onaigal
• Vakkuporukkigal
• Uppu
• Peikkottu
• Prandhu
• Soodiya poo sodarka

Poetry[link]

• Manullipambu

Non-fiction[link]

• Nanjil Nattu Vellalar Vazhkai

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official blog
• Profile in Tamilauthors.com
• Nanjil nadan on his first novel (January 2010, Puthagam pesugirathu - In Tamil)

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2012)

Maharaj Krishna Raina (Kashmiri: महाराज कृष्ण रैना (Devanagari), مہاراج کرشنا رائنا (Nastaleeq)), popularly known as M.K. Raina is one of India's best-known theatre actors and directors. M. K. Raina graduated from National School of Drama in 1970 with Best actor award. Since 1972 he has been freelance theater worker and film person, working all over India in many languages and with many traditional forms.

Background[link]

Maharaj Krishna Raina was born in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.^[1]

His association with the rural and urban theater across the country has developed into a unique style, where both forms blend together and yet are rich with contemporary meaning and significance.

As an actor, he has worked in more than a hundred plays. He has directed several memorable productions like Kabira Khada Bazar Mein, Karmawali, Lower Depths, Pari Kukh, Kabhi Na Chooden Khet and The Mother; Andha Yug, which he directed was performed in Berlin and the Festival of India in the USSR. He also produced Jasma Odan at Hawaii University in 1986. Shri Raina has conducted many theatre workshops and acted and directed in a number of feature films including 27 down, Satah Se Uthta Aadmi, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, Tamas, Titli, Genisis, Tarang, Ankur Mayna Kabutar etc.

He has been making documentary films for many years. His latest documentary Sacred Dances at Hemis Festiual has been made for Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts.

He has been honored with the Sanskriti Samman in 1980, the Sahitya Kala parishad Award in 1981, Best Director of the year by West Bengal Government 1982, the Best Director's award of Punjabi Akademi, Delhi in 1987.

Shri M.K. Raina received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1995 ^[2] and the Swarna Padak from Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir in 1996 for his contribution to Indian Theater.

Besides being a practicing actor/director in theater and media, he is known also as a cultural activist.

Filmography[link]

• Aisha (2010)..... Sonam Kapoor (Aisha's) father
• Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) .... Taani's father
• Taare Zameen Par (Like Stars on Earth) (2007) .... Principal - Boarding School
• Lakshya (2004) (Preity Father)
• Main Azaad Hoon (1989) .... Newspaper employee
• Genesis (1986) .... The trader
• Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986) .... Juror #7
• New Delhi Times (1986)
• Aghaat (1985)
• Giddh: The Vulture (1984) .... Masterji
• Tarang (1984) .... Abdul
• Tasveer Apni Apni (1984) (TV) .... Office Manager
• Satah Se Uthata Aadmi (1980) .... Keshav
• 27 Down (1974) .... Sanjay

References[link]

• http://www.koausa.org/Artistes/MKRaina.html
• http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/M_K_Raina/1487214
• http://www.koausa.org/BhandPather/index.html
• "Beat the bullies (Interview)". The Telegraph (Kolkata). February 14 , 2010. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100214/jsp/calcutta/story_12095529.jsp. 

External links[link]

• An article on Raina
• An online television series about Upanishads which casts M.K. Raina (English spoken, after introduction in Dutch)
• M. K. Raina at the Internet Movie Database

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Abhay Kumar
File:AbhayK-By-AlinaMedvedeva.JPG Abhay K portrait by Alina Medvedeva.
Born	Abhay Kumar 1980 Chhabilapur, Nalanda, Bihar, India
Residence	New Delhi
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	Jawaharlal Nehru University
Occupation	Diplomat, Writer, Poet, Artist
Known for	Introduction and exceptional use of Social Media in the Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs India, writings and art works on Planetary Consciousness
Home town	Chhabilapur, Nalanda, Bihar, India
Relatives	Rajendra Singh and Dayawanti Devi (Parents)
Website
Gov2.in/speakers/Abhay-K

Abhay Kumar (Hindi: अभय कुमार; Russian: Абхай Кумар) (also known as Abhay K) is an Indian author, poet, artist and diplomat. His book River Valley to Silicon Valley tries to draw the portrait of a modern young Indian.^[1] His work in the field of Gov2.0 & digital diplomacy,^[2] philosophical poetry,^[3] planetary scale of thinking in his art works ^[4] and writings on Global democracy ^[5] envision a second renaissance on the planet.

Life[link]

Abhay K was born and grew up at Chhabilapur (near ancient city of Rajgir) in Nalanda district, Bihar. His father Rajendra Singh was a primary school teacher and mother Dayawanti Devi a housewife. He studied at Primary School Chhabilapur, R.D.H. High School Rajgir, B.N. College Patna before joining Kirori Mal College of Delhi University from where he earned a bachelor's degree in Geography. Being a keen debater he represented Kirori Mal College at the XIXth World Universities Debating Championship in Manila, Philippines in 1999. He earned a master's degree in Geography from the Centre for the Study of Regional Development(CSRD), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2000.

He topped the All India M.Phil entrance examination of JNU in Geography in 2002, passed National Eligibility Test(NET) and received Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) from the University Grant Commission (UGC) before being selected for Indian Foreign Service in 2003.

As a probationer of the Indian Foreign Service he travelled to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and wrote a paper proposing a SAARC University at Nalanda. He was sent to Moscow, Russia on his first diplomatic assignment in 2005 where he studied Russian language, history and literature at the Moscow State University. It was in Moscow and St. Petersburg where his literary and artistic career began and flourished. He served as Second Secretary at the Embassy of India, Moscow and as Consul at Consulate General of India in St. Petersburg from 2007 to 2010. He visited the United States as a fellow of the Asia Foundation in summer 2011 and studied U.S. Foreign Policy at the Geroge Washington University.

Work[link]

His literary work began with his first book River Valley to Silicon Valley that tells his story 'from the banks of the river’s valley to Silicon Valley, and how his brothers and he overcame their handicaps to achieve what they eventually did. This is also a commentary on the tremendous change in India, its values and culture and how education and competition can make way for anybody to break out of the mould.' ^[1] His story may well be an analogy for an emerging India today.^[6] He wrote several poems while staying in Moscow which were later published as three books viz. Enigmatic Love, Fallen Leaves of Autumn and Candling the Light.

He painted more than sixty paintings during his stay in Russia. His art works are minimalist in nature and create allegory of planetary consciousness. The geometry of Malevich and the musical coloured vision of Matyushin gain typical Indian colour vibrancy and even somewhat folklore inflections in his abstract and half-abstract works.^[7] His works explore different colours, forms, shapes and the stages of life.^[8] Veteran art critic Suneet Chopra finds it fascinating the way he uses a blend of dots, lines, colours, spaces and even geometric shapes in his works. According to Rajeev Lochan, Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art, his artistic works address the realized worldly issues with a sense of introspection.^[9] Indian Express, notes that Kumar's paintings lean toward abstraction while trying to capture the cosmic beauty of the earth through geometric forms and colours.^[10]

He was an early adapter to digital media, started his blog Ideas & Universe in April 2005 and since then has been working on a number of digital initiatives to connect Indian diplomats spread over the globe. He set up Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts of Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs.^[11] On July 8, 2010, he sent the first tweet on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.^[12] He has been called Geek by the Indian Express because of his pivotal role in bringing Twitter to the central stage in the affairs of the Ministry of External Affairs, India ^[13] and has been credited with providing real time updates on evacuation of Indians from Libya in March 2011.^[14] He received Gov2.in 2011 Award on behalf of the Public Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs ^[2]

Global democracy and the role of the Internet in transforming the public sphere have been recurring themes in his writings. His Op-Ed 'Birth of Global Democracy' ^[15] in The Times of India has been quoted in serious journals of international affairs.^[16] He believes whatever be our individual, social or other interests, we should not forget that we have only one cosmic home, Earth.^[17] He conceived the idea of India's first ever international conference on 'the Internet and a changing world' which was organized at the Jindal Global University in September 2011.^[18]

Positions held[link]

Third Secretary/Second Secretary, Embassy of India, St. Petersburg August 2005-July 2007
Consul, Consulate General of India, St. Petersburg August 2007- June 2010
Under Secretary(Public Diplomacy), Ministry of External Affairs, India July 2010 onwards

Social activism[link]

He led the soft launch of Clean India Campaign at Nehru Park with Robinder Sachdev, President Imagindia Institute on 20 February 2011 that followed cleaning up of public places such as Raj Ghat and All India Institute of Medical Sciences premises in Delhi by a large number of volunteers and a nationwide campaign to clean India.^[19]

He campaigned for the rights of disabled persons on wheel chairs, parents with prams and pedestrians to walk on footpaths of New Delhi with dignity and ease. As a result New Delhi Municipal Council(NDMC) lowered the road divider at cross section of Shanti Path and Satya Marg in diplomatic enclave of New Delhi and promised to refashion footpaths and zebra crossings in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.^[20]

Literary Works[link]

He is a noteworthy figure in contemporary Indian English Literature for giving humanistic outlook and supranational character to Indian English Poetry.^[21] His poems deal with existential issues of the mankind, power play pervasive in our every day life, themes such as now and eternity, death and immortality etc.^[22] In May 2011, he became one of the youngest Indian poets invited by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, to present his poems at the Academy to a distinguished audience of poet, writers and literature lovers.^[22]

His poem 'The Soul Song' talks of the permanence of the being.^[23]

Non-fiction[link]

River Valley to Silicon Valley, 2007
10 Questions of the Soul, 2010
Cvet Dushi (Colours of Soul). 2011 ^[24]

Poetry[link]

Enigmatic Love, 2009
Fallen Leaves of Autumn, 2010
Candling the Light, 2011

Poetry Anthologies[link]

'Natural Spirit' edited by Michelle Afford (2006), Forward Press, UK
'A Moment of Déjà vu' edited by Annabel Cook (2007), Forward Press, UK
'Inclinations' edited by Shirley Allard (2008) Word Catalyst USA
'Harmonious Palette' edited by Olga Zabelina (2011) Russia

Short stories[link]

Mishka, 2006 That Evening Storm, 2006
A Day Opens Slowly, 2006

Selected foreign translations[link]

V Put ot Rechnoi Dolini, 2008^[25]

Selected publications in Russian literary journals[link]

'Severnaya Avrora' ^[26]
'Nevsky Almanac' ^[27]
'Literary St. Petersburg'
'Sphinx'
'Okno'

Artistic activities[link]

His art works include paintings, photography and sculpture. He has taken part in several personal and group exhibitions in St. Petersburg, Paris & New Delhi. He represented India in the II International Independent Art Festival 'Sea Level' in St. Petersburg in October, 2009.^[28][29]

In St. Petersburg, he met and visited studios of several well known artists and collected their art works. Over a period of three years works of noted Russian contemporary masters such as Timur Novikov, Nikolai Sazhin, Bob Koshelokhov, Sergey Bugaev Afrika, Aron Zinshtein became part of his art collection.^[30]

He authored a book on St. Petersburg art life titled 'Colours of the Soul' dedicated to the great city of St. Petersburg and its people.^[31]

He was Coach Persona in February 2011, with his portrait appearing on cover page of the popular St. Petersburg magazine Coach.^[32]

His art exhibition 'We have come far' highlighted the journey of life from the state of non-being to the state of being, then 10,000 years of civilization's journey of mankind and strengthened hope of the whole humanity coming together soon.^[33] Art columnist Georgina Maddox in her article 'A Second Life' in Indian Express put him in par with prominent artists such as Paul Gauguin, Henri Rousseau, Sudhir Patwardhan and Bhupen Khakhar who have created a distinct oeuvre pursuing their passion along side their professional commitments.^[34]

Awards and recognition[link]

Received 1st Class diploma from the Steiglitz Academy of Arts, St. Petersburg for his exhibition 'We are different, we are together'.
Received Gov2.in 2011 award on behalf of the Public Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, India for exception use of Social Media in government organization.^[35]

Quotes[link]

• Whatever be our individual, social or other interests, we should not forget that we have only one cosmic home, Earth.^[36]
• There is no greater joy in life than the joy of creating something.^[37]
• I have very consciously got into diplomatic service where you travel, where you feel everywhere at home. There is no other country for a diplomat and as a poet, as an artist, I want to show this spirit of borderlessness, this spirit of unity of the mankind, which was chanted in our ancient Sanskrit texts.^[38]
• I was never born, I didn't die.^[39]
• Attempt to become immortal is futile. We are already immortal.^[40]

Selected Exhibitions[link]

Personal Exhibitions[link]

2009-‘Elements’ Door Gallery, Art Centre Pushkinskaya-10, St. Petersburg ^[41]
2010- 'Enlightenment'- Selskaya Zhizhn Gallery, St. Petersburg ^[42]
2010- 'New Symbols'- Sigmund Freud Museum, St. Petersburg ^[43]
2011- 'We have come far'- Russian Centre, New Delhi (15-29April) ^[44]

Group Exhibitions[link]

2008- International Festival of Mini Art, Museum of Non-conformist Art, Pushkinskaya-10, St. Petersburg
2009- Arka Art Gallery, St. Petersburg
2009- ‘Bridge Infinte' Markov Gallery, St. Petersburg
2009- ‘International Festival of Independent Art’, Level of Sea, Central Manezh, St. Petersburg
2009-‘ L’INDE-ATTRACTION UNIVERSELLE, Galarie Grand Eterna, Paris
2009 'Earth: the Sacred Treasure' Yusupov Palace Museum, St. Petersburg
2010 'We are different, we are together' Steiglitz Academy of Art, St. Petersburg.
2010 'Nous Somme Ensemble' Adzak Museum, Paris

Selected Columns[link]

• 9 core values India's youth MUST follow Rediff, June 17, 2011
• Revealed: How IFS officers are groomed Rediff, August 30, 2011
• India's Lead In Gov2.0 University of Southern California CPD (March 2011)
• Twitter-Instant Voice Of The Planet Turns Five(March 2011)
• All We Need Is Civic Sense The Viewspaper(March 2011)
• India: A Great Softpower University of Southern California(Feb 2011)
• India Is Fast Becoming Asia's Art & Literary Hub(January 2011)
• What Makes 21st Century Different From 20th?(January 2011)
• Birth Of Global Democracy In The Times Of India(January 2011)
• Inspiring Obamas CPD BLOG, University of Southern California (December 2010)
• Art Exhibition For Starters And What To Appreciate (November 2010)
• Beyond Diplomacy India Abroad (October 2010)
• Propaganda vs public diplomacy, Rediff.com, May 21, 2011
• A UN Parliamentary Assembly Can Democratize Global Governance, ViewsPaper.net, 2011

References[link]

External links[link]

• Diplomat delights with poetry of promise Times of India http://m.timesofindia.com/PDATOI/articleshow/10639851.cms
• Abhay Kumar releases Candling the Light Hindustan Times http://www.hindustantimes.com/audio-news-video/Abhay-Kumar-releases-Candling-the-Light/Article2-767258.aspx
• How Moscow transformed this IFS officer into a poet-diplomat http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-career-how-moscow-transformed-this-ifs-officer-into-a-poet-artist/20111117.htm
• I live in a hypnotic city September 2009 http://www.mr7.ru/life/city/story_17375.html
• Enlightenment January 2010 http://www.museum.ru/N38824
• Elements December 2009 http://www.p-10.ru/2009/12/kuma/
• India-Russia: Bridge Infinite September 2009 http://www.indostan.ru/forum/9_9901_0.html
• New Symbols for the new millennium January 2010 http://www.fontanka.ru/2010/01/26/155/
• Na Nevskom August 2010 http://www.nanevskom.ru/toread-2653/0/
• India & Russia: Partners in Progress 2008 http://www.zerkalospb.ru/arhiv/2008/img_08/index_05_08.pdf
• From Paimar to Neva May 2008 http://www.spbvedomosti.ru/article.htm?id=10250426@SV_Articles
• In Memory of Earth 20 April 2011 Mathrubhoomi Newspaper (Malyalam)
• Abhay Kumar's Solo Art Show We have come far, Mail Today,page 28, 22 April 2011 http://epaper.mailtoday.in/epaperhome.aspx?issue=2242011
• Indian diplomat turned artist presents his work on planetary consciousness [Video] http://videos.sify.com/Indian-diplomat-turned-artist-presents-his-work-on-planetary-consciousness-ANI-watch-le1vkcfecbg.html
• Governance Now http://www.gov2.in/speakers/abhay-k
• University of Southern California http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/about/bio_detail/Abhay_K
• Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/K.-Abhay/e/B002D17J08/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
• Punjab Kesari http://punjabkesari.com/E-Paper/14th%20June/Magzine/adv_3.pdf
• Nai Duniya e-Paper http://www.naidunia.com/Details.aspx?id=253280&boxid=214236842
• The Hindu, Saturday, Jun 04, 2011 http://www.hindu.com/mp/2011/06/04/stories/2011060451350300.htm
• The Hindu, Saturday, Jun 11, 2011 http://www.hindu.com/mp/2011/06/11/stories/2011061150490300.htm
• Careers in the Indian Foreign Services, Rediff, June 6, 2011 http://getahead.rediff.com/chat/2011/jun/06/chat-careers-in-ifs.html
• Video - Indian diplomat's Russian art collection exhibited, Hindustan Times, June 19 , 2011 http://www.hindustantimes.com/audio-news-video/Indian-diplomat-s-Russian-art-collection-exhibited/Article2-709438.aspx