[Jennifer Reeser]

Kalpna Singh-Chitni, the "Jewel of Bihar." She received the Indian equivalent of a Pulitzer Prize the year I graduated from high school, in 1986 -- before she was 21 years old. She is revered on the sub-continent, and has published in nearly every major literary journal there. Also got the Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award this year, for her contributions to Indian art and literature.

Her first collection in English is coming out soon in print. Incredibly, Kalpna has asked me to write her introduction, and I accepted this seemingly-impossible task. This is a good page to familiarize yourself with her work, with comments from some serious heavyweight writers and icons -- two Nobel Prize nominees, one of whom has blurbed this collection for which I am writing the introduction. Naseer Ahmed Nasir, a giant of Urdu literature.

http://kalpnasinghchitnis.com/impressions/

[Ann Drysdale]

Do I detect a hint of controversy in that second comment?

[Jennifer Reeser]

Ann -- one can but hope so

[Siham Karami]

Thank you for introducing us to her! Bridging the language gap in poetry is no small task but if anyone does it, you do!

Siham

[ross hamilton hill]

You can hear her read and see printed one of her poems, go to home on her site and click poetry in little 'categories' box, it's called 'what I am to you' reminded me of Neruda, some lovely images,, but also some reservations on my part. She has a beautiful voice, I assume the poem was written in English and is not a translation. There is also this poem on YouTube, again reminds me of Neruda although I did not have time to listen to more than 4 lines, she seems to be living in the US and making films. Check it out if you have the time.
http://youtu.be/W6c3Dr-xzQA

[Jennifer Reeser]

Siham, bless you for that! Critics in India have likened her to Rumi and Hafez -- and, indeed, it is Rumi who comes to mind, in my own readings and interpretation. Those Indian critics bring out much of her Hindu and Buddhist significance.

But I am a WASP -- a white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant, about as British-American as they come (for all my "French" upbringing and sympathizing with the Catholic Church!). The desire of my heart is to represent and promote her to the Christian West. Kalpna is also a great humanitarian with global vision. She holds her Master's degree in Political Science, and regularly speaks on human rights issues.

Here is the link to a magnificent photo of her with her teacher, the Dalai Lama, which might please you:

https://www.facebook.com/KalpnaSinghChitnisOfficialPage

[Ed Shacklee]

This is very interesting, Jennifer: thank you. It sounds like a very good way to start the cure of my ignorance concerning modern Indian poetry.

Best,

Ed

[Janice D. Soderling]

Thanks again, Jennifer. I echo Ed.