Gopi K Kottoor (b. 1956, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala,) Indian English poet, is in the words of the eminent poet-critic Ayyappa Paniker, ‘a poet who has discovered his own voice distinct from that of his ancestors or his compeers’. Thiruvananthapuram ( Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം Tiruvanantapuraṁ) also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Indian English comprises several Dialects or varieties of English spoken primarily in India, and by first-generation members of the Indian diaspora His poetry, known for its ‘rich visual imagery embalmed with feeling’ has won him accolades both in his home country and abroad.
Kottoor is perhaps best known for his work, Father, Wake Us In Passing, a poem sequence on his father in coma, and dying. The German translation of this poem by the German poet Wolfgang Heyder (b. 1956) appeared as a Laufschrift Book edition,Fürth,Germany,(Vater, wecke' uns im Vorübergehen')in 2004. The city of Fürth is located in northern Bavaria, Germany in the district of Middle Franconia. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.
Gopi Kottoor won both the All-India Special Poetry Prize of the British Council-Poetry Society, India All India Poetry Competitions (AIPC) in 1997 for his poem These are the things we could talk about as also the Second Prize for his poem Digging in the General Category of the Competition in 1997. The British Council is a Public Body of the United Kingdom Government which specialises in educational and development opportunities [1] Between 1995 and 1998, he won three more major poetry prizes presented by the British Council -Poetry Society India sponsored All India Poetry Competitions (AIPC). [2] [3]
Writing to him soon after he won his poetry prizes, the leading poet Jayanta Mahapatra,and editor of Chandrabhaga, who was also a part of the jury wrote to him saying
"You write exceptionally well. Jayanta Mahapatra is one of the best known Indian English poets HeadMarala3jpg|200px|right|thumb|A View of Marala Headworks on Chenab near Sialkot]] The Chenab River (ਚਨਾਬ, चनाब چناب literally 'Moon( . . . My admiration grows for you for your poems".
Kottoor's poetry has appeared in a wide range of journals, including: The Illustrated Weekly of India, Indian Literature (Sahitya Akademi), Thought, Literary Half-Yearly, Kavya Bharati, Ariel(University of Calgary, Canada), Lipi and Chandrabhaga (Ed: Jayanta Mahapatra), Toronto Review, Plaza, Persona (Texas State University Journal). Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Texas State University–San Marcos, often referred to as Texas State University, Texas State, or TxState (it actively discourages the use of "TSU" His poems have featured in the Special Editions on Contemporary Indian Poetry in English brought out by the poetry journals: Verse, (Seattle) USA)and Fulcrum, (USA). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Fulcrum is the English language student newspaper at the University of Ottawa.
Kottoor's plays include The Mask of Death, a radio-play on the dying days of the Romantic poet John Keats in Rome, and 'Fire In The Soul', a play on the life and times of the Nationalist rebel poet of India, Subramania Bharati,which won the Bharati award in 1995. Romanticism largely began as a reaction against the prevailing Enlightenment ideals of the day Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Subramania Bharati (சுப்ரமணிய பாரதி ( December 11, 1882 - September 11, 1921) was a Tamil poet from Tamil Nadu
Kottoor won the Philip McCormick scholarship of the Texas state University, Southwest Texas, USA and attended the Master of Fine Arts (Poetry) program of the University with a Teaching Assistantship in the Department of English of the University during the year 2000.
In 2005, Kottoor was Poet-in-Residence in the University of Augsburg, Germany, on a sponsorship by the Indian Council Of Cultural Relations,(ICCR) in association with Tagore Centre, Berlin, Germany. The University of Augsburg ( German Universität Augsburg) is a University located in the Universitätsviertel section of Augsburg Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Kottoor was invited to read from his translation of the 15c Bhakti poet Poonthanam's Gyanappana (The Fountain Of God) at the University of Vienna, Austria, in the same year. Poonthanam (1547-1640 was an ardent devotee of Guruvayoorappan ( Krishna) The University of Vienna (Universität Wien is a Public university located in Vienna, Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich
Kottoor edits a poetry quarterly 'Poetry Chain' and presently lives in Navi Mumbai, India, where he works with the Reserve Bank Of India. Navi Mumbai ( Marathi: नवी मुंबई IAST: New Muṃbaī formerly known as New Bombay, is a city on the west coast of the state of
Bibliography
- Father, Wake us in Passing: A Book of poems (A Poetry Chain Imprint)Review: Touching Recollections
- Father Wake Us In Passing: Review: Beyond The Confessional
- Father Wake Us In Passing(Guest Poet Readings at University of Augsburg Germany): Comment
Notes
- ^ All-India Poetry Competition, 1997. IndiaStar Review of Books, July 2004. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the
- ^ All-India Poetry Competition, 1998. IndiaStar Review of Books, July 2004. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the
- ^ All-India Poetry Competition, 1995. The Poetry Society India 1995. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the
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