Nissim Ezekiel gave a new direction to Indian poetry in English -Malashri Lal
New Delhi (Rajat Bansal): The two-day birth centenary seminar on the distinguished Indian English poet Nissim Ezekiel inaugurated today. The introductory remarks of the seminar were made by Malashri Lal, Convener, English Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi, and the inaugural address was delivered by Nilofer Bharucha, Co-Director, MMIAS. The welcome address was delivered by K. Sreenivasarao, Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, and eminent painter Padma Bhushan Jatin Das shared his memories of his time spent with Ezekiel in Mumbai. While making the introductory remarks, Malashri Lal said that Nissim Ezekiel gave a new direction to Indian poetry in English. His poetry had a profound impact on Indian poetry in English which was multidisciplinary and multi-faceted. Such excellent writers are born only once in a while, she observed. While delivering the inaugural address, Nilofer Bharucha explained in detail about the interesting methods of teaching of Nissim Ezekiel and said that Nissim Ezekiel also wrote about the minorities at a deeply emotional level. Remembering him as a true ‘Mumbaikar’, she said that he brought many aspects of Mumbai’s culture into his poetry. She also discussed the songs he wrote for his singer nephew.
Jatin Das recalling the Samovar Group and his Bombay days with Ezekiel during 1959, said that Ezekiel was his close friend and they all had a great time together, and the group included Dilip Chitre, Arun Kolatkar, Arvind Krishna Mehrotra and others. He further said that this was the time when your wealth or religion did not come in the way of your relationship. In his welcome address, K. Sreenivasarao said that Nissim Ezekiel is a great name in Indian poetry and his significant contribution cannot be forgotten. During the inaugural session , a recording of the conversation between Nissim Ezekiel’s daughter Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca and Malashri Lal on the book written on her father was also screened. After the inaugural session, two other sessions were held – titled ‘Nissim Ezekiel and Indian Poetry in English’ and ‘Tributes and Poetry Readings’ – under the chairmanship of Anisur Rahman and Nilofer Bharucha respectively. The participants of these sessions included Sudeep Sen, Manju Jaidka, Vinita Agarwal, Radha Chakraborty and Anjana Naira Dev. The seminar was conducted by the Deputy Secretary of the Akademi, Krishna Kimbahune.
