K. V. Dominic's Poetic Tribute to Mahasweta Devi

A Poetic Tribute to Mahasweta Devi

K. V. Dominic

Mahasweta Devi literally means Goddess Saraswati

Her mother’s name Dharithri meaning Earth

Yes, Mahasweta Devi who departed us on 28^th July

was Saraswati to millions of tribals, dalits and marginalized

who were lifted from doom and  darkness to resurgent light

She was indeed proud daughter of Mother Earth

committed to protect Earth and her inhabitants

from all kinds of exploitations and maternal assaults

Didi, you were the loving compassionate sister as well as

mother of the millions of helpless miserable fellow beings

Even at ninety you were eager to fly to wipe out tears

You could hear the scream of tortured people and

neither health nor distance could stop your incessant flights

Didi, you were the crusader of the downtrodden,

tribals, dalits, women, landless, migrants, prostitutes

You were savior of denotified tribes Lodha and Shabar

You were their mouthpiece—spoke for them, raised funds for them

legally fought for them, and organized them to fight for their rights

Didi, you are role model to all writers in the world

Unlike others writing from mansions full of luxury

and shedding crocodile tears at the plight of the poor

you lived among them, ate from their plates and

braved all dangers supporting their noble survival cause

Gandhi and Mother Teresa influenced you a lot

Practised in your life what you wrote and preached

And your social life and literary life merged into one

Your writings created an Everest in literary world

More than hundred novels and over twenty books

of short fiction all dealing with human sufferings

And your priority was for content than to form

Didi, you wanted to work for ever for your people

And hence told “I don’t want to die. I want to live forever.”

Only your body has departed and your spirit remains immortal

And like the mahuva tree which grows on your grave

the values and messages you have sown in the minds

will germinate and spread all over the world and

bower aching minds from terrible burning issues

K V Dominic's Poem "Dogs’ Curse on Human Beings"

Dogs’ Curse on Human Beings

K. V. Dominic

Curse upon you human beings

You are the most selfish

ungrateful and cruelest 

of all creations on this planet

Irrespective of your ruthless

cold-blooded callous nature

we love you and serve you

better than your family inmates

As reward for our service

you dispose our dear puppies 

road sides. They run starving

across dashing vehicles

Some are dead while others

live on littered wastes

you throw after use

Cruelty thy name is man!

You have made your pets

stray dogs struggling for life

Your throw out culture

throwing kitchen wastes of 

meat and fish on road sides

turned some carnivores who

are violent than the herbivores

Famished, a few become violent

and prey upon pedestrians

And you start massacre

killing all stray dogs labeling 

violent or man-eaters

Compared to our violators

multitudinous are your 

criminals and murderers 

Do you kill them all 

as you mercilessly butcher

roads after roads?

Mind you, this world is 

not your grandpas’

We too have a right 

as all other animals have

to live and share 

its sustaining wealth.

© K. V. Dominic

Report of the 5th National Level Two day Literary Festival of GIEWEC in Collaboration with the Department of English, JKC College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh on 11th and 12th November 2016

Report of the 5^th National Level Two day Literary Festival of GIEWEC in Collaboration with the Department of English, JKC College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh on 11^th and 12^th November 2016

Dr. K. V. Dominic

Guild of Indian English Writers, Editors and Critics (GIEWEC) in collaboration with Department of English, JKC College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh conducted its fifth two day national level literary festival at JKC College on 11^h and 12^th November 2016. The topic for the festival was "Multiculturalism, Human Values and Language and Literature."

In the inaugural session at 10.30 am on 11^th November, Prof. T. V. Reddy, President of the GIEWEC was the Chairperson. Prof. P. Gopichand, Associate Professor of English as well as Organizing Secretary welcomed the guests and audience. After the lighting of the lamp Dr K. Basavapunnaiah, President of J. K. C. College, made the inaugural address. It was followed by messages from J. Murali Mohan, Secretary and Correspondent of J. K. C. College, SRK Prasad, Director of PG Courses of J. K. C. College and Dr. I. Nageswararao, Principal of J. K. C. College. They all thanked GIEWEC for the collaboration. They also praised Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela for their meritorious service to the college and to the writers in India and abroad by conducting nine international poetry festivals annually. Prof. T. V. Reddy then made a brief speech on multiculturalism. Dr. K. V. Dominic expressed deep gratitude to the management of J K C College as well as to the organizing secretaries Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela. He also thanked the faculty and students of the Department of English as well as all participants of the festival. The proceedings book of the festival was launched by Dr K. Basavapunnaiah, President of J. K. C. College. Prof. P. Nagasuseela, Associate Professor of English as well as Organizing Secretary delivered the vote of thanks and thus the inaugural session ended at 11.30 am.

In the book launching ceremony that followed nearly twenty new books of the participants were launched. The authors include Dr. T. V. Reddy (Tirupati), Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi (Kolkata), Dr. Ratan Bhattacharjee (Kolkata), Fr. Varghese Paul, SJ (Ahmadabad), Profs. P. Gopichand & P. Nagasuseela (Guntur), Dr. S. Kumaran (Salem),  Dr. Pamela Jeyaraju (Pondicherry), Dr. S. Ayyappa Raja (Chidambaram, T.N.), Dr. Molly Joseph (Kerala), Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya (Kolkata), Ms. Reema Das (Assam) and Dr. K. V. Dominic (Kerala).

In the plenary session at 12 noon, Prof. T. V. Reddy, Dr. K. V. Dominic, Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi, Fr. Varghese Paul, Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela, Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya presented their papers. After lunch, there was poetry reading session chaired by Prof. T. V. Reddy. Fifteen poets read their poems on various themes.

In the paper presentation sessions that followed Dr. S. Kumaran, Dr. S. Ayyappa Raja, Dr.  Joji John Panicker and Dr. Pamela Jeyaraju chaired as well as presented their papers. More than twenty participants presented their papers. From 9 pm to 10 pm there was a cultural programme of the students of J K C College which entertained the participants.  

GIEWEC’s General Body Meeting was conducted at 10.30 pm. In the election to the executive committee of GIEWEC, the twelve member committee was unanimously elected. The following are the new office bearers and committee members:

President – Prof. T. V. Reddy

Secretary – Dr. K. V. Dominic

Vice President – Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi

Vice President – Prof. P. Gopichand

Joint Secretary – Dr. Joji John Panicker

Treasurer – Dr. S. Kumaran

Members of the Executive Committee

Dr. Poonam Nigam Sahay

Dr. Ketaki Datta

Prof. P. Nagasuseela

Dr. S. Ayyappa Raja

Dr. Pamela Jeyaraju
Prof. Sibasis Jana

      On 12^h November, Saturday, at 9.30 am there was the valedictory function. Prof. P. Nagasuseela welcomed the chief guests and audience. On the Dias were Dr. T. V. Reddy, Dr. K. V. Dominic, and Prof. P. Gopichand. After brief addresses by the dignitaries, merit certificates and certificates of excellence were awarded to the students of JKC College. Cash Prizes of Rs. 5000 were given to the best performers as well as to the entire group. The chairpersons of the paper presentation and poetry reading sessions were honoured with mementos. Shri Sudarshan Kcherry, the founder member of GIEWEC as well as publisher of Authorspress, New Delhi, Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya, Dr. K. V. Dominic and Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi were honoured with mementos by the local organizing secretaries.  The festival ended with Prof. P. Gopichand’s vote of thanks.

Overall, the festival was a grand success. The credit goes to the Secretaries of the Organising Committee, Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela who took the initiative several months before and got GIEWEC’s proposal sanctioned by the college management. They worked really hard for several days and nights and could very well coordinate their colleagues and students for the great outcome. GIEWEC’s bouquet of gratitude to them!

Report of the 5th National Level Two day Literary Festival of GIEWEC in Collaboration with the Department of English, JKC College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh on 11th and 12th November 2016

Report of the 5^th National Level Two day Literary Festival of GIEWEC in Collaboration with the Department of English, JKC College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh on 11^th and 12^th November 2016

Dr. K. V. Dominic

Guild of Indian English Writers, Editors and Critics (GIEWEC) in collaboration with Department of English, JKC College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh conducted its fifth two day national level literary festival at JKC College on 11^h and 12^th November 2016. The topic for the festival was "Multiculturalism, Human Values and Language and Literature."

In the inaugural session at 10.30 am on 11^th November, Prof. T. V. Reddy, President of the GIEWEC was the Chairperson. Prof. P. Gopichand, Associate Professor of English as well as Organizing Secretary welcomed the guests and audience. After the lighting of the lamp Dr K. Basavapunnaiah, President of J. K. C. College, made the inaugural address. It was followed by messages from J. Murali Mohan, Secretary and Correspondent of J. K. C. College, SRK Prasad, Director of PG Courses of J. K. C. College and Dr. I. Nageswararao, Principal of J. K. C. College. They all thanked GIEWEC for the collaboration. They also praised Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela for their meritorious service to the college and to the writers in India and abroad by conducting nine international poetry festivals annually. Prof. T. V. Reddy then made a brief speech on multiculturalism. Dr. K. V. Dominic expressed deep gratitude to the management of J K C College as well as to the organizing secretaries Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela. He also thanked the faculty and students of the Department of English as well as all participants of the festival. The proceedings book of the festival was launched by Dr K. Basavapunnaiah, President of J. K. C. College. Prof. P. Nagasuseela, Associate Professor of English as well as Organizing Secretary delivered the vote of thanks and thus the inaugural session ended at 11.30 am.

In the book launching ceremony that followed nearly twenty new books of the participants were launched. The authors include Dr. T. V. Reddy (Tirupati), Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi (Kolkata), Dr. Ratan Bhattacharjee (Kolkata), Fr. Varghese Paul, SJ (Ahmadabad), Profs. P. Gopichand & P. Nagasuseela (Guntur), Dr. S. Kumaran (Salem),  Dr. Pamela Jeyaraju (Pondicherry), Dr. S. Ayyappa Raja (Chidambaram, T.N.), Dr. Molly Joseph (Kerala), Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya (Kolkata), Ms. Reema Das (Assam) and Dr. K. V. Dominic (Kerala).

In the plenary session at 12 noon, Prof. T. V. Reddy, Dr. K. V. Dominic, Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi, Fr. Varghese Paul, Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela, Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya presented their papers. After lunch, there was poetry reading session chaired by Prof. T. V. Reddy. Fifteen poets read their poems on various themes.

In the paper presentation sessions that followed Dr. S. Kumaran, Dr. S. Ayyappa Raja, Dr.  Joji John Panicker and Dr. Pamela Jeyaraju chaired as well as presented their papers. More than twenty participants presented their papers. From 9 pm to 10 pm there was a cultural programme of the students of J K C College which entertained the participants.  

GIEWEC’s General Body Meeting was conducted at 10.30 pm. In the election to the executive committee of GIEWEC, the twelve member committee was unanimously elected. The following are the new office bearers and committee members:

President – Prof. T. V. Reddy

Secretary – Dr. K. V. Dominic

Vice President – Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi

Vice President – Prof. P. Gopichand

Joint Secretary – Dr. Joji John Panicker

Treasurer – Dr. S. Kumaran

Members of the Executive Committee

Dr. Poonam Nigam Sahay

Dr. Ketaki Datta

Prof. P. Nagasuseela

Dr. S. Ayyappa Raja

Dr. Pamela Jeyaraju
Prof. Sibasis Jana

      On 12^h November, Saturday, at 9.30 am there was the valedictory function. Prof. P. Nagasuseela welcomed the chief guests and audience. On the Dias were Dr. T. V. Reddy, Dr. K. V. Dominic, and Prof. P. Gopichand. After brief addresses by the dignitaries, merit certificates and certificates of excellence were awarded to the students of JKC College. Cash Prizes of Rs. 5000 were given to the best performers as well as to the entire group. The chairpersons of the paper presentation and poetry reading sessions were honoured with mementos. Shri Sudarshan Kcherry, the founder member of GIEWEC as well as publisher of Authorspress, New Delhi, Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya, Dr. K. V. Dominic and Dr. Jaydeep Sarangi were honoured with mementos by the local organizing secretaries.  The festival ended with Prof. P. Gopichand’s vote of thanks.

Overall, the festival was a grand success. The credit goes to the Secretaries of the Organising Committee, Profs. P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela who took the initiative several months before and got GIEWEC’s proposal sanctioned by the college management. They worked really hard for several days and nights and could very well coordinate their colleagues and students for the great outcome. GIEWEC’s bouquet of gratitude to them!