SAARC Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 9 (2013) Winner
Abhay K.
アバイ・ケー
Abhay K.
Aliases:
Abhay Kumar
Pen Names:
Abhay K.（Pen name / public byline used for poetry and literary work）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- Rajgir, Nalanda district, Bihar, India
- Nationality
- India
- Languages
- English, Hindi, Magahi
- Residence History
- Rajgir (birth/place of upbringing) → New Delhi (residence/work) → Moscow (study/work) → Kathmandu (posted) → Brasília (posted) → Antananarivo (posted)
Career
- Occupations
- Diplomat, Poet, Author, Translator, Artist
- Active Years
- 2003-2025
- Memberships
- Brazilian Academy of Letters (Foreign Corresponding Member), Malagasy Academy (Associate Foreign Corresponding Member)
- Influenced By
- Kālidāsa (classical Sanskrit poet), Indian English poetry tradition (e.g., A. K. Ramanujan)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirori Mal College (Delhi University) | — | Undergraduate studies (specific faculty not specified) | — | 1990s–2000 | India |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) | Master's in Geography | Geography | MA | 2000–2002 | India |
| Moscow State University (study program) | — | Russian language, history and literature studies | — | 2000s（短期） | Russia |
| George Washington University (study program) | — | U.S. foreign policy studies | — | 短期研修（年不詳） | United States |
| International Writing Program (University of Iowa) | — | Poetry writing / creative workshop | Certificate | 短期 | United States |
Kirori Mal College (Delhi University)
Undergraduate studies (specific faculty not specified)
Period:
1990s–2000
Year of Graduation:
2000
Country:
India
Undergraduate studies; exact degree details not specified.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
Master's in Geography
/ Geography
Degree:
MA
Period:
2000–2002
Year of Graduation:
2002
Country:
India
Completed MA before joining the Indian Foreign Service in 2003.
Moscow State University (study program)
Russian language, history and literature studies
Period:
2000s（短期）
Country:
Russia
Participated in a short study program in Russian language and literature.
George Washington University (study program)
U.S. foreign policy studies
Period:
短期研修（年不詳）
Country:
United States
Short-term training/research relevant to diplomatic work.
International Writing Program (University of Iowa)
Poetry writing / creative workshop
Degree:
Certificate
Period:
短期
Country:
United States
Completed a certificate program in poetry writing.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | SAARC Literary Award | — | — | Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature | 受賞 |
| 2014 | Asia-Pacific Excellence Award | — | — | Reported organization (media cited) | 受賞 |
| 2013 | Pushcart Prize (nomination) | — | — | Pushcart Press | ノミネート |
| 2015 | Muse India - Satish Verma Young Writer Award (shortlisted) | The Seduction of Delhi (poetry) | — | Muse India | 最終候補 |
| 2021 | Kalinga Literary Festival Poetry Book of the Year | Translation: Kalidasa's Meghaduta and Ritusamhara | — | Kalinga Literary Festival | 受賞 |
| 2023 | KLF Book Award | The Book of Bihari Literature (editor) | — | Kalinga Literary Festival | 受賞 |
| 2023 | Brazilian Academy of Letters (Foreign Corresponding Member) | — | — | Brazilian Academy of Letters | 選出 |
| 2022 | Malagasy Academy (Associate Foreign Corresponding Member) | — | — | Malagasy Academy | 選出 |
| 2025 | Bharat Shiksha Samman | For contributions to education and promotion of Indian culture | — | Reported awarding body (media cited) | 受賞 |
SAARC Literary Award
2013
Organization:
Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature
Result:
受賞
Asia-Pacific Excellence Award
2014
Organization:
Reported organization (media cited)
Result:
受賞
Pushcart Prize (nomination)
2013
Organization:
Pushcart Press
Result:
ノミネート
Muse India - Satish Verma Young Writer Award (shortlisted)
2015
Work:
The Seduction of Delhi (poetry)
Organization:
Muse India
Result:
最終候補
Kalinga Literary Festival Poetry Book of the Year
2021
Work:
Translation: Kalidasa's Meghaduta and Ritusamhara
Organization:
Kalinga Literary Festival
Result:
受賞
KLF Book Award
2023
Work:
The Book of Bihari Literature (editor)
Organization:
Kalinga Literary Festival
Result:
受賞
Brazilian Academy of Letters (Foreign Corresponding Member)
2023
Organization:
Brazilian Academy of Letters
Result:
選出
Malagasy Academy (Associate Foreign Corresponding Member)
2022
Organization:
Malagasy Academy
Result:
選出
Bharat Shiksha Samman
2025
Work:
For contributions to education and promotion of Indian culture
Organization:
Reported awarding body (media cited)
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Seduction of Delhi
2014 PoetryA collection of poems interweaving the urban memory and personal experiences of New Delhi, exploring the city's seductions and layers of history and culture.
CityMemoryHistory
Translations
- Portions translated/published in journals and anthologies
Monsoon
2022 Book-length poem / Epic poemA book-length poem addressing climate and human relations; it has been selected for academic study within climate and literature contexts.
ClimateNatureMemory
Meghaduta (translation)
2021 Translation (classical Sanskrit poem into English)An English translation of Kālidāsa's Meghaduta, including contemporary rendering and notes.
Separation and longingNatureJourney
The Alphabets of Latin America: A Carnival of Poems
2020 PoetryA sequence of poems inspired by Latin America, reflecting experiences from diplomatic postings and engagement with Latin American culture.
Cultural exchangeTravelMemory
Nalanda: How it Changed the World
2025 Non-fiction / HistoryA popular non-fiction account of the ancient university of Nalanda and its global impact, discussing the history of international scholarly exchange.
History of scholarshipInternational exchangeCultural heritage
Bibliography
- River Valley to Silicon Valley (memoir, includes early poems)
- Enigmatic Love: Love poems from Moscow (2009)
- Fallen Leaves of Autumn (2010)
- Candling the Light (2011)
- Remains (2012)
- The Seduction of Delhi (2014)
- The Eight-eyed Lord of Kathmandu (2017)
- CAPITALS (editor, 2017)
- 100 Great Indian Poems (editor, 2018)
- The Alphabets of Latin America (2020)
- Meghaduta (translation, 2021)
- Ritusamhara (translation, 2021)
- Monsoon (2022)
- The Book of Bihari Literature (editor, 2022)
- Fool Bahadur (translation of Jayanath Pati, 2024)
- Nalanda: How it Changed the World (2025)
Adaptations
- Recordings of poems at the Library of Congress (archive)
Translations by Author
- Meghaduta (Kālidāsa) into English
- Ritusamhara (Kālidāsa) into English
- Fool Bahadur (Jayanath Pati, Magahi novel) into English
- New Brazilian Poems (editor/translator)
Translations of Works
- 100 Great Indian Poems: translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Malagasy, Arabic and other languages
- Earth Anthem: translated into over 160 languages; widely recited and video productions
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Lyric yet epic poetic voiceTopographical and memory-laden narratives combining history and personal experienceAccessible English with a focus on cross-cultural mediation
- Recurring Motifs
- Cities (notably Delhi)Climate / MonsoonJourney and separationPlanetary consciousness (e.g., Earth Anthem)
Legacy
Alongside a diplomatic career, he has contributed internationally as a poet, translator and editor, promoting Indian English poetry and cultural diplomacy. Elected as a foreign corresponding member to several academies and his works are used in university courses and research.
Museums
- National Museum of India (exhibited) New Delhi, India
- Bihar Museum (exhibited) Patna, Bihar, India
- Salar Jung Museum (exhibited) Hyderabad, India
Academic Societies
- Brazilian Academy of Letters (Foreign Corresponding Member)
- Malagasy Academy (Associate Foreign Corresponding Member)
Archives
- Library of Congress (recorded poems archive)
In Popular Culture
- Earth Anthem: widely translated and used in videos/performances for Earth Day and related events
- Selected poems used as course material at universities such as Cornell
Quotes
-
"World Poet"
Source: Vijay Seshadri (Pulitzer Prize-winning poet) — description (2017)
Trivia
- Released "Earth Anthem" in 2013; it has been translated into over 160 languages.
- Sent one of the first official tweets after the Ministry of External Affairs of India set up an official Twitter account (digital diplomacy work).
- One of the first Indian poets to record poems at the Library of Congress.