AJMER
RODE
Ajmer
Rode Bio.
8737
Yarrow Place,
Burnaby
,
BC,
Canada, V3N 4W2
Phone:
604-526-2342; Fax:
604-526-2302
email:
ajmerr@hotmail.com
M.A.Sc.
(Engg.), University
of
Waterloo, 1967; Immigrated
to
Canada
from India
in 1966. Married to writer
Surjeet Kalsey. Living in Burnaby, BC,
with daughter Surti and
son Ankurneel.
PUBLICATIONS:
ORIGINAL
WORKS
Eight
books
of
poetry
and non-fiction in Punjabi and
English.
TRANSLATIONS
Three
books
of
poetry
and
fiction, from Punjabi to
English
and
English
to Punjabi.
ANTHOLOGIES
(A
selected list of anthologies in which my
works
are
included)
A
matter of Spirit, edited by Dr.Susan McCaslin, Ekstasis
Editions, fall 1998
Home
and Homelands, Addison-Wesley Publishers Ltd., 1993
The
Geography
of
Voice, edited by Diana
McGifford, TSAR publications, Toronto, 1992
Fear
of Others, vol.1 & 2; edited by Claudine Pommier,
Vancouver, 1988, 89
Voices
of Change, edited by Jurgen
Hesse, Pulp Press, 1990
Glimpses
of Punjabi
Poetry
(English), Edited by
S. Kalsey, Ajanta Books, Delhi;1992
Poetry
of Five Rivers (Punjabi), International Punjabi Foundation, 1983
Punjabi
Poetry
of the Last
Decade (Punjabi),
Punjabi Academy, Delhi, 1993
Punjabi
Poetry
of Canada
(Punjabi), Punjabi
Literary Association, Vancouver, 1980
Man
Pardesi Je Thia, Punjabi Writers Forum,
1994
JOURNALS,
MAGAZINES
(A
partial list of periodicals in which my
works
have
appeared.)
Contemporary
Literature
in Translation; BC
Bookworld;
Toronto
South Asian Review; The Eclipse; Ankur; Rungh; Spokes; The Link; Watno
Dur (Canada), The Indo-Canadian Times(Canada), Arsee (India), Preet Lari (India), Watan (Canada), Sardal(India), Sirnama (India), Lehran (Pakistan), Ikatti Farvari(Delhi), Punjabi Darpan
(U.K); Ajeet(India), Nawan Zamana(India), Darpan(Canada), The Tribune(India), Lakeer(India), Sirjana(India), Sanvad(Canada),
Chetna(U.K)
GRANTS,
AWARDS
&
HONORS
Best
Overseas Punjabi Author
award
by the Punjab Language Dept., India, 1994.
Outstanding
Literary Achievement
award
by Rode Heritage Committee,
Canada, 2000.
Certificate
of Excellence (Theater) by East Indian Workers Association, Toronto,
1996
“Poet
of Life”
award
by Literary Association, G.N.Engg. College Ludhiana,
India, 1994.
“Prominent
Citizens"
award
(literature) by
Guru Nanak
Dev University, India
(1994).
Honored
as an outstanding Punjabi writer by the Chief Minister of
Punjab, 1994.
Honored
by the Punjabi Sahit
Sabha Chandigarh, India, 1994.
Honored
by the Punjabi Literary-Cultural Vichar Manch, Fraser Valley, BC,
1995.
Outstanding
translation work commendation by PICS, Surrey, BC, 1989
Writing
grant, Canada
Heritage Department, 1997
International
Translation grant,
Canada
Council, 1995
Writers’
Reserve
Grant
,
Ontario
Arts
Council, 1985
INCLUDED
IN:
Encyclopedia
of
British Columbia
(Harbor Publishing)
Who's
Who of Indian Writers, Indian
Academy of Letters.
Punjabi
Writers' Directory.
THEATER
Wrote
and directed 10 Punjabi plays. A founder of Canadian Punjabi
theater.
PLAYS
READINGS
(Have given more than 100 readings including those sponsored by
Canada
Council )
Word
On The Street multi language poetry reading, 2001
Kootany
School of Writing, Vancouver; Vancouver
Art
Gallery, Burnaby Writers
Society;
Art
Against
Racism, Vancouver; Federation of BC Writers; The Italian Cultural
Institute, Vancouver; Interfaith Unitarian
Church, Vancouver; National
Book
Festival, Vancouver; Studio “B” Reading Series,
Burnaby, BC; Co-op Radio
reading series, Vancouver; The University of British Columbia; Simon
Fraser University ; University of California, Delhi University;
Punjab University,
Guru Nanak
Dev University, India; Punjabi University Patiala; P.A. University,
India.
Canadian
Punjabi
Poetry
:
University
of
California, (Santa Barbra), 2001
Translation:
joys and frustrations, The Italian Cultural Institute, Vancouver, 1995
Computer
poetry
:
Delhi
University,1981, Punjab
University,
Chandigarh, 1981
Commercialization
of Woman’s womb: the international Sikh symposium,
India, 1994
My
Poetic Experience: Unitarian Church
of Vancouver,1996.
Poetry
,
space
and time: Burnaby Writers
Society
, Burnaby, Art
Gallery, 1996.
Poetry
and Punjabi
Poetry
: Keynote
speech
at the “New Poetry
Festival,” India,1994.
What
is
art: Punjabi Writers Forum,Vancouver,
985
Punjabi
Poetry: A series of talks at the Co-op
Radio Station,Vancouver, 1985
Global Warming: Talks at BC Gas(1991-1993)
Physical
basis of awareness: University of Victoria, 1969.
Artificial intelligence
(series ): University
of
Victoria, 1969.
JURIES
Have
sat on the following juries awarding
grants to
writers and artists
Canada
Council, for awarding Short
Term grants to writers, 1995
Canada
Council National
Book
Festival grants, 1991, 1992
Canada
Council, Grant
“B” assessor, 1996
CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS (a selection)
Hosted
Cultured Voices event at the Vancouver International Writers
Festival, 1999
Chaired
a Cross-cultural workshop at the AGM of The Writers
Union
of
Canada
, 1993.
Chaired
a session, “Science
and Literature
” at international Sikh
Symposium,
India, 1994.
Member,
organizing committee for the
Writing
Thru Race, conference, Vancouver,1994
Member, organizing
committee for the Appropriate
Voice
, conference sponsored by The
Writers
Union of Canada
in
Orillia, Ontario, 1992.
Coordinator
of the First Canadian Punjabi Literary conference, Vancouver,1987.
LITERARY AND CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS:
The
Writers'
Union
of
Canada
:
Chair,
Race Issues committee, 2000.
Representative
of BC/Yukon region ,1994
Member
of the National Council, 1992, 1994
Member
of the Union membership committee, 1996, 1997
Member
(past), Federation of BC Writers
Member
of Publishing, Advisory, and Editorial boards of literary monthly, Watno
Dur
President,
Vancouver
Punjabi Literary Association, 1978/79.
A
founder director of India
Music
Society
(Promoting Indian classical
music).
Founding
director of Watno Dur
Art
Foundation, active in the seventies in BC.
Founder
of the Bharati Nat Kendar
(India
Play
Center) active in the eighties.
A
founding director of SurNat Kendar, a BC performing
arts association.
Founding secretary of Samaanta,
an organization to oppose violence against
women
.
SCIENCE,
PHILOSOPHY
Worked as
professional engineer for BC Hydro/BC Gas from 1974 to 1994. Active
in environmental issues, Global Warming expert for BC Gas, member BC
Carbon Project.
Studies
in philosophy and science of Origin of Consciousness.
.