Area (s) of Specialisation

1. World Poetry in English Translation
2. English Poetry
3. Indian Poetry in English Translation
4. Northeast Poetry in English Translation
5. Classical Literary Criticism
6. English Literary Criticism up to the Romantics

Experience

Seven years as professor; six years as associate professor; 11 years as college lecturer.

Honours / Awards / Fellowship

1. Awarded a Fellowship for Outstanding Artists 2000 by the Department of Culture and Tourism, Government of India.
2. Awarded the first North-East Poetry Award 2004 by the North-East India Poetry Council, Tripura.
3. Awarded the first two lakh-rupee Veer Shankar Shah-Raghunath Shah National Award for literature by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2008.
4. Awarded a Junior Fellowship by the University Grants Commission, Government of India for a PhD project, “Hiraeth and the Poetry of Soso Tham: A Study of Ki Sngi ba Rim U Hynñiew Trep and Related Short Poems”.

PhD Awarded/Supervised

Six students awarded PhD. Eight, under supervision.

Administrative Responsibilities Undertaken 

• In charge of Publication Cell, NEHU, as Publication Officer/Deputy Director from 2001 to 2007.
• Held the post of Public Relations Officer, NEHU, from 2001 to 2007.

Research Projects

One. “The Ancient Fort of Ïapngar”.

Publications

Poetry Books and Anthologies (English):

Moments (first collection, Writers Workshop, Calcutta, 1992); The Sieve (second collection, Writers Workshop, Calcutta, 1992); Anthology of Contemporary Poetry from the Northeast (co-ed., North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 2003); The Season of the Wind (third collection, Pine Cones Publication, Shillong, 2008); The Fungus (fourth collection, Pine Cones Publication, Shillong, 2008); Dancing Earth: An Anthology of Poetry from Northeast India (co-ed., Penguin India, New Delhi, 2010); The Yearning of Seeds (fifth collection, HarperCollins India, New Delhi, 2011);  Time’s Barter: Haiku and Senryu (sixth collection, HarperCollins India, New Delhi, 2015).

Other Books and Story Collections (English):

A Handbook for Apphira Journalists (Apphira Publications, Shillong, 1994); U Sier Lapalang (short fiction, Katha, New Delhi, 2005); The Animal Dance Festival (short fiction, Katha, New Delhi, 2005); Around the Hearth: Khasi Legends (Penguin Books India, New Delhi, 2007); The Story of Khasi Archery: From God-given Gift to Poetry and Dream Psychology (Pine Cones Publications & Ri Khasi Book Agency, Shillong, 2010); Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem (ed., bilingual anthology of essays on the ‘Weiking Dance’ and other Khasi Traditional Dances, Seng Khasi Kmie, Shillong, 2011); Nights of Terror: A Play in Three Acts (Himalaya Book House, Shillong, 2011); The Legend of U Thlen: A Graphic Novel (Blaft Publications, Chennai, 2013); Manik: A Play in Five Acts (Dhauli Books, Bhubaneshwar, 2018); Funeral Nights: A Novel (Amazon/Westland, New Delhi, forthcoming, 2019).

Critical Writings (English):

Time’s Inscriptions: NEHU Anthology for Literature (co-ed., Orient Black Swan, Hyderabad, 2010); The Looking Glass: NEHU Anthology for Poetry (co-ed., Cambridge University Press, New Delhi, 2010); NEHU Anthology of Short Plays and Biographies (co-ed., Orient Black Swan, Hyderabad, 2010);  NEHU Anthology of Prose and Drama (co-ed., Cambridge University Press India, New Delhi, 2010); NEHU Anthology of Select Literary Criticism (co-ed., Orient Black Swan, Hyderabad, 2011); Hiraeth and the Poetry Soso Tham (Ri Khasi Book Agency & North Eastern India for Indigenous Studies, Shillong, 2011).

Poetry Books and Anthologies (Khasi):

Ka Samoi jong ka Lyer (“The Season of the Wind”, first collection in Khasi, government-financed, Shillong, 2002); Ki Mawsiang ka Sohra (“The Ancient Rocks of Cherra”, second collection in Khasi, government-financed, Shillong, 2002); Ki Jingkynmaw (“Remembrances”, ed., anthology of Khasi poetry, Lanong Brothers, Shillong, 2002); Ka Jingïapeiñ jong ka Por: Ki Haiku bad Senryu  (third collection in Khasi, Pine Cones Publications, Shillong, 2010); Ka Jingshai ha ka Miet (“Light-in-the-Night”, fourth collection in Khasi, forthcoming).

Other Books and Story Collections (Khasi):

I Moiñ Moiñ Syiar- 1 (short, short stories, government-financed, Shillong, 1992); Ka Mother Teresa (biography in Khasi, Gautam Bros, Shillong, 2010); Ki Miet ka Jingtriem (“Nights of Terror”, drama—made into a film—Pine Cones Publications, Shillong, 2011); Ka Pyrkhat Niam ki Khanatang (“Sacred Myths and the Religious Content”, critical analysis, Pine Cones Publications, 2011); Ki Kyrwoh: Ki Khana Phawer (collection of moral stories, Pine Cones Publications, Shillong, 2015); Ka Jingngiew ka Mynsiem Briew (“Heart of Horror”, drama, Pine Cones Publications, forthcoming); Ki Sawangka Shi Bynta (“One-act Plays”, forthcoming); Ki Khana na ka Jingim u Gandhiji (trans., “Stories from the Life of Bapu” by U. S. Joshi, NBT [India], 1999); Ki Khana Bangja bad ki Khana Ai Jingshai (trans., “Stories of Light and Delight” by Manoj Das, NBT [India], 1999); Ka Latom u Mangu (trans., NBT [India], 1999); Ki Jingthung ba Ai Jingmyntoi (trans., NBT [India], 1999); Ki Kynjia Tdong (trans., NBT [India], 1999); Ka Mitha bad ki Juti Jadu (trans., NBT [India], 1999); and Rupa, Ka Hati (trans., NBT [India], 1999).

Critical Books (Khasi):

Ban Sngewthuh ïa ka Poitri [“Understanding Poetry” (used as a Reference Book in colleges etc.), Gautam Bros, Shillong, 1999].

Poems in Select Anthologies, Journals & Magazines (Foreign):

American Poetry Anthology (American Poetry Association, Santa Cruz, USA, 1992); Khasia in Gwalia (anthology, Alun Books, Port Talbot, Wales, 1995); The Silence Within (anthology, International Library of Poetry, Owing Mills, USA,  2001); In Our Own Words: Stories, Essays, Lyrics and Verse—Volumes 7 & 8 (anthology, M W Enterprises, Cary, USA, 2007 & 2008); The New Welsh Review (Aberystwyth, Wales); SWAG Magazine (Swansea Writers’ and Artists’ Group, Wales); Green’s Magazine (Sasketchewan, Canada); Planet: The Welsh Internationalist (Berw Cyf &Welsh Books Council, Aberystwyth, Wales); Karavan (Innehall, Stockholm, Sweden); Simply Haiku (Pasadena, USA); Modern Haiku (Lincoln, USA); PEN International (London); The Literary Review (New Jersey, USA); Wasafiri (London);  Poetry International Web (Rotterdam, Holland); Heron’s Nest (Nassau,  USA); Cattails: The Official Journal of the United Haiku and Tanka Society (Ottawa, Canada); Presence: Britain's Leading Independent Haiku Journal (London); Dog-Ear (London); Sentinel Literary Quarterly: The Magazine of World Literature (London); Cordite Poetry Review (Carlton South, Australia);  Web publications such as poetryinternational.com (Owing Mills, USA); Poem Hunter (Paris), Occupy Poetry (California), and others.

Poems in Select Anthologies, Journals & Magazines (National):

A New Book of Indian Poems in English (anthology, Writers Workshop, Kolkata, 2000); Contemporary Indian Literature in English Translations (anthology, Indira Gandhi National  Open University, 2002); Confronting Love: Poems (anthology, Penguin India, New Delhi, 2005); Where the Sun Rises, When Shadows Fall (anthology, Oxford University Press & India International Centre, New Delhi, 2006); 50 Poets, 50 Poems (anthology, Open Space of Centre for Communication and Development Studies, Pune, 2007); The Other Side of Terror: Terrorism in South Asia (Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2009); Writing Love: An Anthology of Indian-English Poetry (Rupa, New Delhi, 2010); The Oxford Anthology of Writings from North-East India: Volumes 1 & 2 (Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2011); India in Verse (anthology, The Little Magazine, New Delhi); The HarperCollins Book of English Poetry (anthology, HarperCollins, New Delhi, 2012); These My Words: The Penguin Book of Indian Poetry (anthology, Penguin India, New Delhi, 2012); Ten: The New Indian Poets (anthology, Nirala, New Delhi, 2013);  Another Country: An Anthology of Post-independence Indian Poetry in English (anthology, Sahitya Akademi, 2013); The Best of Indian Literature (anthology, Sahitya Akademi, 2014); Poetry with Prakriti (anthology, Prakriti Foundation, Chennai, 2015); 100 Great Indian Poems (anthology, Bloomsbury, New Delhi, 2018); Eastern Muse: Poems from the East and North East India (anthology, Authors’ Press, New Delhi, 2019); Indian Literature (New Delhi); The Journal: Poetry Society India (New Delhi); Literature Alive (New Delhi); Kavya Bharati (Madurai); The Journal of Indian Writing in English (Gulbarga); Poiesis (Mumbai); Poetry Chronicle (Poetry Circle, Mumbai); Femina (Mumbai); The Telegraph Colour Magazine (Kolkata); Amrita Bazar Patrika (Kolkata); Chandrabhaga (Cuttack); Indian Book Chronicle (Jaipur); Aam Admi (New Delhi); Sahitya Warta (Shillong); Samanvaya Poorvoter (Shillong); Paharia (Shillong); Rang Prasang (New Delhi); Mint Lounge: The Weekend Magazine (New Delhi); The Little Magazine (New Delhi); Muse India (Hyderabad); Kritya (Bangalore); Samkalin Bharatya Sahitya (Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi); Dhauli Review (Bhubaneshwar); Poetry at Sangam (Mumbai).

Stories in Select Anthologies and Journals:

The Heart of the Matter (anthology, Katha, New Delhi, 2004); Fresh Fictions: Folk Tales, Plays, Novellas (anthology, Katha, New Delhi, 2005); First Sun Stories: Folk Tales from the North East (anthology, Katha, New Delhi, 2005); Earth Songs: Stories from Northeast India (anthology, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 2005); Where the Sun Rises, When Shadows Fall (anthology, Oxford University Press & India International Centre, New Delhi, 2006); The Oxford Anthology of Writings from North-East India: Volumes 1 & 2 (anthology, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2011);  Pilgrim’s India: An Anthology (Penguin India, New Delhi, 2011); Day's End Stories: Life after Sundown in Small-Town India (anthology, Westland/Tranquebar Press , New Delhi, 2014) Indian Literature (Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi); New Frontiers (North-East Writers’ Forum, Guwahati); INSA Newsletter (Indian Society of Authors, New Delhi); Aam Admi (All India Tribal Literary Forum, New Delhi), IIC Quarterly (India International Centre, New Delhi); Lasubon 2005 (East Zone Inter-University Youth Festival Souvenir, Shillong); G-Plus (Guwahati); Raiot (Shillong); Apphira Daily News (Shillong); Indian Quarterly (Mumbai); Planet: The Welsh Internationalist (Aberystwyth, Wales).

Critical Papers (English):

“A Dying Light in the East” (a critique of the first Khasi documentary to compete at Film South Asia ’97 in Kathmandu, The Sentinel, Guwahati, 2000); “Dafydd Rowlands: The Bard Hewn from Meini” (Indian Horizons, Volume 48, No. 3, New Delhi, 2001); “Editors’ Note” (Anthology of Contemporary Poetry from the Northeast, NEHU, Shillong, 2003); “Introduction” (The Great Earthquake of 1897 in the Khasi-Jaiñtia Hills by Reverend Robert Evans, NEHU, Shillong, 2003); “The Lost Manuscript (Tribe, Culture, Art, DVS Publishers, Guwahati, 2005); “The Poet as Chronicler: An Overview of Contemporary Poetry in Northeast India” (Poetry International Web, Rotterdam, 2005); “The Thud of Boots and the Odour of Gunpowder: An Interview with Chandrakanta Murasingh” (Poetry International Web, Rotterdam, 2005); “May All Men Become Poets, Rebels and Lovers: An Interview with Nilmani Phookan” (Poetry International Web, Rotterdam, 2005); “Khasi Democracy through the Eyes of a Poet: An Analysis [in Hindi translation]” (Adivasi Lok-1, All India Tribal Literary Forum, New Delhi, 2005); “Hard-edged Modernism: Contemporary Poetry in North-East India” (Where the Sun Rises, When Shadows Fall, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2006); “The Writer and the Community: A Case for Literary Ambidexterity” (Poetry International Web, Rotterdam, 2006); “From the Land of ‘Half-Humans’ and ‘Nameless Citizens’: The Poetry of Thangjam Ibopishak Singh” (Poetry International Web, Rotterdam, 2006); “Cultural History and the Genesis of the Khasi Oral Tradition” (Orality and Beyond, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 2007); “The Birth Pangs of a Poet: The Early Works of Soso Tham, Chief Bard of the Khasis” (Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 2008); “Poetry, My Light-in-the-Night” (Melange, The Sentinel, Guwahati, 2011); “The Pre-historic Beginnings of Shad Suk Mynsiem” (Centenary Souvenir, Seng Khasi, Shillong, 2011); “Following the Shad Suk Mynsiem Drum” (Centenary Souvenir, Seng Khasi, Shillong, 2011); “Glimpses of the Dances of the Hynñiew Trep People” (Centenary Souvenir, Seng Khasi, Shillong, 2011); “Longing for the Rain: Remembering the Cherrapunjee Summers” (Down to Earth, New Delhi, 2012); “Not Khalish, But Khasi and English” (Sankardev College Golden Jubilee Souvenir, Sankardev College, Shillong, 2012);  “Khasi Religious Thought: The Three Commandments” (Hima Khyrim Souvenir, Smit, 2012); “Meghalaya with Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih” (Travel Plus, New  Delhi, 2013); “Author’s Take: Shillong” (Talk of the Town, Penguin, New Delhi, 2013); “Problems of Translation: The Khasi Perspective” (Ka Thwet, a Bilingual Journal of the Khasi Department, NEHU, Shillong, 2015); “Translation: Mother Tongue and Other Tongue (Dhauli Review, Bhubaneshwar, 2016); “Where Lies the Greatness of Soso Tham’s Poetry: A Dialogue” (Ka Thwet, a Bilingual Journal of the Khasi Department, NEHU, Shillong, 2017).

Papers (Khasi):

“Ki Kyntien Kynpham” (Introduction to “Ki Laiñ Kham Khraw ban ka Taj Mahal by Jerome K. Diengdoh, Shillong, 2000); “Ki Jingkynmaw” (Introduction to the poetry anthology, Ki Jingkynmaw: Ka Thup Kyllum ki Poitri Khasi , Lanong Brothers, Shillong, 2002); “Namar ki Para Ri” (critical comments on “The Relationship between the Poet and His People”, published in Ka Samoi jong ka Lyer, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, Shillong, 2002); “Namar ka Shnong” (critical comments on “The Relationship between the Poet and His Provenance”, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, Shillong, 2002); “Ki Jingsdang ka Shad Suk Mynsiem Naduh Kulong Kumah” (“The Pre-historic Beginnings of Shad Suk Mynsiem”, Centenary Souvenir, Seng Khasi, Shillong, 2011); “Ka Biria ha ki Poitri Khasi” (“The Use of Humour in Khasi Poetry”, SBUK Silver Jubilee Souvenir, Seng Biria U Khasi, Shillong, 2014); “Ki Samla bad ka Saiñ Pyrthei” (“The Role of the Youth in Politics”, Platinum Jubilee Souvenir, Mawphor, Shillong 2015); “U Nongthoh bad ka Imlang Sahlang: Ka Kamon Kadiang ha ka Thoh ka Tar” (“The Writer and the Community: A Case for Literary Ambidexterity”, Ka Thiar ki Nongthoh, Khasi Authors’ Society, Shillong, 2015); “Shaphang ka Haiku bad Senryu” (“Understanding Haiku and Senryu”, Ka Thiar ki Nongthoh, Khasi Authors’ Society,  Shillong, 2015); “Ka Ktien Tynrai Kum ka Sur ka Jingim” (“The Mother Tongue as the Voice of Life”, Ka Thiar ki Nongthoh, Khasi Authors’ Society, Shillong, forthcoming); “Ka Jingïashem Jong Nga bad I Bah Bevan L. Swer” (“My Encounter with Bevan L. Swer, Poet and Writer”, Ka Thiar ki Nongthoh, Khasi Authors’ Society, Shillong, forthcoming).  

Papers presented in Conferences/Seminars

1. “Tribal Literature in Northeast India” + self-composed poems in Literary Commons!: Writing Australia India in the Asian Century.... organised by Monash University, Melbourne, from 1 to 5 April 2016.
2. “Myths and Khasi Religious Thought” presented during a UGC-HRDC Refresher Course in Tribal Studies on 12 August 2015.
3. “Ki Khana Parom ki Pynpaw ïa ka Pyrkhat ka Jaitbynriew” (“Folklore as the Exponent of a Community’s Thought”) in the seminar on Ki Khana Parom ha ki Sur Poetry (Folktales in Verse) organised by the All India Radio Shillong on 20 February 2015.
4. “Shadows of Self: Being a Poet in NE” and “Myth, Society and Storytelling” in The Guwahati Lit Fest held from 27 to 29 December 2014.
5. “The Menace of the Gun: Northeast Poetry and the Literature of Real Conflict” + self-composed poems in Australia-India Literatures International Forum organised by the Writing and Society Research Centre, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, from 3 to 6 September 2012.
6. “The Writer and His Community: A Case for Literary Ambidexterity” + self-composed poems in Goa Arts & Literary Festival–2011 organised by the Goa Writers Group, Panjim, in conjunction with Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, from 17 to 21 December 2011.
7. “From God-given Gift to Poetry: Khasi Archery and the Evolution of Phawar Poetry” + “Shillong in Haiku” in Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2010 organised by Siyahi and the India-Bhutan Foundation, Thimphu, from 17 to 20 May 2010.
8. “Ka Jingiashem Jong Nga bad I Bah Bevan L. Swer” (A Tribute to Prof. Bevan L. Swer, founder-member of the Khasi Department) during the Felicitation Programme of Pioneers in Khasi Literature organised by the Department of Khasi on 29 September 2010.
9. “Poetry, My Light-in-the-Night” + self-composed poems in Poetry Tour of Chennai organised by Prakriti from 29 to 30 December 2010.
10. “Problems of Translation: The Khasi Perspective” + self-composed poems in the translation workshop, Four Indian Writers, Four UK Writers, organised by Writers’ Chain and Wales Arts International, UK, at Neemrana, Rajasthan, from 14 to 20 January 2009.
11. “The Poetry of Northeast India: An Overview” + self-composed poems in Free the Word Festival organised by International PEN in London on 18 April 2009 at Shakespeare’s Globe (Under Globe).
12. “Understanding Poetry: The Essential Characteristics” + self-composed poems in the Workshop on Poetry organised by the Welsh Academy and Writers’ Chain at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, on 24 April 2009.
13.  “Roots of the Past: Myths in Northeast Poetry” in the symposium on Influence and Assimilation of Folklore in the Poetry of North-East India organised by Sahitya Akademi in Shillong on 25 July 2008.
14. “The Death of Lapalang, the Stag” + self-composed poems in Kovalam Literary Festival organised by Noctilucent, New Delhi, in Kovalam, Kerela from 6 to 8 October 2008.
15. “The Poetics of the Khasi Phawar” in the seminar on Tribal Literature with Special Reference to Languages of North-East India organised by the Department of Khasi, NEHU, Shillong, from 20 to 22 February 2008.
16. “Ban Sngewthuh bad Batai ïa ka Poitri” (“How to Understand and Appreciate Poetry”) in the literary workshop on Training on the Art of Writing and Literature 2007 organised by the Contemporary Khasi Authors’ Association, Shillong, on 12 September.
17. “The Khasi Phawar: Exposition and Short Entries” in the Workshop on Indian Poetics and the International Symposium on Encyclopaedia of Indian Poetics organised by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, on 10 December 2007.
18. “The Poet and His Times: The Need for Communication” + self-composed poems in the seminar on Writer’s Response to Contemporary Literary Phenomenon of North East India organised by the Department of Art and Culture, Government of Manipur, Imphal, from 20 to 21 December 2007.
19. “Khasi Democracy as Reflected in Poetry: An Analysis” in the seminar on Contemporary Responses to Understanding Culture organised by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi, and the Department of Philosophy, NEHU, Shillong, from 17 to 9 November 2005.
20. “Ek Kavi ki Drishti me Khasi Loktantra: Ek Vish le Shan” in the All India Tribal Writers’ Meet organised by All India Tribal Literary Forum, New Delhi, from 4 to 7 April 2006.
21. “Cultural History and the Genesis of the Khasi Oral Tradition” in the seminar on Orality and Beyond: A North-East Indian Perspective organised by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, and the Centre for Cultural and Creative Studies, NEHU, Shillong, from 26 to 27 July 2005.

Attended:

1. The UK Year of Literature and Writing, 1995 organised by the Welsh and British Arts Councils, UK.
2. Jatyo Kavita Utsav 2003 organised by the National Poetry Council of Bangladesh, Dhaka.
3. The London Book Fair 2009 and allied literary events around London organised by the British Council, London.
4. Free the Word! A Celebration of World Literature 2009 organised by International PEN, London.
5. A Literary Tour of Wales 2009 organised by Writers’ Chain, Cardiff.
6. The Mountain Echoes International Literary Festival 2010 organised by Siyahi and the India-Bhutan Foundation, Thimphu.
7. The Australia-India Literatures International Forum organised by the Writing and Society Research Centre, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, 2012.
8. The Literary Commons! Writing Australia-India in the Asian Century with Dalit, Indigenous and Multilingual Tongues organised by Monash University, Melbourne, 2016.
9. Many major Literary Festivals in India, including The Jaipur Literature Festival in 2007 and 2009.