Day 2 - 17 July: A poet and a mariner

Surendra Nath in conversation with Haldhar Nag
Moderator: Jnanee Debasis Mishra

Prop question: Is it necessary for the translator to ‘know’ the author?

Padma Shri Haldhar Nag is a Sambalpuri poet who writes in Kosli. His first poem “Dhodo Bargachh" (The Old Banyan Tree) brought him widespread recognition. A poet and philosopher, he recites his poems from memory. His poems are now the subject of Ph.D. dissertations. A compilation of his poems Haldhar Granthabali is soon to be published by Sambalpur University.

Surendra Nath is a retired navy officer and an avid reader. For him, it is no life if one does not read or write. At sea, he and his crew had to often go without news for days on end. But Surendra Nath managed to prepare a hand-made newspaper on the ship, Ranvijay Flash. The whole crew used to look forward to it every morning. Surendra’s ode to Haldhar’s art, an English compilation of Haldhar’s poems (3 vols), is titled Kavyanjali.

Dr. Jnanee Debasis Mishra is Assistant Professor in the Department of Odia, Ravenshaw University