A. K. Ramanujan as a poet

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A. K. Ramanujan was a great Indian English poet. His full name was Attipat Krishnaswami Ramanujan. He was born in Mysore in 1929. He was a poet, translator, linguist, and folklorist. He wrote mainly in English. He could also speak Kannada and Tamil, which were his family languages.

Ramanujan completed his BA and MA in English language and literature at the University of Mysore. He taught at different universities in South India. In 1958, he earned a graduate diploma in theoretical linguistics from Deccan University in Pune.

He moved to the United States in 1959. In 1962, he became an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago. He worked there for the rest of his career. In 1963, he received a Ph.D. in linguistics from Indiana University. He also taught at Harvard, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Michigan, the University of California at Berkeley, and Carlton College.

At the University of Chicago, Ramanujan played a key role in developing the South Asian Studies program. He worked in the departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations and Linguistics. He was also part of the Committee on Social Thought.

The Government of India honored him with the "Padma Shri" award in 1976. In 1983, he received the MacArthur Prize Fellowship. He passed away in Chicago on July 13, 1993.

Ramanujan was a famous poet in Indian English literature. His poetry became well-known worldwide. His two famous poetry collections are The Striders (1966) and Relations (1971). Some of his famous poems include Small-Scale Reflections on a Great House, A River, Obituary, Looking for a Cousin on a Swing, Love Poem for a Wife, Self-Portrait, Snakes, Still Life, The Striders, and Elements of Composition. His poetry focuses on human emotions, Indian traditions, and the meaning of life.

He was a multicultural poet. His poetry combined elements from Kannada and Tamil with English literature. His poem Small Scale Reflections on a Great House shows how he blended Indian and Western ideas. His poetry was Indian in its themes and emotions.

Ramanujan found inspiration in his childhood memories and past experiences in India. His poetry reflects his deep connection with his roots. He did not reject the past but used it creatively in his poetry. His poetry is not calm recollections of emotions but memories filled with strong emotions. His writing style attracted many critics because of its depth and originality.

Despite living in the United States, Ramanujan always wrote about India. He was influenced by American culture, but he never lost touch with his Indian identity. His poetry in both English and Kannada reflects Indian myths, folklore, history, and traditions.

Family plays an important role in his poetry. Poet R. Parthasarathy noted that the idea of family was central to Ramanujan’s thoughts.

Ramanujan was also a poet of nature. His poetry shows modernist techniques like Imagism and Expressionism. He focused more on natural objects than abstract thoughts. His poetry is filled with images from nature.

He wrote about life, death, dreams, love, and human emotions. His poems mention animals, birds, insects, trees, flowers, the sky, the moon, rivers, mountains, and oceans. His poetry includes irony, humor, paradox, and unexpected twists. His poems explore themes like birth, pain, and love.

Ramanujan was an important figure in Indian English poetry. His poetry reflected both Indian and Western influences. He wrote about Indian traditions while experimenting with modern styles. His deep connection with his past and his creative use of language made him a unique poet.



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