Ved Mitra Shukla has successfully carried the contexts and connotations of Narendra Mohan's long poems into English in these close translations. At a time when long poems are becoming rarer and lyrical poems have become the norm of the day, translating long poems which have a different aesthetic structure and profound social and moral implications is a great service to the art of poetry as well as the art of translation. I am certain these poems will be read as much for pleasure as for illumination. Congratulations to the translator who has accepted the challenge and contributed to the parallel tradition of long poems in translation. 

–        K Satchidanandan

Eminent Writer and Former Director & Professor of the School of  Translation Studies and Training, IGNOU, New Delhi 

Ved Mitra Shukla (b. 1980) is a bilingual author in Hindi and English, and translates in both the languages. He writes poems (especially ghazals & sonnets), short-stories, memoirs, etc. Author of three Hindi books, Jari Apna Safar Raha (a book of Hindi Ghazals selected and funded by Hindi Academy, Delhi in 2019), Kahavaton Ki Kavitaaen (children’s poetry collection in 2019), and Bapu Se Sikhen (children’s poetry on the 150^th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2018). He hasalso edited Ramadarash Mishra Ki Lambi Kavitaen (2019), and co-edited Complete Works of Deendayal Upadhyay (15 vols.).He did his MPhil and PhD from JNU, New Delhi. He teaches English Literature at Rajdhani College of University of Delhi.

Narendra Mohan has a Doctorate in Literature from Punjab University, Chandigarh, and has been a Visiting Professor at various universities and institutions like the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, Baba Sahib Ambedkar University, Aurangabad, and Goa University.

As an eminent poet, playwright and critic, he has secured his place in the Indian literary scene. He is a significant playwright, having written and published nine plays, beginning from Kahe Kabir Sono Bhai Sadho (1988) to Manch Andhere Mein (2011) which have been staged by eminent theatre personalities and groups throughout India and abroad. He has contributed a lot to Indian theatre in his own special way.

Narendra Mohan is a distinguished poet. Ten collections of poetry – Iss Hadsey Mein (1975) to Rang Aakash Mein Shabd (2011) – have earned him critical appreciation and fame. He is a trendsetter in poetry – Vichar Kavita and Lambi Kavita. His critical works initiated new discourses on Partition and Manto. His complete works have been published in twelve volumes.

Dr Narendra Mohan has presented papers at several literary conferences and seminars nationally as well as internationally. His creative talents have also earned him applause on the small screen. His works have been translated into a number of Indian languages, including Marathi, Kannada, Urdu, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi and English.He is a recipient of top national awards and honours in recognition of his literary merits.