Ajmer Rode in his study

Ajmer Rode is a Canadian author writing in Punjabi as well as in English. His first work was non-fiction Vishva Di Nuhar on Einstein's Relativity in dialogue form inspired by Plato's Republic. The book published by the Punjabi University in 1966 initiated a series of university publications on popular science and sociology. Rode's first poetry book Surti influenced by science and philosophical explorations was expeimental and in words of critic Dr. Attar Singh 'has extended the scope of Punjabi language and given a new turn to Punjabi poetry'. His most recent poetry book Leela (http://www.geocities.com/ajmerrode/LEELA1.htm), more than 1000 pages long and co-authored with Navtej Bharati, is counted among the outstanding Punjabi literary works of the twentieth century. Download high resolution version (1350x1763, 1775 KB)This portrait is cropped from the larger picture taken in June 2004 by Rana Vig, publisher/photographer of the Mehfil magazine (www. ... Download high resolution version (1350x1763, 1775 KB)This portrait is cropped from the larger picture taken in June 2004 by Rana Vig, publisher/photographer of the Mehfil magazine (www. ... The word author has several meanings: The author of a book, story, article or the like, is the person who has written it (or is writing it). ... Punjabi (sometimes spelled Panjabi) is the language of the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Navtej Bharati Lives in London, Ontario, and has published books in Punjabi and English. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ...

Ajmer Rode is regarded the founder of Punjabi theater in Canada. He wrote and directed the first Punjabi play Dooja Passa dealing with racism faced by minorities. This was followed by his full length play Komagata Maru based on a significant racial incident in British Columbia's history. Though it lacked professional direction the play generated considerable publicity inspiring theatrical interesst in the Indo-Canadian community. His most recent English play Rebirth Of Gandhi was produced at Surrey Arts Center Canada) in 2004 to a full house. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Among Rode's significant translations is The Last Flicker an English rendering of a modren Punjabi classic novel Marhi Da Diva by Gurdial Singh who recently won the Gyan Peeth, India's highest literary award. The translation was published by the Indian Academy of Letters in 1993. Currently Rode is member of an international team of translators rendering Sufi songs from urdu, Punjabi and Hindi into English; the project based in Los Angles aims to produce a large multilingual book of original and translated songs sung by late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the legendary Sufi singer of the twentieth century.

An active member of The Writers Union of Canada, Ajmer Rode was on its National Council in 1994 and later chaired its Racial Minority Writers Committee; Currently he is co-ordinator of Vancouver's Punjabi Writers Forum, the oldest and influential Punjabi writers association in Canada. He has been founding member of several other Indo-Canadian literary and performing arts associations including Watno Dur Art Foundation, and India Music Society founded to promote classical Indian music in North America. He was the first secretary of Samaanta, an organization to oppose violence against women and is now on the advisory board of Chetna, a Vancouver based organization promoting minority rights and opposing Casteism. He has served on Canada Council and British Columbia Arts Council juries to award literary grants.

Rode was given the "Best Overseas Punjabi Author" award by the Punjab Languages Dept, India in 1994. Guru Nanak Dev University honored him with the "Prominent Citizen (literature)" award and the G.N. Engg. College with the "Poet of Life" award the same year. In Canada he has been honored with awards for Punjabi theater and translation. 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

Original Works

• Leela, poetry, 1999
• Shubhchintan, poetry, 1993
• Surti, poetry, 1989, 1979
• Poems At My Doorstep, poetry, 1990
• Blue Meditations, poetry, 1985
• Komagata Maru, full length play, 1984
• Dooja Passa, one act plays, 1981
• Vishava Di Nuhar, prose, 1966

1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003) Events Media:January January 1 - Czechoslovakia divides. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...

Drama

Plays written and directed:

• Dooja Passa, One Girl One Dream, Visa, Komagata Maru,
• Nirlajj, Chetna (co-author), Third Eye, Rebirth of Gandhi,
• Turi Wala Kotha (direction), Stair to Nowhere (reading),
• The Fragrant Grass (reading)

Translations

• The Last Flicker, Novel, 1993
• Desire, poems, 1999
• One Hundred One Surrealist Poems, 1996
• Bird Talk, children's story 2001
• Calander Poems, poems, 2003
• Dukh Sukh, poems, 2005

1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003) Events Media:January January 1 - Czechoslovakia divides. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Editing

• Punjabi Poetry of Canada, co-edited, 1980
• Canadian Punjabi issue of the Preet Lari, 1986
• Munch Katha, co-edited, 2002
• Om Parkash, 2005

1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Ajmer Rode (http://www.geocities.com/ajmerrode)
• Interview on poetry (http://www.marilynbowering.com/poetry.html)