In search of the history : All INDIA PEN CENTER

Click the bengali writing image to see enlarged form
this is a page from a periodical (above) underlined lines are wrong information about PEN published in kolkata in 2006, On then we had no communication with Indian PEN center in Mumbai. The title of the article says in bengali that International PEN has crossed one hundred years . (The International PEN in centenary light) and there are more mistakes in other informations.

Many a times I asked to my senior writers including PEN Members,About the History of 'All India PEN center', But sorry to tell that no one can shed light, There are many P.E.N. members from 1934( so far I can trace). I Live in kolkata, Never been in Bombay (present name Mumbai, it is about 2000 km west from West Bengal). so, i can not pursue my request to P E N members living there. I mailed to secretary ranjit Hoskote, and Sampurna Chattarji india.pen@gmail.comsampurna_c@yahoo.co.uk and ranjithoskote@yahoo.co.uk and we sent letters at 'Secretary - Ranjit Hoskote
Theosophy Hall, 40 New Marine Lines, Bombay, 400 020, India'.
no one entertained us. Reason unknown. Only when my mail was forwarded by executive director , International PEN on then ( maybe in courtesy) Ranjit Hoskote responsed a year ago, I do not understand why a lot my mail were not answered. I leave this situation to readers knowledge.
In kolkata, at 9/3 tamer lane, PEN meeting is constant for decades apart from big seminars in different districts and other Indian states.
My only quest was History of PEN in INDIA, because I am influenced by International PEN's charter, and I find a comfortable, fear less platform for my expression and dissemination of expression . I have come to know this also that Indian PEN created a space for indian writers in thirties before independence that we enjoy today. Many people ask me questions regarding PEN. and Due to ignorancy many people know in Kolkata-- West Bengal that 'International PEN ' started in 1905 at stalkholm in Sweden. and from 1929 Indian PEN starts....and a lot wrong information..( see articles by Adhir Ghatak in Darshak vol. 45 -aug sep 2004, and Pratidin).
People argue with me as I am younger than them. they think i do not know much. Any way I have fought for last few years, finally people started to rely on my campaign.

I started corroborate the history of indian PEN ( without any help fromAll India PEN , Mumbai) on my own, ( its my hobby to dissemination of knowledge regarding Arts, literature and science or reasoning and what I earn I spend most of it after this) . If anything my readers find wrong or want to add more please, this is my request to notify me. write penkolkata@yahoo.co.in ,

“Exile is a dream of glorious return
Exile is a vision of revolution:
Elba, not St. Helena. It is an endless paradox:
Looking forward by looking back
-- Salman Rushdie

'I asked many people for History of Indian PEN, including those who are involve with All Indian PEN at present, no one responded me, So I began a search through the web, and some old papers, the following as a result of my extensive search. I am optimistic someone may shed light on my clues.'


The Aryan Path Paved the way for ‘The International PEN’ in India: A history

In 1945, on August 11th, the Indian Institute Of Culture was founded by Mr. Wadia, in the suburb of Basavanagudi in the city of Bangalore, with Dr. L. S. Doraiswamy as its first Secretary. This brought to Bangalore to lecture persons from many countries who were visiting India; and it also served as a forum for prominent Indian specialists to lecture on their investigations and findings. Later the name of this institution was changed to The Indian Institute Of World Culture.
It owes its existence to the foresight, vision and sacrifice of its Founder--President, Shri B. P. Wadia and his spouse, Smt. Sophia Wadia . The prime object of the Institute is to foster the growth of a truly cosmopolitan spirit among citizens of all nations. It bases this on Universal Brotherhood, and faith in the universal moral law of Karma. It was conceived not as an academy for scholars, but as a cultural centre for ordinary men and women, affording them opportunities to develop those graces of living which are the hallmark of humanism.
(B.P Wadia: a life in service to humanity Sri. B. P. Wadia (Bahman Pestonji) was born on 8th October 1881 as the eldest son of Sri. Pestonji Cursetji and Smt. Mithibai Wadia. As a student Sri B. P. Wadia studied at New High School in Bombay. In 1904, Mr. B. P. Wadia joined the Bombay Branch of the Theosophical Society. He became an active member of the Branch and later in 1907 he left Bombay and went to Adyar, Madras, to work there under Col. Olcott, and later Mrs. Annie Besant. He worked for the journal The Theosophist.)
In 1919 he visited the ULT (United Lodge of Theosophists) in Los Angeles and was very impressed. In 1923 he founded several lodges in US, UK, France and India. In 1930 he published the journal "The Aryan Path". In 1928 he married Sophia Camacho.
Between January and the end of April 1929, Mr. Wadia lectured for the London ULT at the Victoria Hall, Bloomsbury, to packed audiences ( 2,300 +) The London Lodge was then housed in rented premises in a building a couple of blocks from Marble Arch. In March 1929, Mr. and Mrs. Wadia were in London, they also were visited by many students from the European continent. They, in turn, visited a number of the ULT Lodges there before beginning their trip to India. A ULT Study Group was started in Amsterdam under the inspiration received by some of its residents from their visits and talks with him. The Antwerp Lodge was inaugurated on November 17th 1956. Lodges were also started in Amsterdam and The Hague.

1930 - The Aryan Path

January 1930 saw the first issue of The Aryan Path (the noble path) magazine, supported by articles and editorials, by Mr. Wadia and Mr. T.L.Crombie (THEODORE L. CROMBIE), who acted as sub-editor. Mme. Wadia allowed her name to used as "Editor." Mr. Wadia was of the opinion that the future of Theosophy in its presentation to the world would be, in one way, through the work of the future writers and poets of the world. Accordingly he and Sophia Wadia had earlier became members of the International P.E.N. Club. They organized its Indian chapter and maintained offices for it, a monthly magazine called The Indian P.E.N. was started.



Invitation:
By 1931, at the Congress in Amsterdam, P.E.N. had grown to truly justify its identity as a worldwide organization. Delegates came not only from most of the European countries but from Australia, Canada, China, and South America. Invitations were sent to Japan and India to join P.E.N., but the overtures had not, as yet, come to anything.
Source: http://libweb.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/pen.html



Sophia Wadia The Founder of All-India PEN:
Sophie wadia a member of the united lodge of theosophists and the royal asiatic society.was born on september 13th 1901 and was educated in paris and columbia university, The U S A is an international lecturer and writer and is the editor of Indian Pen which center she founded in 1933.was delegate from india center to international PEN Congress in barcelona, spain 1935 and buensaires in argentina 1936 represented india and spoke at international writers congress paris 1935 contributor to leading periodicals
Source: What India Thinks: Being a Symposium of Thought Contributed by 50 Eminent Men and Women Having India's Interest at Heart By C. Roberts
Contributor C. Roberts Originally published: Calcutta : National Literature Co., 1939.
Published by Asian Educational Services, 2004 ISBN 8120618807, 9788120618800
543 pages

from american center information we can know:
conferences at the India Center from 1945 to 1955, as well as clippings, correspondence, general cases, and material concerning P. R. Sarkar and Brahma Chellaney of the India Center.


(In the 18th of February 1955 Mr. Wadia laid the corner stone for the present home ( THEOSOPHY HALL ) of the ULT in Bombay at 40 New Marine Lines. 328 persons were in attendance. In doing this, he used this invocation:

"We lay this Foundation Stone to the Glory of the Great Architect of the Universe, Vishwa-Karman, whose Hidden
Light is vibrant in every speck of Matter making each a shining spark. May His Blessings be upon it.
"We invoke the Power of His Wise Master Builders, Their Cunning Craftsmen, and Their Obedient Servants.
"May the Blessing of the Holy Ones and of Their Servant H. P. Blavatsky, her colleague William Q. Judge and his devotee Robert Crosbie, Founder of the U.L.T., be upon it and upon the Temple to rise above it.
"We declare this Foundation Stone well and truly laid."
On November 17th 1957 THEOSOPHY HALL in Bombay was inaugurated at 6.15 p.m. by Mr. Wadia. The auditorium and balcony built to accommodate 500 was overflowing and people stood in the aisles. Over 700 were counted. ULT associates from all over India and several foreign countries came for the event.
The building houses on two floors the main auditorium, above are two floors devoted to the ULT ( Robert Crosbie, the founder of the United Lodge of Theosophists) offices and the Reference Library -- ( over 100,000 books and pamphlets available ). The INDIAN P.E.N. has a floor devoted to its offices. On the top two floors are apartments for active students who work constantly at the Lodge.
Mr Wadia died in 1958)

Mrs. Wadia wrote a great deal and was also a popular speaker among the Theosophists.

Madame Sophia, Wadia,
Secretary, P E. N. Club, India Centre. BOMBAY
WADIA, SOPHIA, EDITOR The Indian P.E.N. Volume XXVI/No 10 (October 1960)Bangalore, M. Narayan. 1960. The organ of the P.E.N. All-India Centre. The main article in this issue is Contemporary Literature in the Netherlands by Mynheer H. Klumper of the Netherlands Embassy, New Delhi. Additional regular features of the magazine include P.E.N. Meetings, Notes and News, on the XXXIst International P.E.N. Congress in Rio de Janeiro, Modern Indian Poetry--Sindhi, and The Jamia Millia Islamia by Professor M. Mujeeb. The Literary Scene in India and Book Reviews. P.E.N. (Poets/Editors/Novelists) is a worldwide association of writers with chapters in 141 countries. Shrimati Sophia Wadia, nee Sophia Camacho (1901-1986) of New York City, was the widow of the well-known United Lodge of Theosophists (U.L.T.) leader, B.P. Wadia (1881-1958). They were among the first members of the International P.E.N. Club and started The Indian P.E.N. periodical. Mrs. Wadia wrote a great deal and was also a popular speaker among the Theosophists.

USD 16.00 [Appr.: EURO 10.75 £UK 8.5 JP¥ 1664] Book number: 003985
http://www.antiqbook.com/boox/hur/003984.shtml
James Hurley, BooksPO Box 334, Springfield Center, New York, NY 13468, USA Tel.: +1 607 264 3636. Email: jhurley@booksasia.com


The first Publication of Indian Literature:
Assamese Literature–By Birinchi Kumar Barua. Edited by Sophia Wadia for the P.E.N. All-India Centre. (Arya Sangha, Malabar Hill, Bombay. Pages 102. Price Rs. 1-8-0.)
This is the first of a series of books planned by the P.E.N. All-India Centre on the main Indian languages, for, as the Editor truly says in her Introduction, "Many educated Indians are not familiar with the literary wealth of any Indian language other than their own. How many Bengalis know of the beauties of Malayalam literature? How many Tamilians are familiar with the literary efforts of old and modern Assam?...No systematic attempt has been made to popularise the story of the Indian literatures or to present gems from their masterpieces, to the general public in English translation" It is only too true that our English educated people interested in literary matters are more acquainted with French or Russian literature than even with the classics or the modern efforts of neighbouring Indian languages, not to speak of the literatures of comparatively remote areas like Assam.
"Each book" in this series "is divided into three parts: (1) the history of the literature dealt with, (2) modern developments, and (3) an anthology." And since the volumes are published in alphabetical order, to obviate any unwholesome criticism, we imagine, about the superiority of any one Indian language to any other Assamese Literature happens to be the first of the series.

From W. Dallas TenBroeck
Dallas writes about the P.E.N.: "It is the International club of "P" for Play-writes, Poets, "E" for Editors, Essayists, and "N" for Novelists. Mr & Mrs. Wadia were among the first members of the International PEN Club, and supported the PEN Club. They soon formed an Indian chapter of it. And began publishing the Indian P.E.N. It was active, I believe, until Mme. Wadia's death. I do not know if it still continues. A Monthly Magazine was issued with literary news named The Indian P.E.N. Mme. Sophia Wadia and My Mother, Mrs. Elizabeth TenBroeck were traveling together in 1939 (as I remember) and were in Barcelona attending the International P.E.N. Conference when the 2nd world War broke out."






Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September, 1888 in Tirutani, a well-known religious center in the Madras State. He was the second son of Veera Samayya, a tehsildar in a zamindari.
The following are some of the main posts held by him most fittingly and efficiently: Lecturer in Philosophy, Presidency College, Madras, in the Madras Provincial Educational Service, after graduation; Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the same College for five years; Professor of Philosophy, Mysore University (1918-1921); King George V Professor of Philosophy, Calcutta University (1921-1931) and again (1937-1944); Vice-Chancellor of the Andhra University (1931); Spaulding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics, Oxford University (1932-1953) - first Indian to be so appointed; and Vice-Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University (1942). Among the cultural posts held by him may be mentioned: Leader of the Indian Delegation to UNESCO many times (1946-1950); Chairman of the University Education Commission (1948) appointed by the Government of India; Chairman of the Executive Board of UNESCO (1948); President of UNESCO (1952); Delegate to the P.E.N. Congress (1959); Vice President of International P.E.N.; Honorary Fellow of the British Academy (1962); Representative of the Calcutta University at the Congress of Philosophy, Harvard University, U.S.A. (May 1962).

The Indian PEN Published Quarterly by the P.E.N. All-India Centre, Theosophy Hall, 40 New Marine Lines, Mumbai - 400 020Editor: Nissim Ezekiel
A secretary of the Indian branch of the international writers' organization PEN.
During a conversation ( with Ranjit Hoskote) one morning in the late 1980s, Ezekiel showed me a sunbird working industriously in the tangled bougainvillaea outside the windows of his office at the PEN All-India Centre.
Sometime in 1998, just before sitting on a plane that would get me out of Bombay, I went to see the poet Nissim Ezekiel. He was in his usual room at the PEN center,
Master of many arts, Nissim, passes away 10 Jan 2004, 0122 hrs IST,TNN
Source:
Prof Nissim Ezekiel, Editor, The Indian P.E.N., Mumbai, 1987)
Poetry India, the Indian P.E.N., and the poetry page of the Illustrated Weekly of India.
He joined The Illustrated Weekly of India as an assistant editor in 1953
He (Nissim Ezekiel )wore a frayed blue and white shirt buttoned at the wrists, caked with dirt at cuff and collar. He was living somewhere in Marine Lines, in one room. He would commute by bus to the PEN office at Churchgate carrying a plastic bag full of possessions.
Source: Writer Jeet Thayil



K. R. Srinivass Iyenger-- edited Drama in India, Indo anglian literature 1943 all India PEN center Mumbai 1961
Anuradha Mahindra, ‘Full Circle’ published by The PEN all India center, april /june 1990
Source The Politics of home Rosemary marangoly George

http://education.nic.in/cd50years/12/8i/67/8I670E02.htm
Similar travel subsidy for non-performing delegations included the two delegates of the Bharatiya Natya Sangh, New Delhi for participation in the 14th World Congress of the International Theatre Institute, London in May-June, 1971; Shri M.F. Hussain, Painter, for participation in the XI Biennale in Sao Paulo, Brazil in September, 1971, Prof. A.S. Patel, Head of the Department of Psychology, University of Baroda to attend the XVII International Congress of Psychology at Liege, Belgium in July, 1971; S/Shri Sumanta Chatterjee, Sibaji Biswas and Sisir Kumar Biswas of the Youth Puppet Theatre, Calcutta, for participation in the Nashville 1971 Festival, U.S.A., in August 1971; Dr. Sisir K. Bove, Executive Director, Netaji Research Bureau, Calcutta, for participation in the working conferences on Netaji in Prague, Berlin and Bonn in August-September, 1971; Shri G.S. Khosla, delegate of the Indian P.E.N., Centre, Bombay, for participation in the International Congress of the P.E.N. in Dublin during September, 1971.


Indian PEN Bengal Chapter Delegate Tagore Centenary ...Kalidas Nag Vice-President , Indian PEN, a delegate in International PEN Congress of Buenos aires Argentina,in 1936 Delegate Tagore Centenary Committee President of Rabindra Satabdi Sangha
lukewarm support of Dr Kalidas Nag, the chairman of the board, and Dr ...... under the joint auspices of the PEN, the Indian Institute of Culture, Bom- ...
Source: by Edward J. Thompson - 2003 - Biography & Autobiography - 116 pages

Banerjee, Biswanath. Bengali writer. B.SC.; MIE; MGMI b. 22.6.1936, Labpur, Birbhum, WB Service, Member PEN & Nikhil bharat banga sahitya sammelan chandan nagar 712136 hooghly

Ram Krishna Singh is a university professor whose main fields of interest consist of Indian English writing, especially poetry, and English for Specific Purposes, especially for science and technology. He was born on 31 December 1950 in Varanasi, India.
Professor Singh is a member of the following organizations: UNESCO ALSED-LSP Network; All-India PEN; English Language Teachers’ Association of India; World Cultural Council Circle of Friends, International Writers and Artists Association; World Poetry Intercontinental; and Society for International Development. The Honorary Secretary of Dhanbad Development Forum from 1992-2004, he was also its Honorary Treasurer from 1983-92, and Honorary Secretary of ISM Teachers Association, Dhanbad, 1977-79. From April 1990-March 1991 he served as elected Representative of Teachers on the General Council and Executive Board of ISM. Prof Singh’s biography appears in some 35 publications in the UK, USA, India and elsewhere.

Krishna Bose (b.26 dec.1930) D/O Charu c. choudhury , M P of 12th Loksabha, all India Pen member 1953 onward

Eminent litterateur Annada Shankar Roy, He was also associated with 'PEN' (International club of) Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Editors and Novelists.
PUBLIC "-//Stanford University::Libraries::Dept. of Special ...
From 1951-1954, he solicited manuscripts from Asian writers and ... 1 30 India: P.E.N. 1 31 India: Ray, Lila and Sri Annada Sankar 1 32 India: R.K. Narayan ...
Guide to the Wallace Earle Stegner papers: concerning the Asian-American Literary Exchange, 1949-1954
Collection number: M0807
A veteran writer of wide repute, Roy was honoured with Padmabhusan, Rabindra and Vidyasagar awards. Born in Dhenkanakal in Orissa in 1904, Roy had a flair for Oriya literature too, and some of his works had a distinct background of Orissa. Associated with many a literary organisations, Roy was the founding president of the Paschim Banga Bangla Academy. He was president of 'PEN' (International club of) Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Editors and Novelists. As well as chairman of the PEN Calcutta branch.
(From a document of West Bengal Chapter we can see 'All India Pen Center ' the president - Annada Shankar Ray, Vice President- N. S. Gorekar, Hony.secretary and treasurer - Ranjit Hoskote and at West Bengal Chapter : Chairman- Annada Shankar Ray, Vice Chairman -K M Lodha, Dr. Arun kumar Mukherjee, Chitrita Devi, Hony. Secretary, treasurer- Dev Kr Basu, and Office address as 19, Panditia Terrace kolkata 700029)
In 1993 late September to early October writer Taslima was in trouble AnnadaShankar faxed PEN Centers London, Tokyo,Paris, Berlin,alerting Taslimas case.
Source : The crescent and the Pen ( the strange Journey of Taslima nasreen) by hanifa DeenRoy's Texus born wife Leela Roy too had a flair for Bengali literature where she made lots of contributions till her death about a decade ago.

by Elizabeth Sleeman - 2003 - Reference - 608 pagesContributions: All India Radio and major journals. ... Sammelan: Founder, first Sec., Vidyasagar Research Centre; Santosh kr Adhikary former secretary PEN, West Bengal Branch. ... 81 Raja Basant roy road kol 29 (b. 24 nov.1923) baluchar, Murshidabad member PEN west bengal and The Asiatic society.

Naba gopal Das b 1910, Life member Pen, sole delegate world congress PEN Vienna


Birinchi Kumar Barua. Assamese Literature. Published for the P. E. N. All-India Centre, by the International Book House, Bombay, 1941. CUBG, RIBG, CASX, MNUG.



Indo-Anglian Literature, PEN All-India Centre, Bombay, 1943. ... Builders of Modern India



Bengali Journal yasthi madhu, is the chairman. It organized a pleasant get-together on November 24 last at the residence of PEN Member Smt.Illa Paul Choudhury in south Calcutta. (page 16)
The PEN had been allalong with her aged father rendering help to him in his life long mission. Shree Ghosh is the author of two or three book dealing mainly with his impressions of many great personalities of the past…..( page 9)
Source: Rabindranath Tagore: His Life and Work
by Edward J. Thompson - Biography & Autobiography - 2003 - 116 pages
... Souvenir of Tagore to the larger public of the whole English Speaking Union.

http://education.nic.in/cd50years/12/8I/6D/8I6D0E01.htm
B. PROPAGATION OF CULTURE
Institutions and Organisations Engaged in Literary and Cultural Activities
The Department of Culture, has been assisting some important institutions like the Institute of Traditional Culture, Madras, Asiatic Society, Calcutta, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, Numismatic Society of India, Varanasi, PEN All-India Centre, Bombay, Islamic Culture Board, Hyderabad, and Jallianwala. Bagh Memorial Trust, Amritsar. The working of the institutions like Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Calcutta, Asiatic Society, Calcutta, and Indian Academy of Philosophy, Calcutta was reviewed by the visiting committees and they are being financed according to the reports of the visiting committees

I still wait for this article to complete, any kind hearted with pen information is most welcome.

Posted by albert Ashok penkolkata@yahoo.co.in

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