19/01/2015
The chief guest for Vishveshwaraya Memorial Debate Competition 2015 is Professor Randhir Khare.
As a poet and writer, he has published more than thirty volumes of poetry, fiction, translations, essays and educational books and contributed to national and international publications. His work has been adapted for contemporary puppet theatre performances, set to music by A.R.Rahman and used in creative arts and educational workshops in Ireland and England and as part of the exhibition Nehru & The Making Of Modern India at The Victoria and Albert Museum (London). He has had six solo exhibitions of his collages and drawings and paintings and his work is in private collections in India, Europe and the USA.
Over the last 40 years, his contribution to education has been all-encompassing, impacting on a range of educational levels – from the primary to the post-graduate, mainstream institutions to centres for children and young people with special needs and informal groups of street children in shelters and recreational centres in various parts of the country. He has been Visiting Professor at Wadia College, Poona College, Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication (UG and PG), Dept of English of University of Pune, The Institute Of Design, Ahmedabad, Sysmbiosis Centre For Management Studies and a number of other prestigious institutions. He has developed Distance Learning guides and handbooks for several online courses.
During the course of his career he has worked closely with The Nilgiri Adivasi Welfare Association, The Nilgiri Adivasi Trust (UK), The National Literacy Mission, UNICEF, the Spastics Society, Symbiosis Distance Learning Programme, INTACH, The Human Resources Development Ministry (GOI), The National Water Mission, The Planning Commission and 8 State Governments
His cultural work has included archiving of the folkloric traditions of the Bhil, Bhilala, Kota, Toda, Nari Kurava, Katkari and other tribal communities, translation of tribal folklore and poetry and the promotion of traditional music and lore. He has recently founded The Living Heritage Movement which financially supports performers and practitioners of traditional forms and lore. A film, THE WORLD IN A STORY, based on his folkloric work, is about to be released.
He has represented the country as poet and writer in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Indonesia, the Republic Of Ireland, UK and Blegium. His work has been translated into French, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and Bulgarian.
His sixth novel, STRANGERS ON THE SHORE, has just been released.
He is Founder, The Living Heritage Movement; Founder, FOLK WAYS COMPANY promoting traditional lore; Director, Gyaan Adab, a centre in Pune which celebrates literature and the arts.
