Mahendra S. Rana (Comp. and ed.). Assisted by Rekha Rana. A Dictionary of Indian English Literati: 1794-2010. 2 volumes. establish. New Delhi: Sarup Books Publishers Pvt Ltd., 2012. Size-Crown. ISBN 978-81-7625-809-8 (Game). pages vol. I, 566+Appendix+23 and vol. II, 573+Appendix+7, Price Rs.6500/- (Set).
MS Rana, an alumnus of Allahabad and Delhi Universities, has been a distinguished librarian, having worked at Kurukshetra, Delhi, Meerut and Roorkee Universities on credit. The compilation of the two-volume Dictionary that is being revised demonstrates his editorial skill, his scholarly interest, and his professional commitment.
It is also his labor of love, and well rewarded, as Rana spent nearly a decade developing a systematic and authentic biobibliographical critical source book on over 4,000 creative Indian English writers. Includes biographical reviews with bibliographies and critical articles on poets, fiction and nonfiction writers, playwrights, and other creative personalities, both male and female, of the past 220 years, both well-known and lesser-known. Apart from Indian men of letters, it also includes other writers whose roots are in India and who deal with Indian life and culture.
In compiling his massive dictionary of literati, Rana is assisted by such literary advisers as GS Balarama Gupta, Prema Nandakumar, RK Singh, CS Singh, AP Trivedi, Rajiv Verma, Badri N. Raina, Arun Kumar, and SC Dwivedi, who also contribute with critical articles and/or comments on the life and work of various authors. He also receives help from Rekha Rana, although it is unclear what his specific contribution is.
The compiler also uses various academic journals, magazines and journals including The Hindu, India Today, Outlook, Biblio, Creative Forum, Language Forum, Indian Literature, Journal of Commonwealth Literature, Journal of Indian Writing in English, Kavya Bharati, Litcrit, Mawaheb International, Metverse Muse, Poet, Poetcrit, Triveni, Cyber Literature, Commonwealth Quarterly, etc. Some of these magazines have now ceased publication.
The alphabetical entry layout typically includes personal information, professional history including academic degrees and honors, literary output: poetry, drama, fiction, prose, travelogue, letters, diaries, narratives, transcreation, and other works. The critical bibliography appears in the form of important books and doctorates. thesis Then, there is an assessment note on the author’s literary work. When available, the compiler provides the contact or email address at the end of the input.
It goes without saying that Rana tries to place the writers in the larger perspective of English Indian literary history just as it seeks to empower interested researchers and scholars to decide on their areas of specialization and/or understanding of the research topics (for M. doctoral or philosophy thesis) through the information provided in the Dictionary.
The appendices reflect the state of Indian English at home and abroad, although it is encouraging to learn that, in addition to Indian universities, 89 foreign universities promote research on Indian English literature.
At a time when the study of literature is losing importance among our students, A Dictionary of Indian English Literateurs should help promote Indian literature in English for studying the humanities. It should also prove indispensable in the effective study and research of Indian English writing to enhance critical understanding and human values.
Despite misprints in various articles and commentaries drawn from various books and magazines, I find the Dictionary fascinating and meaningful, and recommend it to all English departments and libraries at home and abroad.
