Amitabh Mitra
Encyclopedia
Amitabh Mitra is an Indian born South Africa
n physician
, poet
, and artist
His paintings depict dramatized stick figures. He studied medicine and did his postgraduate studies in orthopedic surgery
at the Gajara Raja Medical College
, Jiwaji University
, Gwalior, India
. He further specialized in Aerospace medicine and Family medicine
from the University of Pretoria
, South Africa
.
A practitioner of orthopedic surgery
and trauma surgery
and currently working at the Accident and Emergency unit of Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, Mdantsane
, South Africa
, he has published five volumes of poetry and exhibited his poetry art. Amitabh figures in the international roster of physician poets, a massive roster of ancient and contemporary poets / writers maintained by Dr. Daniel Bryant and assisted by Dr. Suzanne Poirer, Professor of Literature and Medical Education, University of Illinois, U.S.A. He represented South Africa
at the World Literature Festival in Oslo
2008.
A major section of his work on art and poetry is devoted to Gwalior where he grew up. His close friendship with the Maratha royal families resulted in his drawing a series of watercolour involving poetry which he exhibited in South Africa
and India
. A Slow Train to Gwalior is now a coffee table book of his art and poetry, a compact disc of his recitation with a backdrop of African traditional music was released by the Premier of Eastern Cape, Nosimo Balindlela
and a short documentary film on his Gwalior poetry was shown at the Grahamstown
National Arts Festival
on 2009. He was invited by the Sahitya Akademi
, New Delhi
in 2007 where he presented his work to a poetry loving audience.
Amitabh’s work in trauma surgery took him to Bhutan
where he worked at high altitude hospitals of Chukha, Tsimalakha, Chimakothi and Thimphu
under severe conditions.During these times he wrote poetry on Bhutan, some of which were translated into French. He wrote about his adventures in his search for the utopian Shangri La.
Khushwant Singh
, the former editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India
visited him in his hospital at Bhutan
and wrote about him in his weekly columns, With Malice Towards One and All in the Times of India during the eighties. He later went to Arunachal Pradesh
where he joined as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Along.
He joined as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Bulawayo
, Zimbabwe
in 1993. He lived in the Mzilikazi township of Bulawayo
and narrated his experiences during the time of political turmoil.
His present art is about the black township of Mdantsane
where he works at the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
Mdantsane Breathing is his book on the art and poetry of Mdantsane
.
He translated the Bengali
poetry of the late Prabhatkiran Bose, well known children's author in Bengal
during the fifties.
Dr. Mitra's art and poetry of the township of Mdantsane
, South Africa
was exhibited at the 2011 International Symposium for Poetry and Medicine and Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine
Awards Saturday 7th May 2011, titled Poems from Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
His paintings depict dramatized stick figures. He studied medicine and did his postgraduate studies in orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
at the Gajara Raja Medical College
Gajara Raja Medical College
Gajra Raja Medical College was established in 1946 as the first medical college in Madhya Pradesh, India. GRMC was inaugurated on 1 August 1946 by H.H. Jiwaji Rao Scindia...
, Jiwaji University
Jiwaji University
Jiwaji University , Hindi: जीवाजी विश्वविद्यालय, is an affiliating university situated in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. The name comes from that of George Jivajirao Scindia of Gwalior. The university was established on May 23, 1964 and Sarvapelli Radhakrishnan, the President of India, laid the...
, Gwalior, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He further specialized in Aerospace medicine and Family medicine
Family medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
from the University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
A practitioner of orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
and trauma surgery
Trauma surgery
Trauma surgery is a surgical specialty involved in the invasive treatment of physical injuries, typically in an emergency setting. Trauma surgeons generally complete residency training in general surgery and often fellowship training in trauma or surgical critical care...
and currently working at the Accident and Emergency unit of Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, Mdantsane
Mdantsane
Mdantsane is a South African township situated between East London and King William's Town in the Eastern Cape province. It is reputed to be the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto and houses the second biggest shopping mall in the Eastern Cape Province...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, he has published five volumes of poetry and exhibited his poetry art. Amitabh figures in the international roster of physician poets, a massive roster of ancient and contemporary poets / writers maintained by Dr. Daniel Bryant and assisted by Dr. Suzanne Poirer, Professor of Literature and Medical Education, University of Illinois, U.S.A. He represented South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
at the World Literature Festival in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
2008.
A major section of his work on art and poetry is devoted to Gwalior where he grew up. His close friendship with the Maratha royal families resulted in his drawing a series of watercolour involving poetry which he exhibited in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. A Slow Train to Gwalior is now a coffee table book of his art and poetry, a compact disc of his recitation with a backdrop of African traditional music was released by the Premier of Eastern Cape, Nosimo Balindlela
Nosimo Balindlela
Nosimo Zisiwe Beauty Balindlela was the Premier of the Eastern Cape in South Africa from 26 April 2004 until 1 August 2008.-Firing:...
and a short documentary film on his Gwalior poetry was shown at the Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
National Arts Festival
National Arts Festival
The National Arts Festival is one of the most important events on the South African cultural calendar, and the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent....
on 2009. He was invited by the Sahitya Akademi
Sahitya Akademi
The Sahitya Akademi ', India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India...
, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
in 2007 where he presented his work to a poetry loving audience.
Amitabh’s work in trauma surgery took him to Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
where he worked at high altitude hospitals of Chukha, Tsimalakha, Chimakothi and Thimphu
Thimphu
Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961...
under severe conditions.During these times he wrote poetry on Bhutan, some of which were translated into French. He wrote about his adventures in his search for the utopian Shangri La.
Khushwant Singh
Khushwant Singh
Khushwant Singh is a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. Singh's weekly column, "With Malice towards One and All", carried by several Indian newspapers, is among the most widely-read columns in the country....
, the former editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India
The Illustrated Weekly of India
The Illustrated Weekly of India was an English language weekly newsmagazine publication in India. It started publication in 1880 and ceasing publication in 1993...
visited him in his hospital at Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
and wrote about him in his weekly columns, With Malice Towards One and All in the Times of India during the eighties. He later went to Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
where he joined as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Along.
He joined as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
in 1993. He lived in the Mzilikazi township of Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
and narrated his experiences during the time of political turmoil.
His present art is about the black township of Mdantsane
Mdantsane
Mdantsane is a South African township situated between East London and King William's Town in the Eastern Cape province. It is reputed to be the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto and houses the second biggest shopping mall in the Eastern Cape Province...
where he works at the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
Mdantsane Breathing is his book on the art and poetry of Mdantsane
Mdantsane
Mdantsane is a South African township situated between East London and King William's Town in the Eastern Cape province. It is reputed to be the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto and houses the second biggest shopping mall in the Eastern Cape Province...
.
He translated the Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
poetry of the late Prabhatkiran Bose, well known children's author in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
during the fifties.
Dr. Mitra's art and poetry of the township of Mdantsane
Mdantsane
Mdantsane is a South African township situated between East London and King William's Town in the Eastern Cape province. It is reputed to be the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto and houses the second biggest shopping mall in the Eastern Cape Province...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
was exhibited at the 2011 International Symposium for Poetry and Medicine and Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine
Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine
The Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine was founded in 2009 by Donald Singer, a clinical professor, and poet and translator Michael Hulse...
Awards Saturday 7th May 2011, titled Poems from Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
Poetry
- Bithika – 1978
- Ritual Silences – 1980
- A Slow Train to Gwalior – 2009
- Leaping the Lilac Sun – 2009
- Mdantsane Breathing – 2010
- Tonight, An Anthology of World Love Poetry - 2008 (co-edited with Victoria ValentineVictoria ValentineVictoria Valentine is an American writer, poet and book publisher who was born in the 1960s in New York. Valentine's works have been published in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India and South Africa....
) - Poems for Haiti, A South African Anthology (Forward by Professor Peter HornPeter HornPeter Rudolf Gisela Horn, born 7 December 1934 in Teplice Czechoslovakia . He is a well-known South African poet, who made his mark especially with his anti-Apartheid poetry. At the end of World War II he had to flee from his home and settled with his parents first in Bavaria and later in...
) - 2010
Editor
- A Hudson View, A Quarterly Print Poetry Journal
- Inyathi, A Journal on South African Arts