Natwar Gandhi on Gujarati Diaspora Writing in U.S.A – a few observations

By Harish Trivedi, Dayton, Ohio.

© 2010


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The Gujarati Literary Academy of North America

‘Indeed, Gujarati Literary Academy of North America, the preeminent literary association among Gujarati NRIs, has a long established practice of inviting writers and poets from India. It also arranges their coast-to-coast North American tours so that Gujarati community settled across the U.S. and Canada can benefit from their visits.’ This may or may not be true. ‘In addition, the Academy also holds a convention every other year where like minded Gujaratis get together and exchange ideas and share their works. Here again the distinguished writers from India are invited and asked to address the gathering’.

The Gujarati Literary Academy of North America, in my opinion has degenerated in to its own caricature or parody and is now on the verge of becoming a joke. Gujarati writers from Chicago, Los Angelese and few other cities not withstanding, the Academy has very rarely represented any Gujarati group or an organization or a Gujarati writer from any other States of the Union except a few East coast states. While it spends considerable amount of time and money on the travel arrangements of the visiting literati, I wonder if the Academy pays even a nominal honorarium to the few local writers, poets, novelists et all that it keeps inviting again and again for its various readings, panel discussion and poetry readings!

I do not know if any concerted effort has been made to expand the Academy membership beyond the East coast states. I am one of the founder members – Life member of the Academy. In spite of my numerous requests to the leaders of the Academy I do not get any communication from the Academy about its activities… This has made me think that the Academy is not interested in people who live beyond their local boundaries. I have written about this before so let’s move on to the topic at hand.

To be continued...