TRIBUTE TO KRISHNA SRINIVAS

A TRIBUTE TO DR. KRISHNA SRINAVAS

--Dr. R.K. SINGH

When my poet-friend Dr. S. L. Peeran called me up on the evening of 18 December 2007 to say that our dear World Poet friend, mentor, and promoter of universal Peace and Love, Dr. Krishna Srinivas, expired on 14 December 2007, I was shocked. Like several others, whom I had contacted to share the sad news, I too felt that his passing was a jolt to World Poetry Movement centred round POET and WPCI which Krishna had nurtured , almost single-handed, for nearly half-century.

He wanted me to meet him, but he was so kind and compassionate he forgave me for my inability to physically see him, be it the World Congress of Poets Meet, All India Poets Meets, or Asian Poets Meet. He personally remembered me so many times but somehow, as the destiny would have it, I couldn’t meet him to partake of his love, though we stayed in touch for more than 25 years.

He sounded very great when, after the publication of my monograph, Krishna Srinivas : The Poet of Inner Aspiration ( 1984 ), he offered to publish my first collection of poems, My Silence (1985 ) , and thus, gave me the much- needed break. He brought me to the notice of world poets and helped me come up as a poet. In fact I owe my identity as a poet to my revered poet friend , Krishna, without whose constant support, I would not have made my presence noted on the Indian English Poetry scene.

But for his greatness, I would not have edited my book, Sound and Silence : Some Critical Responses to the Poetry of Krishna Srinivas (1986 ) , nor would I have received the honorary Litt. D. of the World Academy of Arts and Culture in the seventh W.C.P. held in Morocco ( 1984 ). Thanks to his genius, he recognized talents everywhere and promoted them in his own unique way.

Krishna Srinivas led an era of Poetry with skill, imagination and dedication. As a seer of poetic truth, he composed with soul force and penetrating vision. There is no one among the poets living today to match the totality of life he expressed in a soul-realizing language.

He was passionate about poetry, and poetry-making to him was synonymous with world peace and harmony. His presence was an instance of continual sacrifice for the cause of poet and poetry . As he wrote me once, “I am born for poetry. I live for poets all over the world ….I am a candle -- burning myself for others.” He nurtured Poet for 48 years as Voice for Peace.

Now we will miss him. The Future will feel his absence.

18 December 2007 --Dr.R.K.SINGH