“Normal variety” poet

"All poets, incidentally, are not mad as people think, though the madder the poet, the better the poetry. Regrettably, I hail from the non-mad variety,” states poet and short story writer Keki Daruwalla (pictured) who was nominated the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate, 2017. Daruwalla was due to receive a citation, plaque and a cash prize at the inaugural of the three-day literature Festival on November 16, 2017 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, according to a notification on tata.com. Daruwalla was quoted in the report as stating, "The fact that this kind of award exists shows that people still care for poetry.”
The author of 18 books, including collections of poetry, short stories and a novel, Daruwala received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1984 for his poetry collection, The Keeper of the Dead. In 1987, he was conferred with the Commonwealth Poetry Award (Asia) and the Padma Shri in 2014. The next year saw the publication of Ancestral Affairs (see "Princes, politicians, Parsis,” Parsiana, February 7, 2016).
"His works are laced with anger and contempt, are directed against the dull, passive Indian lifestyle and romantic illusions,” noted the write-up. Daruwalla, who joined the Indian Police Service after graduating in English literature from Punjab University in 1958, published his first book of poems Under Orion in 1970, followed by Apparition in 1971. His 2009 work For Pepper and Christ (see "Cruel canvas of conquest,” Parsiana, May 21, 2009) was set in the time of Vasco Da Gama.
Past recipients of the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate Award include prolific poets like Gulzar in 2016, Vikram Seth in 2015 and Joy Goswami in 2014. The Festival is in its eighth edition and will feature panel discussions, book launches, debates, workshops and performances by "100+ writers, poets, intellectuals (and) historians from around the world,” according to their website.