Gopi Kottoor

Gopikrishnan Kottoor is the pen name of Raghav G. Nair (born 1956, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala), an Indian English poet. He is the founder editor of quarterly poetry journal Poetry Chain.

Early life and education Kottoor studied at the Loyola English School and Arya Central School, Trivandrum. He obtained his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English from the Institute of English, Trivandrum. Kottoor won his first poetry prize in University college poetry competitions, and soon published his poetry in Indian magazines publishing poetry in English. He attended the Master of Fine Arts (Poetry) program of the Texas State University, Southwest Texas, US. In 2005, he was Poet-in-Residence at the University of Augsburg, Germany, on a sponsorship by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) in association with Tagore Centre, Berlin. On 4 August 2019, he was requested to join the Indian Writers Association as a member of its advisory board.

Career As poet

Gopi Kottoor won both the All-India Special Poetry Prize of the British Council-Poetry Society, India All India Poetry Competitions (AIPC) in 1997 for his poem "These are the things we could talk about" and Second Prize for his poem "Digging" in the General Category of the Competition in 1997. Between 1995 and 1998, he won two more poetry prizes presented by the British Council – Poetry Society (India) sponsored All India Poetry Competitions (AIPC).

His other major poetry prizes include The First Prize in the All India Poetry Competition(2017) and Wingword International Poetry Award(2021).

Kottoor's "Father, Wake Us In Passing" (2000), which won for the poet a Residency in the University of Augsburg, Germany, is a touching poem sequence on his father in coma, and dying. It has received rave reviews. Kottoor's poetry has appeared in international journals that include Orbis (UK) , Ariel (University of Calgary), Toronto Review (Canada), Plaza (Japan), Arabesques Review (Africa), Persona (Texas State University Journal), Bluefifth Online (UK), Chiaroscuro Magazine (UK), Levure littéraire (UK), Big bridge (UK) , Nth Position (UK), New English Review (UK) and others. His poems are also featured in the anthology, The Dance of the Peacock.

A selection of Gopi Kottoor's poetry, 'Vrindavan' and Changampuzha's elegy 'Ramanan' in translation can be read online here

As playwright

Kottoor's play The Nectar of the Gods (2015) is a socio-historical take on the life of the palace soldier Devasahayam (Lazarus), who was executed following his conversion to Christianity during the reign of King Marthanda Varma (Kerala, 18c). His other plays include The Mask of Death, a radio-play on the dying days of the Romantic poet John Keats in Rome, Fire in the Soul, a play on the life and times of the Nationalist rebel poet of India, Subramania Bharati, and A Woman in Flames.

As novelist

Kottoor's first novel, A Bridge Over Karma, was translated into Malayalam and serialized in the popular Malayalam journal Kala Kaumudi.

As editor

Kottoor founded and edited Poetry Chain, a quarterly for Indian poetry in English, which ran from 1997–2007. He also edits the E-zine Underground Flowers.

Awards

Poetry prizes at the Chandigarh Literary Poetry Festival (2022, 2023). The Wingword International Poetry Prize (2020), Honourable mention (2022). All India Poetry Competition (First Prize), The Poetry Society India, 2017. All India Special Poetry Prize, Poetry Society, India and The British Council, 1997. All India Poetry Prize (Second Prize), Poetry Society, India and The British Council, 1997. All India Poetry Awards, Commendation prizes, 1995 & 1998. The Bharathi Prize, Chennai (1995) The Kerala University College Prize (1976) The Clover Poetry Prize, Commendation (1973)

Honours Philip McCormick Scholarship, Texas State University, Texas, US 2000 Distinguished Guest from India, Government of India Annual Report 2005-2006,(p) 152 Michael Madhusudan Dutt Award D.Litt, World Academy of Arts, California, US 21 Top Indian Poets