VIKRAM SETH

     Indian poet and novelist

Vikram Seth was born in Calcutta in 1952. He earned degrees in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University. He has published 6 books of poetry and 3 novels since 1980. His novel "A suitable boy" won the W.H. Smith prize in 1993. The latest novel written by Vikram Seth is 'An equal music' and it is about the troubled love life of a violinist. Vikram Seth received one of the Britian top honour for his services to literature. The award of the commander of the order 3 of the British Empire was announced earlier in the year by Queen Elizabeth II and given to Seth on 14 February 2001.

Vikram Seth creates a living, breathing world that enchants and grips the reader in all his novels.

AUROBINDO GHOSH

A great patriot, a revolutionary freedom fighter, a poet, an author, a linguist, a teacher, a yogi….Aurobindo Maharishi was all this and much more.

He was born on 15 August 1872 in Calcutta. His parents were Krishnadhana and Swarnalata Ghosh. He studied at a convent school in Darjeeling. Then did his further studies in England and returned after 14 years in 1893. He taught at Baroda and later at Calcutta. For him English was just like his own mother tongue. He had a great impact on his students with his high moral character, blending of East and West philosophy and his great patriotism.

Then he got involved in the freedom struggle. He identified more with the revolutionary ideas of Lokamanya Tilak. Aurobindo too believed in absolute autonomy and agreed that it was essential to fight for the freedom rights.

During the agitations against the partition of Bengal, he was one of the main revolutionary opposing the partition. Writing through his ‘Bande Mataram’ he spread awareness of activities of freedom struggle like, boycotting the foreign goods and using swadeshi. Several times he was jailed for his activities.

According to him, to gain the political freedom, spiritual awakening in the people was needed. With his inclination towards spiritualism, he retired from the politics and founded an Ashram at Pondicherry in 1926. He wished to bring an awakening in the new generation through Yoga, spiritualism and Vedanta.

Aurobindo wrote many books on spirituality, philosophy and Yoga, some of which are, The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, Essays Divine and Human, Savithri, The Human Cycle etc.

He died at Pondicherry on 5 December 1950. His Ashram ‘Auroville’ was looked after by his French disciple who was called ‘The Mother’.

DECEMBER 9-PERSON OF THE DAY-JOHN MILTON

"Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties."

Above lines are at most relevant in the present condition of our world,where people who rise voice against something bad are considered abnormal and are outcasted.

Exactly 406 years ago,on this day,our world was blessed.. On of the greatest English poet ever lived, John Milton was born on December 9, of 1608. Famous for his work Paradise Lost, has written almost 10 poems and drams, and more than 25 prose.

He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval. Milton's poetry and prose reflect deep personal convictions, a passion for freedom and self-determination, and the urgent issues and political turbulence of his day. Writing in English, Latin, Greek, and Italian, he achieved international renown within his lifetime, and his celebrated Areopagitica (1644)—written in condemnation of pre-publication censorship—is among history's most influential and impassioned defenses of free speech and freedom of the press.

His famous poems and dramas include:

1631: L'Allegro

1631: Il Penseroso

1634: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634 commonly known as Comus (a masque)

1638: Lycidas

1645: Poems of Mr John Milton, Both English and Latin

1655: On the Late Massacre in Piedmont

1667: Paradise Lost

1671: Paradise Regained

1671: Samson Agonistes

1673: Poems, &c, Upon Several Occasions

Proses include:

Of Reformation (1641)

Of Prelatical Episcopacy (1641)

Animadversions (1641)

The Reason of Church-Government Urged against Prelaty (1642)

Apology for Smectymnuus (1642)

Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce (1643)

Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce (1644)

Of Education (1644)

Areopagitica (1644)

Tetrachordon (1645)

Colasterion (1645)

The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates (1649)

Eikonoklastes (1649)

Defensio pro Populo Anglicano [First Defence] (1651)

Defensio Secunda [Second Defence] (1654)

A Treatise of Civil Power (1659)

The Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings from the Church (1659)

The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth (1660)

Brief Notes Upon a Late Sermon (1660)

Accedence Commenced Grammar (1669)

History of Britain (1670)

Artis logicae plenior institutio [Art of Logic] (1672)

Of True Religion (1673)

Epistolae Familiaries (1674)

Prolusiones (1674)

A brief History of Moscovia, and other less known Countries lying Eastward of Russia as far as Cathay, gathered from the writings of several Eye-witnesses (1682)[114]

De Doctrina Christiana (1823)

The great poet died on 8th of November, 1674