Dear friends,

We are delighted to share the arrival of An Alchemy of Words and Silences: Contemporary Hindi Women Poets, an important new book by Rekha Sethi, translated into English by Hina Nandrajog.

Published by Routledge, this 236-page volume offers an in-depth and accessible exploration of seven major Hindi women poets: Gagan Gill, Katyayani, Anamika, Savita Singh, Neelesh Raghuwanshi, Sushila Takbhoure, and Nirmala Putul. Alongside thoughtful critical essays, the book includes translations of selected poems and situates each poet within the social, cultural, and historical contexts that have shaped their work.

Bringing together Dalit, Adivasi, urban, and rural voices, the book presents a rich and varied landscape of contemporary Hindi poetry. Rather than framing women’s writing only as resistance to patriarchy, it explores the layered intersections of gender, identity, sexuality, and social justice. It also traces the broader history of women’s writing in India, showing how today’s poets both inherit and reshape the feminist legacy for the twenty-first century.

This volume will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of Literature, Comparative Literature, Gender Studies, Sociology, and Translation Studies. Most importantly, it places contemporary Hindi women poets firmly at the centre of academic conversation, inviting readers, researchers, and translators worldwide to engage with this vibrant and powerful literary tradition.

# Gender, Identity, Self, Feminism, Feminist, Intersectionality, Dalit, Adivasi, Ecology, Body, Sexuality

Key Details:

Author: Rekha Sethi

Translator and Editor: Hina Nandrajog

Publisher: Routledge Oxon and New York (Taylor & Francis Group)

Publication Year: 2026

DOI: 10.4324/9781003716815

You can find more information on the links below or purchase a copy through Amazon India or Routledge.

An Alchemy of Words and Silences: Contemporary Hindi Women Poets – Rekha Sethi – Google Books https://share.google/XGOJJ1wpakjICiOuO

Session Writer: Uday Prakash

Session Details
This will be a one-hour Zoom meeting.
Date and Time: Sunday, March 29, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST
Led by: Dr. Kusum Knapczyk
Language: Hindi, with English support if needed
Registration Deadline: Please sign up by March 15, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST to receive the Zoom link.

Readings for March
A short story in Hindi and Urdu.

Urdu: https://www.rekhta.org/stories/ram-sajiwan-ki-prem-kahani-uday-prakash-stories?lang=ur

Hindi:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xP7IwsYbqLu8WefrIqqZhl2Qf1t-7iPZ/view?usp=sharing

About Uday Prakash
Uday Prakash is seen as one of the most distinctive and influential voices in contemporary Hindi literature. Born in 1952 in the small village of Sitapur in Madhya Pradesh, he grew up far from major cultural centers, yet developed an early interest in both political and literary life. He completed his Master’s degree in Hindi Literature from Sagar University, graduating with distinction.

After moving to Delhi, Prakash worked with several newspapers and television organizations while continuing to write poetry, fiction, and essays. His writing, known for its sharp social awareness and deep sympathy for everyday people, earned him the Sahitya Akademi Award, one of India’s most respected literary honors.

His work The Walls of Delhi became a finalist for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. Translated into English by Jason Grunebaum in 2012 and published by Seven Stories Press, it is a collection of three stories. Another well-known book, The Girl with the Golden Parasol, was also translated by Grunebaum and published by Penguin Books India in 2008.

Along with his literary work, Uday Prakash has also written plays and made films, further widening his creative reach.

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रचनाएँ

पीली छतरी वाली लड़की
प्रकाशन वर्ष: 2001

मोहनदास
प्रकाशन वर्ष: 2006

तिरिछ
कहानी संग्रह

अबूतर कबूतर
प्रकाशन वर्ष: 1984

नेलकटर (Nail Cutter)

और अंत में प्रार्थना

दरियाई घोड़ा
प्रकाशन वर्ष: 2012

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Monthly SALTA Book Club – February 2026 Session: Writer Rita Kaushal

Session Details
This will be a one-hour Zoom meeting.
Date and Time: Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST
Led by: Dr. Kusum Knapczyk
Language: Hindi (with English support if needed)
Registration Deadline: Please sign up by Feb 20, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST to receive the Zoom link.

Readings for February

Story- Sawdes ke pardesi

About the Author- Rita Kaushal

रीता कौशल का साहित्यिक परिचय 

जन्म स्थान: आगरा – उत्तर प्रदेश – भारत 

नागरिकता: ऑस्ट्रेलियाई 

कार्यक्षेत्रः

1. सन् 2011 से 2023 तक ऑस्ट्रेलियन लोकल गवर्नमेंट में फाइनेंस ऑफिसर के पद पर कार्यरत।

2. सन् 2002 से 2005 तक ‘हिन्दी सोसाइटी सिंगापुर’ व ‘डी. ए.वी. हिन्दी स्कूल सिंगापुर’ में हिंदी शिक्षण।

प्रकाशन: 

मौलिक पुस्तकें

1. ‘दक्षिण से मध्य भारत तक’ यात्रा वृतांत (प्रकाश्य-प्रकाशन विभाग -भारत सरकार)

2. ‘परदेसिया’ उपन्यास (प्रभात प्रकाशन 2025) 

3. ‘अरुणिमा’ उपन्यास (प्रभात प्रकाशन 2022)

4. ‘रंग-बिरंगी बाल कहानियाँ’ बाल-कहानी संग्रह (डायमंड बुक्स 2022)

5. ‘चंद्राकांक्षा’ काव्य संग्रह (वनिका पब्लिकेशन्स 2019)

6. ‘रजकुसुम’ कहानी संग्रह (वनिका पब्लिकेशन्स 2018) 

सम्पादित पुस्तकें

1. इंडो-ऑस्ट्रेलियन स्मृतियाँ (डायमंड बुक्स 2024)

2. ऑस्ट्रेलिया की प्रतिनिधि कहानियाँ (प्रभात प्रकाशन 2024)

3. इक्कीस श्रेष्ठ बालमन की कहानियाँ-ऑस्ट्रेलिया (डायमंड बुक्स 2022)

     ​विविध प्रकाशन

कई साझा संग्रहों व प्रतिष्ठित राष्ट्रीय तथा अंतरराष्ट्रीय पत्र-पत्रिकाओं (इंद्रप्रस्थ-भारती, साहित्य-अमृत,आजकल, वागार्थ, व्यंग्य-यात्रा, पाखी, आधुनिक-साहित्य, गर्भनाल, सुमन-सौरभ, सरिता, भारत दर्शन,बाल-भारती, बाल-भास्कर, बाल-किलकारी, विश्व हिंदी साहित्य तथा बहुत सी सरकारी व गैर सरकारी स्मारिकायें आदि) में लेखों, कहानियों, कविताओं, व्यंग, समीक्षाओं व साहित्यिक साक्षात्कारों का प्रकाशन।

पुरस्कार व सम्मान:

1. मध्‍यप्रदेश सरकार के संस्कृति विभाग द्वारा ‘राष्ट्रीय निर्मलवर्मा सम्मान 2024’ से सम्मानित।

2. हिंदू काउन्सिल ऑफ ऑस्ट्रेलिया द्वारा भाषा व साहित्य के ‘गार्गी अवार्ड 2023’ से सम्मानित।

3. विश्व हिंदी सचिवालय मॉरीशस द्वारा आयोजित अंतरराष्ट्रीय साक्षात्कार प्रतियोगिता 2022 में भौगोलिक क्षेत्र 3 की प्रथम विजेता।

4. विश्व हिंदी सचिवालय मॉरीशस द्वारा आयोजित अंतरराष्ट्रीय संस्मरण लेखन प्रतियोगिता 2021 में भौगोलिक क्षेत्र 3 की प्रथम विजेता।

5. महात्मा गाँधी संस्थान मॉरीशस द्वारा ‘आप्रवासी हिंदी साहित्य सृजन सम्मान 2020’ से सम्मानित।

6. विश्व हिंदी सचिवालय मॉरीशस द्वारा आयोजित अंतरराष्ट्रीय व्यंग्य लेखन प्रतियोगिता 2020 मेंभौगोलिक क्षेत्र 3 की द्वितीय विजेता।

7. दिल्ली प्रेस इंडिया द्वारा आयोजित ‘नारायणी पुरस्कार 2017’ अंतरराष्ट्रीय कहानी लेखन प्रतियोगिता की प्रथम विजेता।

अन्य: 

1. बाल-कहानियों की पुस्तक ‘रंग-बिरंगी बाल कहानियाँ’ का अंग्रेजी भाषा में अनुवाद प्रकाशित हो चुका है। इसके अतिरिक्त कई अन्य रचनाओं का क्षेत्रीय भाषाओं में अनुवाद किया जा रहा है। 

2. ‘अरुणिमा’ उपन्यास पर स्नातकोत्तर शोध हो चुका है। अन्य शोध कार्य भी प्रस्तावित हैं।

3. हिंदी समाज ऑफ वेस्टर्न ऑस्ट्रेलिया की वार्षिक पत्रिका‘भारत-भारती’ का 2015 से 2020 तक सम्पादन।

4. सन् 2017 से 2019 तक हिंदी समाज ऑफ वेस्टर्न ऑस्ट्रेलिया की प्रबंधन समिति में मानद कोषाध्यक्ष की भूमिका।

5. सन् 2017 से 2020 तक ‘संगम रेडियो’ पर्थ-वेस्टर्न ऑस्ट्रेलिया में सामुदायिक समन्वयक की भूमिका।

6. कई अन्य संस्थाओं में स्वयंसेवक के रूप में सक्रियता, सांस्कृतिक व साहित्यिक कार्यक्रमों व गोष्ठियों में भागीदारी व उनके आयोजन में सहयोग।

7. विश्वविद्यालय व अन्य संस्थाओं द्वारा आयोजित संगोष्ठियों में विशिष्ट वक्ता के तौर पर भागीदारी।

Theme: Student-centered pedagogy for South Asian Languages: Building lessons upon students’ interests, backgrounds, and motivations

Dates: Friday and Saturday, May 8–9, 2026
Format: Two-day online international conference

This year’s theme, Student-centered pedagogy for South Asian Languages: Building lessons upon students’ interests, backgrounds, and motivations, offers an opportunity to create engaging, culturally responsive, and personalized learning experiences that foster deeper linguistic competence, strengthen learner identity, and sustain motivation in mastering South Asian languages. 

Educators use and seek innovative approaches, and the SALTA annual conference provides a platform for the exchange of ideas. We welcome proposals that highlight action research, technology integration, literature-based teaching, games, real materials, and other strategies that support student-centered pedagogy and demonstrate practical outcomes or effective practices. We encourage applications from all South Asian languages that are taught at universities worldwide.

Submission Guidelines:

• Panels: 90 minutes, 3 presenters; include a 100-word panel abstract plus individual paper abstracts (200–300 words each).
• Individual Presentations: 20 minutes; submit a 200–300-word abstract.
• Workshops: Interactive sessions focused on practical applications.

Proposals should be in English for main sessions; additional panels and workshops in South Asian languages may be arranged. Teachers of less-commonly taught South Asian languages are especially encouraged to apply.

Submit your proposal here by April 15, 2026: 

Here is the link: Everyone, including those presenting on the panel, needs to fill out this form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1njYbj70XDzUTER-nx9HQPS4nD5OswpaafRoKCB4wd4U/edit

Registration: Free for SALTA members; $35 for professionals; $25 for students.

Join us in sharing ideas that place students at the center and enrich language education around the world.

Led by Dr. Kusum Knapczyk
Facilitated by author SJ Sindu

Read the story here: Patriots’ Day, it is part of SJ Sindu’s collection “The Goth House Experiment and Other Stories.”

Join us for SALTA’s monthly Book Club—a welcoming space for readers and lovers of South Asian literature to engage with powerful contemporary voices. This month, we are excited to feature SJ Sindu.

About the Author
SJ Sindu is a Tamil diaspora writer and the author of two acclaimed literary novels: Marriage of a Thousand Lies (winner of the Publishing Triangle Edmund White Award) and Blue-Skinned Gods (an Indie Next Pick and Lambda Literary Award finalist). Sindu has also written two graphic novels (Shakti and Tall Water), a short story collection (The Goth House Experiment, winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award), and two award-winning hybrid chapbooks (I Once Met You But You Were Dead and Dominant Genes).

Sindu holds a PhD in English and Creative Writing from Florida State University and serves as co-editor for Zero Street, a literary fiction series featuring LGBTQ+ books published by the University of Nebraska Press. Sindu is currently an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Meeting Details
Date: Sunday, January 25, 2026
Time: 1:00–2:00 PM Eastern Time
Platform: Zoom
Register by: January 20, 2026, 12:00 PM EST via [Google form ]

Session Flow
• Welcome and Introduction
• Author Overview
• Group Discussion: Themes, Characters, Language
• Reflections and Q&A

We look forward to reading and reflecting with you!

Applications for SASLI 2026 are OPEN! 

wisli.wisc.edu/sasli

Monthly SALTA Book Club– Hindi-Urdu

Hope you are enjoying the semester.

SALTA Book Club Invitation
Led by Dr. Kusum Knapczyk

Join us for SALTA’s monthly Book Club, a space for readers and lovers of South Asian literature to explore powerful contemporary voices. This month, we feature Jayanti Ranganathan, known for her evocative storytelling across novels, serials, screenplays, and podcasts.

About the Author

https://hindi.matrubharti.com/jayantiranganathan3937/stories
Jayanti Ranganathan has worked with Dharmyug, Sony Entertainment Television, Vanita Patrika, Amar Ujala, and Hindustan Newspaper. Her novel Shadow is being adapted into a film titled Chapter 2.

जयंती रंगनाथन विगत तीन दशकों से मीडिया और लेखन में सक्रिय हैं। मुंबई में ‘धर्मयुग’ और ‘सोनी एंटरटेनमेंट टेलीविज़न’ में काम करने के बाद दिल्ली लौटीं तो ‘वनिता पत्रिका’ की पहली संपादक बनीं। उसके बाद इन्होंने ‘अमर उजाला’ में फ़ीचर संपादक का पद सँभाला और लंबे समय तक ‘हिंदुस्तान अख़बार’ में एक्ज़ीक्यूटिव एडिटर के पद पर कार्य करने के बाद वह इसी संस्थान से बतौर सलाहकार संपादक जुड़ी हुई हैं।

मीडिया लेखन के साथ ही उपन्यास, सीरियल, पटकथा और ऑडियोबुक लेखन में निरंतर सक्रिय और कई पुरस्कारों-सम्मानों से नवाज़ी जा चुकीं जयंती के उपन्यास ‘शैडो’ पर ‘चैप्टर 2’ नाम से फ़िल्म भी निर्माणाधीन है।

चर्चित पॉडकास्टर : एचटी स्मार्टकास्ट और Spotiy पर नियमित पॉडकास्ट #लवयूज़िंदगी और #मेरीमम्मीकीलवस्टोरी।

List of Jayanti Ranganathan’s books:

शैडो (Shadow) – एक थ्रिलर उपन्यास जिसमें मयंक की कहानी है जो अपनी कल्पना की नायिका काव्या की तलाश में निकलता है। [www.amazon.in]

मैमराज़ी – बजाएगी पैपराज़ी का बैंड (Mamrazzi) – छोटे शहर की रोमांटिक कॉमेडी।

औरतें रोती नहीं (Auratein Roti Nahin) – महिला जीवन पर आधारित एक संवेदनशील रचना।

मेरी मम्मी की लव स्टोरी (Meri Mummy ki Love Story) – एक हल्की-फुल्की पारिवारिक कहानी।

30 शेड्स ऑफ बेला (30 Shades of Bela) – फेसबुक पर एक सामूहिक लेखन प्रयोग से जन्मा उपन्यास।

गीली छतरी (Gili Chatri) – एक कहानी संग्रह।

एक लड़की दस मुखौटे (Ek Ladki Das Mukhote) – महिला किरदारों पर आधारित कहानियाँ।

भाग सनी भाग (Bhaag Sunny Bhaag) – बच्चों के लिए उपयुक्त एक हल्का-फुल्का उपन्यास।

शुगर डैडी (Sugar Daddy) – एक रहस्यमयी थ्रिलर जिसमें हत्या और रिश्तों की उलझनें हैं।

बॉम्बे मेरी जान (Bombay Meri Jaan) – एक संस्मरणात्मक उपन्यास।

रूह की प्यास (Rooh Ki Pyaas) – एक कहानी संग्रह।

एफ. ओ. ज़िंदगी (F.O. Zindagi) – जीवन की उलझनों पर आधारित उपन्यास।

आसपास से गुज़रते हुए (Aaspaas Se Guzarte Hue) – एक उपन्यास।

ख़ानाबदोश ख़्वाहिशें (Khanabadosh Khwahishen) – एक उपन्यास।

कामुकता का उत्सव (Kamukta Ka Utsav) – एक संपादित कहानी संग्रह।

मिडिल क्लास मंचूरियन (Middle Class Manchurian) – एक कहानी संग्रह जो भारतीय मध्यवर्ग की सोच, स्वाद और जीवनशैली को दर्शाता है।

Meeting Details
Date: Sunday, November 9, 2025
Time: 12:00–1:00 PM Eastern Time
Platform: Zoom
Register by: November 5, 2025, 12:00 PM EST Google form 

This month’s Reading
A selected story by Jayanti Ranganathan (link will be shared after registration)

 लाइन के बाहर (जयंती रंगनाथन)

Line ke baahar ( Roman script)

Session Flow

• Welcome and Introduction
• Author Overview
• Participant Reading
• Group Discussion: Themes, Characters, Language
• Reflections and Q&A

We look forward to reading and reflecting with you!

The Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications for a renewable three-year appointment as Teaching Assistant Professor in Hindi-Urdu language, beginning July 1, 2026. We are seeking a skilled language instructor with a commitment to a proficiency-based approach to language teaching.

The Teaching Assistant Professor will teach six language courses per academic year, from introductory to advanced levels, and will actively collaborate in Hindi-Urdu program development and activities and perform other departmental service.

This position requires a master’s degree in Hindi, Urdu, or Hindi-Urdu, in linguistics focused on teaching Hindi-Urdu as a second language, or in a related field. Native or near-native proficiency in Hindi-Urdu and English, as well as strong proficiency in both Hindi (Devanagari) and Urdu (Nastaliq) scripts are required. The position also requires familiarity with the methods and technologies used in teaching Hindi-Urdu as a second language at the university level, particularly in the US.

Qualified candidates should submit an online application at https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307610. Required application materials include: 

1. A letter of application outlining the candidate’s teaching philosophy. 
2. Curriculum vitae. 
3. Sample syllabus for a one-semester first-year language course. 
4. Unedited teaching video of a 50-minute language class, in standard MOV or MP4 format, downloadable from a shared link.
5. Names and contact information for two professional references, who will be contacted to submit letters of recommendation.   

Applicants may also submit course evaluations.