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I 'M STILL VERY MUCH AN INDIAN

staff reporter

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*Appeared in The Hitvada, India,

Tuesday. November 15, 1983

NAGPUR, Nov. 14-- We want to continue with the Indian tradition," said Dr. Stephen Gill, a well known English author from Canada. Talking to The Hitavada, the India‑born Canadian citizen who has acquired fame in a foreign land and is presently keen that the people of the country of his birth know him equally well said, "No doubt, we feel that we should come back to India, but the system here does not suit us".

For the Sialkot born, Dr. Gill it has been a pleasant transformation from his days as a teacher in India to one of the recognised writers of Canada. For the Indian writers who have been a struggling lot, his remark "I am paid 200 dollars for every poetry session in which I participate, apart from the expenses in travelling etc. (from the Canada Council)" will surely come as a surprise.

But this is not the only facility which writers enjoy in Canada, Dr. Gill informed that there are lot of public libraries which patronise writers. "All the 18 books I have written so far, most are available in each of the libraries in Canada", he said.

After his success as a writer, Dr. Gill, who left India initially for a teaching assignment has taken‑over a writer's monthly Writer's Lifeline which is subscribed by over 5000 persons. This magazine encourages new writers and also informs them about various opportunities.

Dr. Gill's most popular work is Immigrant which has been taken‑up for translation by publishers. Dr. Gill is now busy working on an anthology of poems on peace. He is a much discussed author in Canada and one of the scholars there has done a thesis on his works.

Answering a question about his name "Stephen", Dr. Gill clarified that he is a Christian from Punjab, and has not changed his name after going to Canada just as many Indians do. "In fact I face this problem both in India as well as in Canada. People in both the countries feel that I changed my name, whereas I am using my original name", he said.

Dr. Gill is very active in promoting closer links among Punjabis abroad. He is married to Sarla, a Maharashtrian lady from Pune whom he met in Canada. They have three bright kids with Indian names, Rekha (13), Ajay (12) and Sarita (6). Intent on developing closer links with the country of his birth, Dr. Gill would be visiting various cities rather often. He has already addressed gatherings of writers in New Delhi and Jalandhar.

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