Poet Profile

Vihang A. Naik

Vihang A. Naik, born in Surat, India is a contemporary poet writing in English, widely published. He is educated from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Borada with Philosophy, English Literature and Indian Literature in English Translations. His poetry is included in various literary journals and anthologies. He also translates poetry from Gujarati language to English. He works and lives in Gujarat, India.

Awards and Other Honors: Limca Book of Records (2016); Beverly Hills Book Awards(2016); IndieReader Discovery Award (2016); Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention Award (2015); Michel Madhusudan Prize (1998).

Books Published: Vihang A. Naik's collections of poems includes City Times and Other Poems - first published by Writers' Workshop, Calcutta, India (1993); re-published by AuthorHouse, UK (2014); Making A Poem - Allied Publishers' Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India (2004); Poetry Manifesto (New & Selected Poems) - Indialog Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India (2010) and Gujarati collection of poems Jeevangeet (Gujarati Poems) - Navbharat Sahitya Mandir (Ahmedbad/Mumbai) India (2001).


The following haiku by Ravji Patel (1939–1968) from Angat - his only volume of poems - were translated by Vihang A. Naik

on hearing a song
an ear of the corn swayed on 
it perched a sparrow

a silent couple
under an umbrella
everybody hears

the secret does
not come out from the blanket
whole winter

the fisherman
stood for a long
yet the fishes swims

an apple 
on the street
countless eyes

on the outskirts
of a village well sits
the thirsty border

Credits: Kavya Bharati published by The Study Centre for Indian Literature in English and Translation (SCILET) - American College, Madurai, India, issue No. 15 (2003) p. 95-96; ed. R.P. Nair, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.