The Mind Creative APRIL 2015 APRIL 2015 | Page 4

Contributors Sukumar Nayar is originally from Kerala, India. He is a retired professor of theatre having trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and New York University (NYU). He had been involved with theatre for over seven decades in India, Uganda, England, Papua New Guinea, the United States and Canada. He has directed, produced or otherwise been involved in over 100 stage productions. For his contribution to theatre he was awarded the Millennium Theatre 100, “awarded to 100 theatre practitioners in Alberta for outstanding contribution to the development of theatre in the last 100 years.” After taking early retirement, he joined the United Nations as a consultant. He lives in Toronto with his wife who is also a retired professor. Sukumar writes a weekly blog called Subtext: www.sukumarnayar.wordpress.com. Lopa Banerjee is an author and poet based in Nebraska, US, originally from Kolkata, India. She has a Masters' in English with a thesis in Creative Nonfiction Writing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her book-length memoir has been a First Place Category Winner at the Journey Awards 2014 hosted by Chanticleer Reviews. She is an author at ‘Café Dissensus’, B’khush.com and ‘Morsels and Juices’ and Deputy Editor of ‘Learning & Creativity’. She has also received the critic award at Destiny Poets International Community of Poets, UK. Her poetry, stories and essays have also appeared at ‘About Place Journal’, ‘Spark Magazine’, ‘eFiction India’, ‘Earthen Lamp Journal’, 'Northeast Review', 'River Poets' Journal' and ‘Camel Saloon’. She has also participated in the Kriti Festival of Literature and Arts in Chicago as a panellist and reader in September 2014. 4