Its a wonderful time to be a Telugu poet: Gopi

HYDERABAD: Creation is different from publicity, feels Sahitya Akademi award winner and noted Telugu poet, Dr N Gopi.“No poetry or piece of literature starts out as global.It becomes so when people start reading and appreciating it across the world.The basis of creative activity is the earth, it has roots in the village,” says the poet in his eclectic style.Speaking on the sidelines of the Hdyerabad Literary festival, the poet talks about his views on contemporary Telugu literature.“It is a wonderful time for poets and writers in Telugu.I am happy at the inclusion of Telugu at an international forum such as this, but I wish such a platform could be extended to all Indian languages,” says the poet whose works have been translated into 20 languages.Calling contemporary writing in the language promising, he feels that poetry especially has changed for the better due to its reflection on present-day issues.“However, novel is a dying form in all languages.No one has the time to read them,” feels Gopi.Talking about translation, he is miffed at the one-way process it has become.“The National Book Trust has translated close to 1,000 books from Telugu to English but the number of books translated from English to Telugu is less than a 100.It is time that people sitting there took Telugu seriously,” demands Gopi, expressing his anguish.He signs off with a word on the cultural identity movement in Telangana.“Telangana has a 400 yearold history of supression.It will take time for the movement to produce literature with a unique identity.”