Renuka

Mandira Chattopadhyay did undergraduate and graduate studies in English and Comparative Literature in Kolkata. She is an accomplished actress having won numerous awards for theatrical performances in Kolkata. She completed her Masters Degree in English Literature at Drew University. She studied English as a Second Language at the American University in Cairo, where she lived from 2000 â ＂ 2002, and was fascinated by that country. Mandira has written articles for various literary magazines based on her travels experiences in Egypt and the United States. She studied creative writing for one year at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where she also won the best student fiction writer’s award in 2002. The seed of her writing career was sown at Bucknell. At Georgia Southern University, Mandira is part of a creative writing group. She has completed a novel composed in verse entitled ＂The Spiral Staircase.＂ She contributes to Ananda Sangbad (since 2007), and has contributed articles for Sangbad Bichitra (in English), annual issues for Kallol Patrika, AnandaLipi, Pittsburgh Patrika, and North American Bengali Conferences. Finally, her play, Vermillion, was produced at Georgia Southern thanks to the tremendous efforts of Michael Whitaker to direct it. Professors Claufeld (Bucknell University) and Michael E. Kaufmann (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne) helped develop and shaped the work, while Parama Chattopdyhay, has spared time from her busy life to help her mother stage the performance.