India declares a Filipino as ‘King of Visual Poetry’

A new King is born in India!

It was described as the impossible event made possible in the mystical land of India where 42 international poet-delegates from various countries in the world and 120 poet-delegates representing more than 100 poetry organizations from the host country trooped to Hotel Sitara in Ramoji Film City for a five-day international poetry conference festivities.

Dubbed India World Poetree Festival 2017, the conference focused on love, peace, human values and global brotherhood of all nations.

All international and local delegates were billeted in the luxury Hotel Sitara during the entire event where they partook in the wealth of poetry, arts, ideas, camaraderie and cultures.

The moving spirit behind the series of global, mega poetry event that started in 2012 was the Pentasi B World Friendship Poetry, a non-profit organization, founded and created by Dr. PenPen Bugtong Takipsilim (Epitacio R. Tongohan, MD, in real life). 

Dr. PenPen has captured the hearts and minds of Indian leaders, poets, artists and academes worldwide. His irrefutable world achievements include: awarded as Father of Visual Poetry in British Columbia, Canada in 2012; honored as a Visionary Poet in Vancouver, Canada in 2012; acclaimed as the Father of Philippine Visual Poetry at Otusa Foundation in Los Angeles, California, USA in 2012; dissertated, adjudged and re-affirmed as the Father of Visual Poetry, spearheaded by the National Library of the Philippines at the Marble Hall of the National Museum in 2013; recognized as Gorsel Siir Babasi (Father of Visual Poetry) in Turkey in 2014; acknowledged and revered as Il Padre Della Poesia Visuale (Father of Visual Poetry] at the University of Bari, Italy in 2016; and conferred as Anyuinsem Agya (Father of Visual Poetry] at Dubois Center in Accra, Ghana, Africa in 2016.

On October 14, 2017, he was again bestowed Driisya Kavita Chakravarty (King of Visual Poetry) at the India World Poetree Festival in recognition of his valuable contributions to world literature, promotion of world peace, and of his legendary philanthropic services in the fields of Literature, Education, Philosophy, and Visual Poetry. Present were the esteemed jury members of Writers’ Corner International.

Furthermore, the Pentasi B Book Collector’s Edition he authored found its new home at The National Library of India on October 1, 2017. The book was formally delivered by Dr. PenPen himself through the Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi.

Another set of the book was sold in an auction in Los Angeles, California on July 22, 2012 with price point of $10,000 per volume, a total value of $30,000 for the entire set. Proceeds were donated as scholarship fund for underprivileged Filipino students.

His two remaining sets are also up for auctioning to finance the Pentasi B Global Vision – No Colors, No Races, All Colors, All Races, All Loves Embraces, and its Noble Mission – To Inspire, To Heal, To Awaken for the Betterment and Survival of Humanity as a Whole.

Other copies of Pentasi B Collector’s Edition books are now living and breathing in libraries around the world namely: the Library of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada, 2012); the National Library of the Philippines, 2013; the Savanci University in Turkey, 2015; and the University of Bari in Italy, 2016.

The genius and heart behind the festival

This momentous occasion in India which espouses World Peace, Love and Brotherhood amongst Nations would have not succeeded sans the untiring efforts of Dr. Lanka Siva Rama Prasad — the host and organizer of this historic mega event.

Dr. Prasad is a poet laureate, humanitarian poet, literary genius, scholar, indefatigable literary translator, critic, editor, novelist, a cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, orator par excellence, film-maker, painter, cartoonist and philanthropist all rolled into one. A recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award among numerous international honors and recognition he had received for various literary, artistic and humanitarian feats, Dr. Prasad also has 120 books of poetry and essays under his name.

His linguistic flair, scholarship and mastery of Telugu, a classical language in India currently spoken by 100 million people, and of the English language, paved the way for his translations of numerous classics and contemporary masterpieces in English into Telugu and vice versa.

Dr. Prasad is the founder of Srijana Writers’ Corner, which serves as a platform for helping writers, poets, and artists and the founder of Warangal AIDS Voluntary Educational Society (WAVES) that helps many AIDS victims. More so, as a founding director of Prasanthi Hospital-Warangal-Andra Pradesh, he is well known among the poor and the middle-class for his selfless service.

Awardees of the festival

The India World Poetree Festival Awarding Ceremony was officiated, graced and blessed by His Excellency, the Hon. Narendra Damodardas Modi, Prime Minister of India.

42 top caliber international delegates and 120 renowned, respected Indian poets, writers and artists participated, attended and witnessed the India World Poetree Festival 2017 recently held at the Hotel Sitara in Ramoji Film City. Indian Embassy/Released

The award-giving body was composed of: De. Lanka Siva Rama Prasad, founder and chairman of Warangal Writers’ Corner International; Prof. Raamaa Chandra Mouli, Program Director and Coordinator; Potlapalli Srinivasa Rao, M.Sc., MJF, Program Secretary and Coordinator; B. S. Ramulu, an Academy Chairman, a poet, a writer, and a dramatist; Hon. Vishnu Pandya, Chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi; and Narasinga Rao, a multi-awarded Telugu film director.

Forty-two top caliber international delegates and one hundred twenty renowned, respected Indian poets, writers, and artists had participated, attested, and witnessed the said event.

Other Pentasi B World’s 38 international delegates/awardees from 23 countries, including five special awardees, representing the very best of humanity, were all given due recognitions and honors, to wit: Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi, Pentasi B Immortal Poet of the Masses; Dr. Yayati Madan G.Gandhi Gandhi, Pentasi B Golden Voice of Humanity; Hon. Vishnu Pandya, Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Lanka Siva Rama Prasad, Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Prof. Raamaa Chandra Mouli, M.S. (Mechanical) F.I.E., PGDCA, Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Potlapally Srinivas Rao, M.Sc., MJF, Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; U.S. Senator James Pasqual Bettio, Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Hon. Abdul-Rashid H.Pelpuo, former state minister of GHANA, Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Edwin Cordevilla (Philippines), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Maria Miraglia (Italy), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Saverio Sinopoli (Italy), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Ashok K. Bhargava (Canada) Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Feyyaz Saglam (Turkey), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Leyla I??k (Turkey), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Bilgi Çengelli (Turkey), Pentasi B Spring Torch of Poetry; Dr. Kairat Duissenov Parman (Kazakhstan), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. George Onsy (Egypt), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Ethel P. David (Philippines), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Dariusz Pacak (Austria), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Nuri Can (the Netherlands), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Sergio Camellini (Italy), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Anwer Ghani Almosewi (Iraq), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Prof. Yawchien Fang (Taiwan), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award; Roula Pollard (Greece), Pentasi B Golden Voice of Poetry; Tarana Turan Rehimli (Azerbaijan), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Sandra Patricia Sajché Sarmiento (Guatemala), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Dr. Ayo Ayoola-Amale (Ghana), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Pramila Khadun (Mauritius), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Subash Subash S. Parajuli (Nepal), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Claudia Piccino (Italy), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Alicia Minjarez Ramírez (Mexico), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Elda E. Dilo (Albania), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Amy Barry (Ireland), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Mai Ván Phân (Vietnam), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Bedwei Kwaku Sonny (Ghana), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Sevil Emirzade (Cyprus), Pentasi B Golden Voice of Poetry; Monsif Beroual (Morocco), Pentasi B Spring Torch of Poetry; Ajarn Wu Hsih (Philippines), Pentasi B Spring Torch of Poetry; Adriana Istrefi (Albania), Pentasi B Universal Inspirational Poet; Candice James (Canada), Pentasi B Lifetime Achievement Award.

About the contributor

Dr. Kalpana Mallick is a contemporary poet and an appointed Ambassador for Justice and Peace by the authority of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the Federative Republic of Brazil. She has an M.Sc in Chemistry, Doctorate in Environmental Science, and LL.B at the Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, and Kamdhenu Ahimsha International University, Delhi. She is also recipient of various awards: Mahila Ratna Award in 2012; Brukshya Mitra Award in 2016; Pentasi B World Featured Poet in 2017; and a Gold Medal Award for Poetry in 2017.