Poetry. South Asia Studies. "For over 40 years, Kamala Das, considered India's 'Poet Laureate,' has set a bold new tone for India's women, poor and disenfranchised. Now her message comes to the United States in her first American book--ENCOUNTERING KAMALA. When no one else dared, a young woman named Kamala Das took a poetic stance for those who had no voice in India. Her powerful words helped slowly change India's views on the role of women—to the point where its first female president was recently elected. Now in this book, Kamala speaks to all, touching on elements common to people worldwide: love, hope, despair, religion, and old age. ENCOUNTERING KAMALA: SELECTIONS FROM THE POETRY OF KAMALA DAS, INDIA'S POWERFUL VOICE FOR CHANGE features works previously published around the world, plus poems for her new audience. Also included are original drawings, photographs, and her personal correspondence with Andrew Arkin, longtime friend and publisher of this book. Encountering Kamala captures the courageous spirit of a Nobel Prize-nominated poet. "Kamala Das's poems epitomise the dilemma of the modern Indian woman who attempts to free herself, sexually and domestically, from the role of bondage sanctioned by the past"—The Hindu.