Google Celebrates Doodle in honour of poet Meena Alexander.

Google Celebrates Doodle in honour of poet Meena Alexander.

May 1 (UPI) -- Google is displaying a doodle in honour of Indian-American poet Meena Alexander to mark the first day of Asian Pacific Month in the United States. The author is known for her poetry collections Raw Silk, Illiterate Heart and Napally Road.

Who was Meena Alexander?

Alexander was born in Allahabad, India in 1951 and grew up in Sudan. Alexander began writing poetry in English and French while her father, a visiting meteorologist, was stationed there.

Alexander was an excellent student, starting university at the age of 13. While enrolled at the University of Khartoum, she had her first poems printed in a local publication. The young poet went on to earn a degree in French and English.

Alexander was an outstanding student who started university at the age of 13. While enrolled at Khartoum University, she had her first poem printed in a local publication. The young poet graduated in French and English. She went on to do a PhD in British Romantic literature. Alexander then returned to India to work as a lecturer.

In 1979, Alexander moved to New York to take up a position at Fordham University. She began her career at Hunter College as an assistant professor of English and eventually rose to the rank of distinguished professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

During this time, she continued to write poetry, and her books have been translated into other languages. In recognition of her achievements, Alexander received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the South Asian Literary Association. The poet died in November 2018.

Adam Kuruvilla Lelyveld, her son, said: "Mum was a fighter and an artist. She had a strong belief both in the craft of what she did and in the pursuit of something close to the truth. She sought herself out in numerous homes and in the craft of poetry because she was fearless, daring and cheerful".

Alexander is shown writing at her desk in the doodle, which was illustrated by guest artist Anjali Vakil. Vakil claimed that reading the poet's writing was her main source of inspiration for the doodle.

As I created her Google Doodle, I could only imagine her hunched over her desk, trying to capture words that could convey her nomadic life in the wee hours of the night," added Vakil.