Saros Cowasjee
COWASJEE, Saros (1931-2020)
Author, Educator
Saros Cowasjee was born in Secundrabad, India, in 1931. Educated at the Universities of Agra (M.A., 1955) and Leeds, UK, (Ph.D. 1960), he came to teach English at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus, the forerunner of the University of Regina, in 1963. Prior to that he worked as a Lecturer in English at Agra College, Agra 1955-57) and Assistant Editor with the Times of India Press (1961-63).
Cowasjee joined Regina Campus as an instructor and was promoted to full professor in 1971. He retired in 1995 and was appointed Professor Emeritus.
During his long teaching career, Cowasjee spent a semester at Darwin College, Cambridge, a sabbatical as Research Associate at University of Berkeley, California, and another sabbatical as Professor of Commonwealth Literature at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. He has presented papers and been a guest lecturer at several universities in Europe, Australia, North America, Fiji and India.
Cowasjee has been a prolific writer. His publications include five books of criticism, two novels, two volumes of short stories and a screenplay. In addition to these he has edited and written introductions to some thirty titles on Indian and Raj fiction. There are also his research articles published as chapters in books and in various journals and magazines in Canada, Great Britain, the U.S. and elsewhere.
Of particular interest in the extensive documentation is his research and writing on the Irish playwright Sean O’Casey and the Indian novelist Mulk Raj Anand. The collection contains substantial correspondence with Anand covering over thirty years. His detailed correspondence with various publishers provides insight into the writing and editing process and the business of book publishing.
Written with information
from Saros Cowasjee
Photo courtesy of Saros Cowasjee
Archival Collections (Finding Aids in PDF format)
90-101 - Professional Papers. 1947-1990
91-23 - Professional Papers and Mulk Raj Anand Correspondence. 1969-1982
91-93 - Professional Papers and Mulk Raj Anand Correspondence. 1963-1991
94-62 - Professional Papers. 1951-1994
95-20 - Professional Papers. 1957-1995
97-37 - Professional Papers. 1978-1997
99-48 - Professional Papers. 1991-1999
2000-8 - Books Written by Saros Cowasjee
2003-2 - Mulk Raj Anand. Reflections on the White Elephant. Manuscript. ca. 1960.
2004-2 - Mulk Raj Anand. Untouchable, Coolie, and Private Life of an Indian Prince. Manuscripts. ca. 1935-1948
2004-47 - Professional Papers. 2001-2005
2006-43 - Professional Papers. 2004-2006
2007-48 - Chapters / studies in books
2008-60 - Professional Papers. 2006-2008
2009-1 - Saros Cowasjee material on William (Bill) Howard 2005-2008
2010_47 - Correspondence 1963-2010
2011-35 - Publications signed by authors
2011-49 - Professional papers and correspondence
2012-66 - Correspondence and Notes, 2004-2012
2013-35 - Screenplay by Cowasjee based on Mulk Raj Anands Private Life of an Indian Prince. n.d.
2014-31 - Correspondence, 2011-2014
2016-4 - Newsclippings Regarding the Life of Irish Poet Brendan Behan
2016-45 - Material regarding Govindas Vishnoodas (G.V.) Desani
2017-9 - Material regarding the Wascana Goose Round-up and Raja Rao