Author Anita Heiss visits Madras University

CHENNAI: Noted Australian author, Anita Heiss, visited the University of Madras and delivered a talk in the English department on Thursday. Her talk, titled ‘Celebration of Indigenous Life in Australia’, left the students mesmerised. Anita’s visit to the varsity was a part of the annual Australia Fest.

Australia Fest is a six-month celebration of Australian culture and creativity across India. The event is organised by the Australian government every year. The Fest began in September 2018 and will conclude in March this year, during which some of Australia’s most celebrated authors will visit India and deliver talks in different institutions and literary festivals with the aim to inspire audiences towards Australian books and culture.

The students presented dramas based on two of the celebrated authors poems, and translated and recited the poems in five different languages in her presence. The author expressed her gratitude to the students through social media, saying in an Instagram post, “One of the most extraordinary moments of my writing career happened in India. Students at the University of Madras dramatised two of my poems and then recited them in five languages. Their passion brought tears to my eyes. It was the greatest honour as an author.”

The talk posed as a learning experience for the students as well. “Meeting the renowned authors and interacting with them is certainly an opportunity of lifetime for the students,” said Vinoth Kumar, a PhD scholar in the Department of English.