The Raja Rao Publication Project
at The University of Texas
The Raja Rao Publication project at The University of Texas is working to make all of Raja Rao's writings, especially those still unpublished, available to readers around the world who are interested in his fiction and thought. Sponsored by the Linguistics Research Center at UT, the task of the project is to organize, edit, and secure publication for Raja Rao's unpublished novels, short stories, poetry, essays, and correspondence.
The second book in Raja Rao's trilogy based upon The Chessmaster and His Moves has been edited by David Iglehart, Ex Editor-in-Chief for the publication project, and is awaiting publication. The third book is complete and will be edited and published soon.
DAVID IGLEHART is an award-winning writer whose work has been published in literary magazines and online collections, and whose book of short stories, An Atmosphere of Eternity: Stories of India was published in 2002. Currently he is a featured columnist with Sulekha.com. He holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature, and he served as a teaching assistant for Raja Rao in the 1970s. Iglehart wrote his doctoral dissertation, "A Comparative Study of the Rasa Theory of Aesthetics" under Raja Rao's supervision and spent a year in India on a Fulbright scholarship, studying Indian theories of art. He resides in Austin, Texas, where he teaches, writes, and visits Raja Rao regularly. Iglehart has maintained a life-long love of India and travels there often.
A Letter from David Iglehart, Ex Editor-in-Chief
Dear Friends,
Raja Rao is ninety-seven, and his face shines without any trace of sadness. After many difficulties with his health, he has a new clarity and the frequent desire to summarize his ideas on life, art, philosophy, and the variety, continuity, and depth of Indian experience.
The task before us is formidable. Raja Rao's wife, Susan, has filled half a room with boxes of his highly creative, insightful manuscripts, the outpouring of a lifetime. This includes four unpublished novels, stacks of short stories, hundreds of articles and essays, interviews, poetry in French, class notes, informal notes, plans for scholarly projects, and correspondence with Indira Gandhi, Octavio Paz, and Andre Malraux.
My own interest in Raja Rao is longstanding. I studied with him for many years as an undergraduate and graduate student at The University of Texas, and I remember the excitement of his lectures and long walks with him that guided my career and life in many ways. Under his direction I received a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature with a concentration in Sanskrit and Indian theories of art.
As a part of the Raja Rao Publication Project, I have edited The Daughter of the Mountain, which is the second volume of his trilogy based on The Chessmaster and His Moves. The manuscript for this second book consists of over 750 typed pages--many are covered densely with his hand-written notes.
Dr. Winfred Lehmann at The University of Texas and I estimate that the task of organizing Raja Rao's papers and seeing them into print will require a three-year editing project. Raja Rao has often said that for a good project help will come. The Raja Rao Publication Project is only partially funded at this time. Any help coming from those who have benefitted from the work of this great man will enable his work to live in the hearts of generations of readers and thinkers.
Sincerely,
David Iglehart
Raja Rao's Unpublished Manuscripts, a Preliminary Inventory
Novels
The Daughter of the Mountain (vol. 2 of The Chessmaster and His Moves trilogy), 750 pages
A Myrobalan in the Palm of Your Hand (vol. 3 of The Chessmaster and His Moves trilogy), 400 pages
The Railway Line
Song of Women (English translation of unpublished Kannada original)
Unnamed novel written in 1992
Short Stories
The Ganges and Her Sisters (collection of stories)
Large number of unsorted stories
Speeches
Transcribed collection from the 1960s
Large number of handwritten speeches
Correspondence
Indira Gandhi
Andre Malraux
Octavio Paz
Other Works
Poetry in French
Play: The Cat and Shakespeare
Travel account: a trip to India with Paul Jollis
Essays and articles: over 500
Radio broadcasts in French, transcribed
Notes
Class notes for courses taught at The University of Texas, 1968-80
Videos/Films
Interview at Indira Gandhi Center in New Delhi
Interview about Andre Malraux
Miscellaneous
Box of missing pages from other manuscripts
Large drawer of unsorted papers
Trunk with itinerary papers in Trivandrum, possibly containing Kannada original of Song of Women
Notes on his talks
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