J T Jayasingh

J T Jayasingh, also known as J Thampi Jayasingh, is an Indian author, poet, and philosopher. He is the founder and director of Roots and Wings, an alternative publishing house and culture centre located in Kerala, India. He is also one of the founders of New Voices Writers' Circle.
Personal background
J.T.Jayasingh was born on 17th October 1972 in a small village in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu as the youngest child of three for teacher parents. As a romantic lad he did his schooling in St. Francis Higher Secondary School, which is situated in his village itself. In his school days he was a successful sportsman and won many prizes. He was dreaming to become a renowned sportsman which ended up in failure. In 1993 he completed B.A. in English literature from St. Jude's College, Thoothoor, a costal college in Kanyakumari, where he proved his metle as a romantic and reactive poet . In 1995 he successfully earned his M.A. degree from Scott Christian College, Nagercoil in the same subject.
During student period he was terribly disturbed by the caste system, dowry system and social imbalance in the society. He tried to fight against them by writing and by organizing student groups. He started writing in his mother tongue. After completing HSC his mother directed him to take English literature in B.A. Later it turned fruitful as he got tremendous inspiration from his professors and fellow students in St. Jude's College. Thus eventually he has turned to write in English. His mother's bed time stories in his childhood influenced him much in his writings.
He has been a voracious reader since his younger days. His subject of interest has been diverse. He has acquainted himself with the Bible, Hindu philosophy, Shakespeare's plays, thoughts of Carl Marx, the writings of great poets and some classics of Greek and Tamil literature. In his younger days he was fascinated by the great Tamil poet Subramania Bharati and later he was drawn towards the Philosophy and poems of the American poet Walt Whitman.
After completing his MA for a short period he worked as a marketing executive for a computer company. Then he tested his hands in agriculture briefly. He started his own printing press in 2006 and ran it for six years. During that period he edited an English Magazine for a Christian organization for one year. Meanwhile he also ran a language institute and computer institution for a couple of years. In 2007 he got married and his son was born in the same year.
He had to leave his native to the beautiful neibhouring state Kerala as his wife got a permenant job there. They settled in the gorgeous hill town Elappara in Idukki District. Since 2002 he has been living and writing from Kerala. Since 2002 he has been living and working in Kerala as an English lecturer (now in Marian College Kuttikkanam).
.
Professional background
J T Jayasingh has brought in a revolutionary change in the Indian English literary scene. Lovingly called as JT in the literary world he has inspired a whole lot of younger generation to breathe literature through his writings and activities. In the year 2004 he started an independent publication Roots at his rented house. His first collection of poems and essays titled, ‘A Bird’s Eye View’ was published in the same year. This book gave him an entry into the literary world. But soon he sensed the step motherly attitude shown towards young native writers writing in English by the established publications and literary organizations. The articles of T P Rajeevan, Anitha Nair, and Satchudhanandan published in the national English news papers gave him new visions and directions in the literary world. He also drew lots of inspiration from Prof. Lal and his publication, Poetryworkshop. He constanstly strived to contact with the young and established poets and writers from India and abroad. And during the beginning of internet revolution he published his poems in various international and national literary web journals and got the attention of poetry lovers and poets. He got the gentle and fruitful friendship of Lana Derkac from Croatia. His early contact with Annie George from Kottayam and P A Noushad from Kozhikode also turned fruitful. Along with them he formed a writers’ circle called New Voices Writers’Circle. He changed the name of the publication into Roots and Wings in 2009. In the same year an anthology of poems titled, New Voices, edited by JT was published by Roots & Wings and released in the Darsana Book Fair Kottayam. It included the poems of J T Jayasingh, Annie George, P A Noushad, Shyamala Nair and Sandhya S N. The book got the best cover design award of that year. It also got the immediate attention of the literary world and for a record most of the books were sold in a short period. He was the inspiration behind Sandhya S N from Thiruvananthapuram and Latha Prem Sakhya from Perumpavoor who became the active members of the writers circle later. Several meetings, readings and discussions were arranged in the following years. Satchidanandan, T P Rajeevan, Sharmila Ray from Bengal etc. became his good friends and inspiration.
J T helped Sandhya to realize their long time vision of starting a literary web journal. The web journal www.indianruminations.com was started in 2010. In the following year J T Jayasingh realized his another dream of starting a literary print magazine under the wing of Roots & Wings, named, ‘Indian Poesy’ along with Latha Prem Sakhya and Sandhya S N. The works of JT is continuing with the active support of many other poets and writers.
.
;Web publishing
Jayasingh is also the editor of the poetry print magazine Indian Poesy and co-chief editor of the literary web journal, Indian Ruminations.
His poems, essays, one act plays, and short stories have been published in various web journals, including Kritya, Muse India, VoicesNet.com, and Shvoong. In his own words, he is "a universalist poet who believes in the oneness of all".
Jayasingh's published works include A Bird’s Eye View, a book of essays and poems; Waves won't Die, a book of poems; and New Voices, edt., an anthology of five new millennium poets from Kerala. He is the author of IELTS Speaking a Handbook and co-author of IELTS Complete Solution.
;Teaching
Jayasingh is an English lecturer on staff with Marian College Kuttikkanam, a reputed A grade college in Kerala. He has served in different capacities including IELTS, TOEFL tutor, editor, teacher, and trainer. He gives lectures, conducts poetry workshops, and leads communication training programmes.
Published works
* Jayasingh, J. T. A Bird’s Eye View, Roots and Wings, Rs. 70.
* Jayasingh, J. T. (editor). New Voices, Roots and Wings, Rs. 150.
* Jayasingh, J. T. Waves won't Die, Roots and Wings, Rs. 70.
* Jayasingh, J. T. IELTS Speaking a Handbook, V Publishers
* Jayasingh, J. T. IELTS Complete Solution (Co-author), V Publishers

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu