Rohini Bannerjee. is a scholar, translator, poet, playwright, lyricist, and short story writer, published in India, Canada, Spain and France in both English and French. Knighted by the French government in 2024 as Chevalière de l’Ordre de la Pléiade, Rohini is a Full Professor of French at Saint Mary’s University, located in Mi’kmaki.
We asked some questions so our members could get to know Rohini a bit better.
What are some Plays that have stayed with you or influenced your work?
Man a La Mancha (by Dale Wasserman), The Phantom of the Opera (by Andrew Lloyd Webber), Moi, l’Interdite (by Ananda Devi).
What are some questions you’re exploring or investigating in your work right now?
How do garments offer us options to our identity? Who decides what is professional wear? Why do dress codes exist? What is glam?
Do you have any rituals or routines that fuel your creative process?
Writers are observers. I am taking mental and physical notes throughout the day. I have a list of vocabulary, turn of phrases or lightbulb moments that I keep with me and then pull out when crafting a poem or a scene. Writers are also readers. I read and listen to audiobooks as much as I can.
Tell us a bit about the role that PARC has played in your development as a writer and an artist.
PARC has offered me a supportive cohort of creators. I am in awe of the company I am able to keep and I appreciate the peer feedback. I am grateful to Santiago’s kindness and openness to my dreamy ideas for writing. His advice to, “write and not self-edit” has helped me to plunge deeply into writing without borders or constraints.