A Translation of the Bhagavad Gita

Mani Rao will present her translation of the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient philosophical text central to modern Hinduism. The author of eight books of poetry, Mani Rao's work has appeared in various journals internationally as well as in such anthologies as Harper Collins Anthology of Poetry by Indians and The Bloodaxe Book of Contemporary Indian Poets. She worked in television and advertising in India, Hong Kong and New Zealand for twenty years before turning to literary and scholarly interests full time. She was a visiting fellow at the Iowa International Writing Program in 2005 and 2009, and the 2006 University of Iowa International Program's writer-in-residence. She has an MFA in poetry from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and is currently a PhD student in religious studies at Duke University. Her translation of the Bhagavad Gita is published by Autumn Hill Books.