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Deonandan.com is intended as a showcase for the literary and journalistic works of Dr. Raywat Deonandan. Before exploring this site, please consult the disclaimer. A shorter bio is available here. |
1. Family
Dr. Raywat Deonandan is an author and scientist with the cultural heritage of three nations: India, Guyana and Canada. The youngest of five children, he was born into an Indian farming family in rural Guyana, though emigrated to Canada at a very young age. All that he is, he owes to his beloved parents, who are always first and last in his thoughts.
2. Literature & The Arts
Raywat started writing short stories as a teenager, garnering publications in seven countries and in four languages. His short fiction has been awarded two Hart House Literary Prizes, recognition from the Permanent Trust national fiction contest and the Katha Indian-American fiction contest, first place in the 1995 Canadian Author's Association National Student Literary Contest, and a nomination for the prestigious Journey Prize.
His first book, an anthology of short stories about the Indo-Caribbean diaspora, titled Sweet Like Saltwater (TSAR Books, 1999), was internationally critically acclaimed and won the 2000 Guyana Prize (the national book award of Guyana) for Best First Work. It continues to be taught at such academic centres as Columbia, Cornell and Ryerson Universities.
Raywat's first novel, Divine Elemental (TSAR Books) was published in 2003, owing to generous grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council.
He remains active in the arts, judging fiction contests in Canada, the USA and Trinidad, and serving on various panels, including the awards jury of the Ontario Arts Council and the Advisory Committee for the Luminat'Eau arts festival at Harbourfront in Toronto (2008). He presently sits on the Board of Directors of Harbourfront Centre, one of Canada's biggest and most active interdisciplinary Arts centres.
3. Scientist
Through his two consulting companies --Deonandan Consulting, Inc. and Vak International-- Raywat consults to businesses, academia and government in the areas of epidemiological design, analysis and communication. He recently completed a one year tenure as the Interim Chief Scientific Advisor to the Canadian federal government on the topic of Assisted Human Reproduction. As well, he is an Assistant Professor (specializing in Global Health) in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa, and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine.
As an alumnus of the science outreach group, Let's Talk Science, Raywat engages with community groups to help spread the art, beauty and relevance of science to non-scientists. In addition, he lectures around the world on topics relating to the overlap between science, literature and social policy.
4. Journalist
Raywat maintains an active interest in current events, particularly issues of social justice. His political articles continue to appear in leading newspapers and magazines, including the major Canadian dailies, The Toronto Star, The Ottawa Citizen and The Globe and Mail, and in California's India Currents Magazine. He also writes a regular column on the MicroSoft Canada website, about issues in science entrepreneurship.
5. Trivia
Raywat holds a black belt in karate and has studied 10 other martial arts since the age of 19. He is an avid runner, squash player and TV junkie, and recently began playing the sitar. He presently makes his home in both Ottawa and Toronto, Canada. He has a strong fascination for classic science fiction, and maintains the website Skiffy.ca to celebrate that love.
The minor character of Dr. Atul Deonandan in the Canadian science fiction TV show ReGenesis is based in part on Dr. Raywat Deonandan.
Raywat's Wikipedia entry is here. He wants everyone to understand that, no, he didn't write it himself. In fact he has no idea who made the initial entry.
PS. While Raywat owns the domain name Deonandan.com, information about other notable Deonandans can be found here.
