ABOUT IRMA KURTI

Irma Kurti is an Albanian poet, writer, lyricist, journalist, and translator and has been writing since she was a child. She is a naturalized Italian and lives in Bergamo, Italy. All her books are dedicated to the memory of her beloved parents, Hasan Kurti and Sherife Mezini, who have supported and encouraged every step of her literary path.

In 1980, her poem “To my homeland” received the first prize in the national competition for the 35th anniversary edition of the magazine Pionieri. In 1989, she won the second prize in the national competition organized by Radio Tirana celebrating the 45th anniversary of the liberation of Albania.

Kurti has also won numerous literary prizes and awards in Italy and Italian Switzerland. She was awarded the Universum Donna International Prize IX Edition 2013 for Literature and received a lifetime nomination as an Ambassador of Peace by the University of Peace, Italian Switzerland.

In 2020, she became the honorary president of WikiPoesia, the encyclopedia of poetry. In 2021, she was awarded the title of Liria (Freedom) by the Italian-Albanian community in Italy. She received the Leonardo da Vinci and Giacomo Leopardi prizes from the Chimera Arte Contemporanea Cultural Association of Lecce. The same association also honored her with the European Ambassador Award and named her the Best Poet of the Year in 2022.

In 2022, she was also nominated as the Albanian ambassador to the International Academic Award of Contemporary Literature Seneca of the Academy of Philosophical Arts and Sciences, Bari. That same year, she was awarded the title of Mother Foundress and Lady of the Order of Dante Alighieri by the Republic of Poets. She received the Grazia Deledda medal and diploma of merit from the National Committee of WikiPoesia on the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Italian poet. In 2023 she was awarded a Career Award from the Universum Academy Switzerland. She also won the prestigious 2023 Naji Naaman's literary prize for complete work.

Irma Kurti is a member of the jury for several literary competitions in Italy. She is also a translator for the Ithaca Foundation in Spain.

Irma Kurti has published 28 books in Albanian, 24 in Italian, 15 in English, and two in French. She has written approximately 150 lyrics for adults and children. She has also translated 18 books by different authors, and all of her own books into Italian and English. Her books have been translated and published in 14 countries.

Encomium

In essence - Jyotirmaya Thakur

A nubile mind from east India set out on a journey across the world some 40 years ago. On the way she collected postcards of life in her heart, scribbling notes, keeping a montage of impressions in her head, inhaling the intensity of the passage of days. With tiny brushstrokes, her canvas was coming to life. The real merged with the surreal. And a writer was born.

If she seems like a lady with a vision to me today, the tomes of her work testify to my instincts. I came across her poetry some years back. I was intrigued enough to delve into the net for more on her. Soon I found a literary site citing prominent contemporary authors. There was a post with her bio. I became her ardent follower.

The cerebral power of Jyotirmaya Thakur is enhanced by her philosophical and meditative sides. As intuitive as she is, her capacity for understanding and reflecting on the smorgasbord of life with its twists and turns, peopled by humans in 50 shades of grey, is immense. Long years in academia gave her exposure to both impressionable minds and the pressures on them. Being a mentor to them was a life experience she was to cherish. Her continued tryst with learning all her life gave her the insight and knowledge she wished to impart to her wards. As a Principal of a Cambridge- affiliated school, she had a dream run. Enough to satisfy many great people. Education was the keystone to change lives and societies. But for Jyotirmaya the explosion was yet to happen.

Years of expertise in imparting education emerged into a persona who was pulsating to explore other arenas. She states,

"Yes, my first quest or passion was for literature of the world and second, but not less, was to study philosophy, so I got the highest marks in Philosophy. Later, I was very influenced by Buddhism. Studied Jainism and Judaism also. I admire the spirit of Israel and Jews for surviving despite so much displacement and facing the holocaust."

Jyotirmaya Thakur -The name embodies an auspicious, holy light. This perhaps is also her latent mission in life. For a poet, academic, motivational writer, researcher and commentator at a global level, her influence can be established from her 49 published books, hundred-plus anthologies and diverse dissertations on peace, ethics, duty, humanity, nature, existence, spirituality, literature, culture and brotherhood. Her innate writing skills soon found expression. It began with her intensive training in Reiki healing. A series of books by her saw the light of day. The healing touch of Jyotirmaya Thakur had begun to spread.

Today, with her 40th book of Poetry collection on the way to the press, she has written intensively in five genres. Strict in her respect and adherence to great literature and its forms and norms, her experience of a wide range of people gives her a modern and free approach to expression. Her poetry is reflective, pensive, persuasive. Her prose is sharp, impactful and introspective. Metre and rhyme merge with motifs of minds representing both East and West. Sympathetic at all times, but gently leading onto light, she guides even as she gropes through pain and disappointment, duty and diligence, morality and the man. The micro and macro make a mosaic of many hues in her works. She guides even as she grapples with the myriad events unfolding around her. Her sphere of influence has spread around the world. As accolades and appreciation poured in, her duties to the global society grew. As a distinguished member of umpteen international literary forums, she became a key reference point for literary events and discourses. Her extensive work on brotherhood and amity began to be noticed. And her role as Peace Ambassador in multiple organisations gave her the leverage she needed.

As a voice of conviction and amity today, she's noteworthy. Always uplifting, focused and actively promoting peace and fellowship, she interacts with the literary and civil society luminaries to impart a healing touch to people in pain, trauma and confusion. Her regular posts on ethical and practical purposes in life show the range and depth of her understanding of the world. Its dilemmas and dichotomy is not lost on her. She deals with them gently, but also directly. In all her writings, she imparts something of value. Hers is not a complex weave of inscrutable metaphors and convoluted vocabulary. She speaks from her soul and connects to people instantly. Her works are transparent in their message. The clarity of her expression showcases her intelligence as well as her intellectual capacity. She talks simply. To be understood. And she delivers. 

Empathy is what she propagates. Hardships undergone have made her more sympathetic to turbulence in society. But her motivation and determination have not wilted. Spirituality has been key in her development all her life. As she matured, this became her fundamental strength to imbibe and impart wisdom. Now she has been translated into 40 languages and is an official translator too for Ithaca, Spain.

She does not ignore the existence of trials and travails in life. But she has ventured on a mission to explore the methodology to overcome challenges. She shows how to focus on continuous growth and development, healing and happiness, giving and gratitude. With paeans to the Almighty, she professes meditation to alleviate pain. Her odes to humanity, peace, ethics, duty, nature, existence, spirituality, literature, culture and brotherhood all project the values of love, humility, simplicity and generosity. Kindness is the leitmotif of her work.

Alongside her hundreds of poems and prose pieces in her own books, literary sites and 150 international anthologies of significance, she's now penned her latest series called Journal, a 4-volume manual - Spiritual;  Gratitude; Discovery and Inspiration. Her vision is clear. She has chosen her path. Cleared the roses of its thorns. There's work ahead. And she intends to complete the journey she has set her heart on.

Her gentle, persuasive philosophies put her in a pole position in the international literary fraternity. As a Peace Ambassador, her prolific and prolonged effort is to make a difference in thinking among common people. Based in the United Kingdom, she's a Master's in English Literature from her homeland, India. As a veteran Principal in a Cambridge-affiliated school , she was a mentor of young minds. Her extensive reading, her various qualifications, her simplicity and accessibility combine to make her a thinker and writer of influence.

The bilingual author writes extensively in eight genres and has been translated into forty languages. She's won numerous global accolades from literary and social organizations. She serves as advisor and President on the boards of prestigious global committees.

********************