Hillol Ray:  Poet, Writer and professional Civil Engineer

For the very first time that I met Hillol and his wife Seema at Houston I bought a book written by them. Realizing their power of writing, I gave them encouragement to continue although I didn’t know all about their accomplishments. Slowly over the years Hillol opened his mind and started telling me his life story from his childhood and then sharing his work that he did throughout his life. You may consider this article as a result of my interview with Hillol.

The mystique tale of Hillol Ray (affectionately known as “HiRay”) is;

He was born in the remote village of Hijalpukur, Habra Thana, 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. He lost his father at an early age of five, was raised by his maternal grand-parents.

HiRay’s early education started at local Habra Udbastu Prathomik Shiksha Niketan, and later in Habra High School.  He was always a topper in all examinations in all classes, received full scholarship all through his school life. Hillol graduated with First Class in Civil Engineering from Bengal Engineering College (under Calcutta University), Shibpur, (now known as IIEST), Howrah, West Bengal, India

His hand writing using calligraphy in English, Bengali, Sanskrit and Hindi is just incredible. Incidentally, his calligraphy as described by his fellow classmates, teachers, professors, global readers and magazine editors looked like displayed items of perfect cultured pearls in the stores of the Ginza District of Tokyo, Japan.

Due to his ability to grasp various languages and also best calligraphy from his childhood school days he was able to draw the attention of his classmates, teachers, and editors. He used to be appointed as the editor of school and college magazines.  In spite of his own hardship which attributed him the “insight” of real experiences he worked closely with Mother Teresa in Kolkata, India for various assignments.

Upon graduation from Habra High School, Ray continued to excel academically by winning scholarship with free tuition to Engineering College.  During 4^th year of Engineering Ray’s original “Crossword Puzzle on Road Engineering” got selected and appeared in the Science Reporter magazine published by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India.  The originality and depth of this puzzle caught the attention of several universities from USA, Russia, Europe, and Africa who offered Ray fellowship and free tuition to continue higher studies in Engineering.  After obtaining the BS degree in engineering Ray was employed with PLACON Ltd., while his paper works and application process for National Science Foundation (NSF) fellowship and Immigration to USA were going on. In early March, 1975, Ray boarded the New York bound Air India plane with only few dollars in his pocket.

After a brief stay in New York – Philadelphia area Ray flew to Fargo, North Dakota to pursue his graduate studies. He was doing graduate research under the tutelage of the famous Dr. Stanley L. Klemetson. The abstract of technical paper based on his thesis towards a Graduate Degree in Environmental Engineering at NDSU entitled: “A Preliminary Investigation of Coal Washed Waste Water and Sludge Characteristics with an emphasis on the Variable Climatic Influence on Sludge Disposal” was accepted by the Research Symposium Selection Committee from the University of Indiana at South Bend, Indiana, USA on May 24, 1977.  Then Ray received a job offer with Brown & Root, Inc., Engineers and Constructors.

Along with accumulation of wealth and professional recognitions over the years he started enjoying good life; He became a connoisseur of travelling and writing poems in his spare time and creating more global awareness through his English poems about the environmental pollution solution, global warming, human rights, women empowerment, human trafficking, hunger and poverty eradication, etc.

Dreaming the dreams is a human nature from where Ray never took exception. He wrote “From my childhood to adulthood, I have been subconsciously driven through dreams to excel in personal life, be creative, and serve the poorest of the poor.  Accumulation of personal wealth and happiness bring short term joy, but may not fulfill each and every crevice of human cravings, and that’s how I feel myself now, from time to time”.

He recapitulated his activities during early 1970’s, while working “hands on and face to face” with Mother Teresa, at the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India.

“I found the spiritual strength within me, in spite of my own physical weakness, I was truly mesmerized by the verses and inspiration of Mother Teresa.  Her blessings and the implanted thoughts of helping the poorest of the poor was instilled in my mind and, it still reverberates in my brain and navigates in my life,” Ray points out, “So, with aging process, living through sacrifices my priorities of personal life are changing for the last couple of years”.

He is an ardent follower of Thakur (God) Sri Ramkrishna’s religious and spiritual philosophy.

Undoubtedly Ray has been able to rise to such a height of his accomplishment that has been equal to the depth his conviction, where the parts of the world has recognized and praised his talents. The Cousteau Society of Paris (France) and, of course, proud Bengali clubs like Pratichi of Olathe (Kansas), Bengali Association of Greater Florida and many different associations around the world have showered him with accolades, speaking invitations, honors, awards and tributes.  (For a complete list, please check International War Veterans’ Poetry Archives website http://iwvpa.net/rayh/index-hra.php).

The real genius of Hillol is his creative side.  A prodigious and prolific author that he is, his poems are not only regularly published in Bengali magazines from Asia, Europe, Canada, Sweden, South and North America but have been translated into Swedish, Spanish, German, Italian, and French languages also. His poem “Earth Day” has been praised by the former U.S. President Clinton. He has received personal appreciation letters from Siddhartha Shankar Ray former Indian ambassador to USA, Madame Francine Cousteau, President of the Cousteau Society, Inc. in Paris, France, (and wife of world renowned Oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau). His poems have been published and/or displayed in some prominent places like J C Penny, Inc., UC of San Francisco, CA, Colegio Jefferson of Caracas, Venezuela; Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in Shanghai, China; “China Campus” from Beijing, China, etc.

Hillol has influenced Hollywood as well. Amerecord song album “Star Route U.S.A.” has used lyrics from his poem “Diversity”, http://www.asianamerican.net/bios/Ray-Hillol.html.  He is frequently invited as a Guest Poet, Keynote Speaker, and Seminar Moderator by various cultural organizations, educational institutions, public and university libraries. He is often interviewed by numerous television and radio stations in USA and abroad.

Just like an apostle for a sustainable world towards betterment of human rights and awareness about peace, tolerance, and environment he has vested his lifelong work, financial resources, creative writings towards the establishment of Hillol Ray Foundation for Human Rights (HR FF HR), Hillol Ray Foundation for Peace and Environment (HR FF P and E), and Diamond Think Tank, USA

Partial List of Awards Bestowed:

• Fellow, The Royal Society of Health, London, England (1985): http://www.iwvpa.net/rayh/images/1985-0228.pdf
• Featured News: Letter from Mother Teresa arrives from Calcutta/Kolkata, India (1997): http://www.iwvpa.net/rayh/images/1997-0914.pdf
• http://www.iwvpa.net/rayh/images/1995-0531.pdf
• http://www.iwvpa.net/rayh/images/2004-0422.pdf
• http://www.iwvpa.net/rayh/images/2007-0710.pdf

Hillol Ray’s poems have been displayed by the followings:
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX; University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire; Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.; “The Crystal Prism” – A book published by the CGS Communications, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas; “Celebrate Diwali with Sweets, Lights, and Fireworks” (2006) – A book authored by Deborah Heiligman, New York; “Themes and Links” (ISBN 978-88-416-4459-8: Pages 67, 68) – A Text Book (C0-Edited by: Caterina Lerro, Luisa Marro, Mark Jonathan Walters), published by Europass/ Casa Edlitrice G. Principato S.p.A. Via G.B. Fauche, 10-20154, Milano, Italy (2009).

Hillol Ray’s Community Service towards Bengali Culture and Language Propagation:

Beside his professional activities he devoted his valuable time to spread the Bengali culture and language in the western Hemisphere, a herculean task by his involvement and communications as being the Editor-in-Chief of “LEKHONI” (The Pen) magazine and Newsletters – literary publications of the North Texas Bengali Association (NTBA) of Plano – Richardson, Texas, from 1992 to 2002.  Please check following links for his Bengali Handwriting, art work (cover design). http://www.iwvpa.net/rayh/index-hra.php