Dr Persaud left cherished memory

THE EDITOR: It is with a heavy heart I read of the passing in England of celebrated writer Lakshmi Persaud (nee Seetaram) of Tunapuna, wife of Dr Bishnodat Persaud, who pre-deceased (2016 at age 82) her. She was an outstanding novelist who was honoured by the Trinidad and Tobago Government and the national library.

Persaud taught in Trinidad, Guyana and Jamaica and also spent time doing research in Barbados. She travelled extensively with her famed economist husband who headed the Economics Department at the Commonwealth office in London. She was admired for her writing skills and her articulation of views and positions on social and cultural issues.

Persaud’s writings had a large following of Caribbean literary enthusiasts in Trinidad, Guyana, the rest of the Caribbean and the diaspora. Those she taught described her as an outstanding teacher. She and her husband loved interacting with the diaspora wherever they travelled.

In New York, the diaspora honoured the memory of Dr Persaud and her important contribution to the field of literature and specifically of Caribbean women’s writing. Whenever she and or her husband visited the US, they were hosted by Indo-Caribbean writers for lectures. It was an honour to meet her and Bishnodat in London, New York and Trinidad on multiple occasions, with them sharing personal experiences. What a lovely couple.

They also shared their books and experiences and hosted West Indians at different locations.

Persaud studied in Trinidad and at Queens University, Belfast where she earned her doctorate. There she met Guyanese-born Bishnodat Persaud, who was doing a doctorate in economics, and they later got married. They held me in confidence and related several private incidents, anecdotes and engagements they had with politicians, including Sir Shridath Ramphal, Desmond Hoyte, Cheddi Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Hamilton Green, among others, as well as about UWI campuses.

Lakshmi Persaud, who also did a postgraduate diploma in education at the University of Reading, England, made immense contributions in the field of Caribbean literature. Her novels were masterpieces depicting real life in the Caribbean and the UK. She wrote with great feeling and warmth, and her writings have helped to focus literature on Indo-Caribbean people. She elevated the reach of Indian Caribbean literature to a wider circle in the UK, North America, and the Caribbean.

She was a forward thinker and her novels focused on different subjects including on the most difficult period of living in Guyana during the 1970s and 1980s, and about the exploitation of women. She lived briefly in Guyana, teaching at Queens College. One of her novels focused on women, showing a new light in being a strong, independent individual.

Persaud’s intellect, knowledge and experience about writing and literature and her teaching skills were a guiding spirit for many young writers. Her usage of simple language reminds readers of the power of expression. The vivid imagery of her writings about life in the societies she lived in will always remain a rich encapsulation of the Indo-Caribbean experience.

She was deservingly recognised for her prize-winning novels and contribution to literature and education by universities in England and the UWI with a honorary doctorate.

In NY, those who met Dr Persaud and her husband praised their kindness, generosity and brilliance. They both have left behind a cherished memory.

DR VISHNU BISRAM

via e-mail