Saros Cowasjee


Saros Cowasjee

COWASJEE, Saros (1931-2020)
Author, Educator

Saros Cowasjee was born in Secundrabad, India, in 1931.  Educated at the Universities of Agra (M.A., 1955) and Leeds, UK, (Ph.D. 1960), he came to teach English at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus, the forerunner of the University of Regina, in 1963.  Prior to that he worked as a Lecturer in English at Agra College, Agra 1955-57) and Assistant Editor with the Times of India Press (1961-63).

Cowasjee joined Regina Campus as an instructor and was promoted to full professor in 1971.  He retired in 1995 and was appointed Professor Emeritus.

During his long teaching career, Cowasjee spent a semester at Darwin College, Cambridge, a sabbatical as Research Associate at University of Berkeley, California, and another sabbatical as Professor of Commonwealth Literature at the University of Aarhus in Denmark.  He has presented papers and been a guest lecturer at several universities in Europe, Australia, North America, Fiji and India.

Cowasjee has been a prolific writer.  His publications include five books of criticism, two novels, two volumes of short stories and a screenplay.  In addition to these he has edited and written introductions to some thirty titles on Indian and Raj fiction.  There are also his research articles published as chapters in books and in various journals and magazines in Canada, Great Britain, the U.S. and elsewhere.

Of particular interest in the extensive documentation is his research and writing on the Irish playwright Sean O’Casey and the Indian novelist Mulk Raj Anand.  The collection contains substantial correspondence with Anand covering over thirty years.  His detailed correspondence with various publishers provides insight into the writing and editing process and the business of book publishing.

Written with information
from Saros Cowasjee
Photo courtesy of Saros Cowasjee

Archival Collections (Finding Aids in PDF format)


90-101 - Professional Papers. 1947-1990

91-23 - Professional Papers and Mulk Raj Anand Correspondence. 1969-1982

91-93 - Professional Papers and Mulk Raj Anand Correspondence. 1963-1991

94-62 - Professional Papers. 1951-1994

95-20 - Professional Papers. 1957-1995

97-37 - Professional Papers. 1978-1997

99-48 - Professional Papers. 1991-1999

2000-8 - Books Written by Saros Cowasjee

2003-2 - Mulk Raj Anand. Reflections on the White Elephant. Manuscript. ca. 1960.

2004-2 - Mulk Raj Anand. Untouchable, Coolie, and Private Life of an Indian Prince. Manuscripts. ca. 1935-1948

2004-47 - Professional Papers. 2001-2005

2006-43 - Professional Papers. 2004-2006

2007-48 - Chapters / studies in books

2008-60 - Professional Papers. 2006-2008

2009-1 - Saros Cowasjee material on William (Bill) Howard 2005-2008

2010_47 - Correspondence 1963-2010

2011-35 - Publications signed by authors

2011-49 - Professional papers and correspondence

2012-66 - Correspondence and Notes, 2004-2012

2013-35 - Screenplay by Cowasjee based on Mulk Raj Anands Private Life of an Indian Prince. n.d.

2014-31 - Correspondence, 2011-2014

2016-4 - Newsclippings Regarding the Life of Irish Poet Brendan Behan

2016-45 - Material regarding Govindas Vishnoodas (G.V.) Desani

2017-9 - Material regarding the Wascana Goose Round-up and Raja Rao