Hillol Ray: Poet Laureate, Author, and Song Writer -

is an Environmental Engineer and Manager of Drinking Water Supply Enforcement Program, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Dallas, Texas. Born and raised in a suburb of Calcutta, India, he has been writing poetry since the age of six, in his native language "Bengali". His poems are regularly published in Bengali magazines from Asia, Europe, Canada, Sweden, and North America and are currently being translated into English, Swedish, Spanish, German and French languages.

Many issues of "Six Country Reporter" at EPA in Dallas have also published his English poems. But one of his recent poems, "Earth Day", has made him an "overnight" sensation. It was read at several local observations, presented at a celebration in Arizona, displayed by the Dallas Museum of Art, and has been published worldwide. It also earned him letters of personal recognitionfrom President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Jr. and Indian Ambassador S.S. Ray (no relation) in Washington, DC. In addition, he has received letters of personal appreciations for his poems from Madame Francine Cousteau, President of the Cousteau Society, Inc. in Paris, France, (and wife of world renowned Oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau), and also from Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India. Recently his poems "Old Wine in New Bottle", "Homogenization -A Millennium Dream" have been selected as "Choice Poem" by the Australian Poetic Society. His poems have been displayed by the J.C. Penney, Inc., University of San Francisco in California, Cultural Association of Bengal in New York, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX; University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire; Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.; Rangsit University in Thailand, Bangkok; Colegio Jefferson of Caracas, Venezuela; NetFriends of Tibet Site in Stockholm, Sweden; and also on the web pages of EPA in Washington, DC, the Asian-American Village from Boston, Massachusetts, and many other web sites from the USA and abroad. Recently, the lyrics from his poem "Diversity" have been included in the song album "Star Route U.S.A." released by Amerecord from Hollywood, California. He is frequently invited as a Guest Poet and Seminar Moderator by the various cultural organizations, educational institutions, and public and university libraries and has been interviewed by numerous television stations. He was the winner of "Bronze Medal for Commendable Service" in implementing a Consumer Confidence Rule (CCR) Strategy in 2001 and "Excellence in Regional Customer Service Award" in 2002 - both from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Dallas, Texas. His biography has appeared in the Special Commemorative Edition of "500 Leaders of Science", and also in "International Directory of Distinguished Leadership" (Eighth and Ninth Editions) - both published by the American Biographical Institute, Inc. from Raleigh, North Carolina, and poems have appeared in many popular anthologies. To name a few, "The Crystal Prism" published by the CGS Communications in Fort Worth, Texas; as well as "Edge of Twilight", "Best Poems of the '90s", "A Delicate Balance", "Best Poems of 1995", "Of Sunshine and Daydreams", "Essence of a Dream", "Through the Looking Glass", "Best Poems of 1997", "Chambers of Time", "Beneath A Rainbow", "Chasing the Wind", "A Painted Garden", "Melodies of The Soul", "Verdant Lands of Spring", "Best Poems of 1998", "Fabric of Life", "The Rustling Leaves", "Of Summer's Passing", "The Peace We Knew", "The Promise of Dawn", and "Outstanding Poets of 1998", published by the National Library of Poetry in Owings Mills, Maryland.

E-mail: mukhosh@aol.com