Elizabeth Kurian, ‘Mona’ writes poetry and translates in Urdu, English, Hindi, Telugu and her mother tongue Malayalam. She did a correspondence course from Jamia Milia Islamia, N.Delhi to enable her to read and write the Urdu script and a course in Tehseene-Ghazal from Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad. She learned the basics of ghazal writing from Dr. Kamal Prasad ‘Kamal’, Hyderabad and its rules Ilme-Arooz from R.P.Sharma ‘Mehrish’, Mumbai.

The ghazal is Mona’s favourite genre of poetry. She has published five collections of Urdu ghazals, one of original English ghazals and a book about ghazal titled “The Art and Science of Ghazal- A Readers’ Guide to Urdu Ghazal, Appreciation, Scansion and Prosody”, which was released in the Jashne Rekhta -2019, where she also participated in the Mushaira e Shairaat. Her book of ghazals in English is titled “The English Ghazal Train”.

Mona’s other books are:

In Urdu: Poetry - Kahkashaan, Muhobbat ke Saaye , Zauqe- Jusataju, Qause Quzah, Junoon, Guldasta, and Translations:: Baadal ka Saaya (P. K. Parakkadau’s Malayalam mini stories)  Khula Pinjra (Dr. Ramakant Sharma’s Hindi short stories). She received awards for five of these books from the Urdu Academy Lucknow/Hyderabad.   

In other languages: “Beyond Images”–English poems, Sapne Marushtal Mein-Hindi poetry, Husne-ghazal – Beauty of the Ghazal : Selected ghazals in Devanagiri and Roman scripts with English translation, and Kaanaakinaavukal – Malayalam.

English translations: “Mirrors of My Soul” – Maryam Gazala’s selected Hindi/ Urdu poems, “Tremors”- Bhookamp-Dr. Ram Barayya’s Hindi poetry, “Awaiting a New Season”-

Intezar naye mausam ka –Nusrat Mohiuddin’s Urdu nazms, Shwaas se shabdtak Dr. Ahilya Misra’s Hindi poems , “The Sea” and “Samandar”- Seema Shakoor’s Urdu poems in English and Hindi. Mona has so far published 22 books.

“Beyond Images” has also been translated into French by Supratik Sen and into Tamil by N.V.Subbaraman. The original and its translations have pen and ink sketches by Sushil Thapa, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Mona’s poems and articles appear in various print and electronic media. She takes part in various literary festivals and mushairas. She is the recipient of the prestigious Sayeed Shaheedi Life Time Achievement Award 2022 for poetry from Telangana State Urdu Academy, Hyderabad presented in December 2024. She was felicitated as Notable Alumnus at the Rosary Convent School 120 yrs celebration 2024, and as Eminent Christian in Literature at the Telangana Chief Minister’s Christmas Celebrations 2024.

After early retirement as Manager from the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai, she now pursues her literary passion in Hyderabad, India.