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Ben Antao

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Ben Antao
Antao in 2010
Antao in 2010
Born (1935-08-12) August 12, 1935 (age 89)
Velim, Goa, Portuguese India, Portuguese Empire
Occupation
  • Journalist
  • teacher
  • writer
  • financial planner
Citizenship
    • Portuguese Empire (until 1961)
    • Indian (former)
    • Canadian
Alma mater
Period1990–present

Ben Antao (born 12 August 1935), is a Canadian writer, journalist, teacher, and certified financial planner. He is currently based in Toronto, Canada.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

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Ben Antao was born in Velim, Goa, Portuguese India during the Portuguese Empire (now in India). He graduated from the University of Bombay (M.A. in English).

Career

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Journalism (1963–1967)

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Antao first worked as a reporter for The Navhind Times, Panjim, Goa (1963–64) and later joined The Indian Express (1965–66) in Bombay as a reporter. In 1966, he was awarded a journalism fellowship by the World Press Institute based at Macalester College, St. Paul, MN, for a year of study and travel in the United States.[4] While in the US, he worked for ten weeks as a writer and editor for The Denver Post, CO. After immigrating to Canada in 1967, he worked for The Catholic Register weekly and The Globe and Mail, both of Toronto.

Teaching (1976–1998)

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In 1976, he graduated from the University of Toronto (B.Ed) and switched to a teaching career. He retired from teaching English in high school in 1998.[5]

Writing (1990–present)

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In 1990, he published Images of Goa, a memoir of his early life and experiences in his native land. In 2004, he published Goa, A Rediscovery, a travelogue of his visit to Goa. He has written five novels, over two dozen short stories, a play and a movie script based on his novel The Tailor's Daughter.[6] His other novels are Blood & Nemesis, Penance, Living on the Market,[7] The Priest and His Karma, and Money and Politics.[8] His non-fiction includes two memoirs: Images of Goa (2011, 2ed)[9] and Images of the USA (2009), and two travelogues: Goa, A Rediscovery (2004)[10] and The Lands of Sicily (2008).[11][12][13]

He is a past president of the Canadian Authors Association (Toronto branch).[11]

References

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  1. ^ Blood & Nemesis About the Author page
  2. ^ "Ben Antao at The Goan Forum" Archived 2015-07-07 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 01 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Writers and Editors Network bio" Retrieved 01 May 2014.
  4. ^ "WPI fellowships 1967" Archived 2014-05-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 01 May 2014.
  5. ^ "ClamorWorld interview" Retrieved 01 May 2014.
  6. ^ Antao, Ben (2006). The Tailor's Daughter: A Novel. Goan Observer. ISBN 9788189837020.
  7. ^ Antao, Ben (2006). Penance: A Novel. Goan Observer. ISBN 9788189837020.
  8. ^ Antao, Ben (2009). The Priest and His Karma. PublishAmerica. ISBN 9781607498094.
  9. ^ Antao, Ben (2011). Images of Goa: A Memoir. CinnamonTeal Pub. ISBN 9789380151953.
  10. ^ Antao, Ben (2004). Goa a rediscovery. Goa: Goan Observer Pvt. Ltd.
  11. ^ a b "Ontario Writers' Conference bio" Archived May 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 01 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Stellar Literary Festival talent" Retrieved 01 May 2014.
  13. ^ "Global Asian Times interview" Retrieved 28 October 2015.