K. D. Sethna

Sethna was born a Parsi-Zoroastrian, but discontinued its practice after becoming a disciple of Sri Aurobindo. He celebrated his 100th birthday in 2004. At the time of his death, at the age of 106 On June 29, 2011., he was one of the world's oldest living authors. The last few years of his life he had stayed at the Ashram Nursing Home.

In 1949, the journal Mother India was started by the Ashram. Its purpose was to discuss current topics, both National and International, from a viewpoint which was in line with Sri Aurobindo’s thought, although it was not directly meant to be his mouthpiece. Sethna was appointed its editor, and he sent all his political articles for approval to Sri Aurobindo. However, after Sri Aurobindo’s departure in 1950 the Mother advised Sethna not to touch directly on politics.

Some time in 1937, Sethna and his wife were divorced, and he married Sehra, a Parsi friend of his youth from Bombay. She remained his companion until her death in 1980. The death of Sehra and the death of his nephew the noted advocate Dhun Canteenwalla is said to have nearly caused him to lose his equipoise.

As a first work, Sethna was given the task of managing the Ashram stores, looking after the various practical needs of the members. Much of his free time he dedicated to developing his poetry, regularly sending his numerous creations to Sri Aurobindo for getting his opinion and corrections. In 1936 Sri Aurobindo started sending him his handwritten texts of his literary main work Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol for typing. As a result, there also followed a correspondence on Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual poetry, discussing its peculiar characteristics, its style and planes of inspiration.

Sethna and his wife arrived in the Ashram in December 1927. After having met the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, he decided to join the Ashram along with his wife, who was renamed "Lalita", which is a name of one of Radha’s companions. Sethna received from Sri Aurobindo the new name "Amal Kiran", meaning "Pure Ray".

He began his literary career very early, publishing book reviews in newspapers and magazines. His first book, titled Parnassians, appeared in 1924. It was a collection of essays on the works of H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, Gilbert Keith Chesterton and Thomas Hardy. When one of Sethna’s well-wishers sent a copy of the book to Wells, the latter is reported to have commented, “the young man will go far.”

Kaikhosru Dhunjibhoy Sethna (26 November 1904 – 29 June 2011) was an Indian poet, scholar, writer, philosopher, and cultural critic. He published more than 50 books. He was known by the diminutive Kekoo, but wrote his poetry under nom de plume of Amal Kiran.

Sethna was born as a Parsi in Bombay on 25 November 1904. His father was a physician and specialist eye surgeon. He was a voracious reader and also a bit of a writer, giving his son a lot of support in developing his talents.