MEET THE WRITERS: FOUR FROM THE CITY
Over the last few years the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi has made a niche for itself in Chandigarh, holding literary events on a regular basis. Several new schemes have been implemented. The annual Festival of Letters is around the corner and lovers of literature in Chandigarh can look forward to 3 days of scintillating activity. Details will be announced in the coming week.
Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi has also been give Awards of Recognition to senior writers of the city, Grants-in-Aid to unpublished manuscripts, and awards to published books. For the younger age group there are competitions in creative writing, Quiz Contests and goshthis.
A new feature over the last few months is a monthly Goshthi in which writers of the city are asked to present their work. One such Goshti was held at the UT Guest House today where four writers from the city who have published recently showcased their talents. These writers are well-known figures in the city and their works have received good press coverage. Acceding to popular demand, CSA organized today's event so that they may interact with literature enthusiasts and the regular attendees of the Akademi programmes.
Bittu Sandhu, Inspired by Imroz, companion of well-known writer Amrita Pritam, a city-based resident, Bittu Sandhu has penned her feelings on human relationships in the form of a poetry collection, "Sadhran - The Anxious Wait" which has been published in Punjabi and Hindi. A collection of 45 poems, this is Sandhu's second book.
Sumita Misra has recently published "A Life of Light", a poetry collection of some 40 poems divided into two sections: In Transit and Except Love. While the first one relates to life in its complexity, the latter is about love in its myriad forms, remembered, reciprocated, unrequited and the like. ‘To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield’ is Sumita Misra’s mantra in life.
Vijai Vardhan’s second poetry anthology is "Ibadat," released recently. While he’s been reading poetry of all genres for the past 20 years, Sufi poetry is closest to his heart. Touching upon the mystic world of Sufism, the book is a compilation of 120 haikus, short poems of Japanese origin. He has earlier authored tow books, "Kurukshetra" and "Beyond the Great Beyond."
Vivek Atray is an eagle-eyed observer of society and writes witty Middles for leading newspapers. Engaged in a lot of good work for Chandigarh, he has literary leanings. His book MOVE ON BUNNY! has made waves among the literati and the chatterati of India and is on the way to becoming a best-seller.
The evening had a special guest who happened to be passing through Chandigarh. John Siddique teaches poetry and creative writing in the UK and Abroad. He is the bestselling author of "Full Blood," "Recital – An Almanac," "Poems From A Northern Soul," and "The Prize." He has contributed poems, stories, essays and articles to many publications, including Granta, The Guardian, Poetry Review, and The Rialto. In the city on a private visit, he participated in today's event and presented some of his writings, much to the delight of the audience.
Link for photos of the event: https://picasaweb.google.com/105464712099114161998/4frmcity?authkey=Gv1sRgCKeA49P_o-zlZQ
--Manju Jaidka
Chairperson, CSA
Chandigarh
