‘Digital media has opened new avenues for budding writers’

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 26

The second and concluding day of Young Writers’ Meet, organised by Sahitya Akademi and Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, on Tuesday was all about balancing passion and profession in the field of literature. The day began with a session chaired by Ravail Singh, former professor and head of Department of Punjabi, Delhi University, who spoke about writing as a passion or profession. “If writers are really passionate about their craft, it inevitably becomes their profession. You don’t have to go after fame or money, if in your work, these are the bi-products that follow your craft,” he said. The participants in the session included young and upcoming writers Ankit Narwal, Amarinder Singh, Ashish Purohit and Waseem Majazi.

Sanjukta Dasgupta, convenor, Northern Regional Board of Languages (English), chaired a session on poetry recitation. A poet herself, she recited her English poems, “Laxmi Unbound and Dhoti Dance to encourage young writers to drop restraints while writing about their passion. The last session titled Poetry on Digital Platform chaired by Prof SS Behl, director, School of Architecture and Planning, GNDU, was about the new platforms on social media that writers and young poets can use to reach their audience. Prof SS Behl, a prolific poet himself, said digital media has given a new space to the poets where they can express themselves without worrying about formats and conventional publication requirements. He said that the farmer movement has really encouraged many aspiring poets to use this digital platform for creative expression.

The event concluded with Sukhbir Kaur, director, Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan presenting her vote of thanks. Dr Sukhbir said that with a vision to preserve the literary and historical significance of Bhai Vir Singh Niwas Asthan, she hopes that the place becomes an epicenter of thriving literary and cultural exchange not just in city but also in the region.