A treat for poetry lovers at Panjab University

Chandigarh, May 13

A poetry festival was jointly organised by the department of English and cultural studies and the Dean, International Students, at Panjab University today to commemorate World Language Day that falls on April 23.

The festival kicked off with two eminent poets, Sudeep Sen and Anamika, reciting their poems in English and Hindi, respectively. The event was tri-lingual. While Anamika translated Sudeep’s poems into Hindi, Sudeep translated Anamika’s into English. Parminder Singh, a research scholar of the department, also read Sudeep Sen’s poems in Punjabi. The audience especially enjoyed the synchronised renderings of the various poems in three languages.

Anamika read poems largely on women-related issues and their sisterhood. Her poems were also translated by the students of the department into Punjabi and were read out before a receptive audience.

The Chairperson of the Department of English and Cultural Studies, Prof Akshaya Kumar, held an engaging and thoughtful conversation with the two poets regarding their poetic endeavors and their experience with translation in contrast.

Neha Bansal (IAS), a former student of the department, and Ranjit Saranwali, both poets, awarded and published by Sahitya Akademi, Delhi, presented their poems in English and Punjabi, respectively, in the post-lunch session. Thereafter, the students of the various departments of the university took the stage to present their original poems. Their poems written across languages had a ready resonance among the young audience.

The day ended with Sudeep Sen’s kind words of encouragement to budding poets not to lose heart and keep writing. Dean, International Students, Deepti Gupta’s support for the event was appreciated by the audience.