Young poet celebrates third poetry book release at 20

A young writer from Ludhiana, Sukhmani Brar (20), daughter of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Amandeep Brar, has authored three poetry books. She released her latest work, Cloud of Sorrow: A Rain of Longing, at Punjab University, Chandigarh, on August 8.

Sukhmani completed her schooling from Class IV to XII at CJM Waverley in Mussoorie. Currently pursuing BA (Hons) in English at MCM DAV College, Chandigarh, she said she wrote her first book, Lost in the Night Sky, at the age of 16. It was launched in 2021 at Circuit House, Ludhiana. Her second book, Façade, came out in 2023. She said, “her second book felt more evolved than the first, maybe because I had grown up too”.

Her third collection was launched by Virasat Punjab Manch in the presence of its chairman, Professor Harjodh Singh. Among those present were professor Renu Vig, Vice-Chancellor of Punjab University, and AS Rai, Special DGP, Traffic & Road Safety.

“Navigating the publishing world at a young age was both thrilling and daunting. I got the opportunity to figure out everything by doing it myself, for instance editing the cover pages as well as marketing the book,” she said.

“The challenge lies in identifying your audience. Poetry is a unique literary form, not easily accessible to all; it resonates only with readers who are willing and able to grasp its essence,” added Brar.

Her native village is Bhagsar in Muktsar Sahib district. She said she felt blessed to have been acknowledged and honoured by GGN Khalsa College, Ludhiana, and to have been named a “shining star” by the Muktsar Vikas Mission Organisation following the launch of her first two books.

On her parents’ influence, she commented, “They have been my unwavering anchor through it all. They never forced me to choose between academics and writing; instead, they gave me the freedom to pursue both with my whole heart. In every step, they have stood beside me—encouraging, guiding and believing in me even when I doubted myself.”

Speaking of her literary inspirations, Sukhmani revealed that Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken was the first poem to awaken her love for poetry.

“Over the course of three books, my poetry has changed a lot. In the first one, I wrote about feelings as they happened, immediate, unfiltered. In the second, I started exploring narratives and imagery more deeply. By the third, I found myself writing with more restraint, letting silence and space say as much as the words,” she said.

Asked what advice she would give her younger self, Brar replied, “You’ll never feel ready and that’s okay. Start anyway. The book will teach you how to write it.”