Videos

Deepak Ahuja: His home, his family and his poetry

In this video, we meet Deepak Ahuja whose Hindi poem ‘ ग़ुलामों की बस्ती’ won the first prize in Regional Category in 2023. A simple man with profound thoughts, Deepak lives in a quiet neighbourhood of Delhi with his mom and his sister. Deepak shares his life story with our crew about his mom raising him as a single parent after his dad expired back when he was still very young. He slowly lets us in on his journey as a poet and what made him pen his winning poem ‘ ग़ुलामों की बस्ती’ .

Meet Bibhusha Rai: A Darjeeling based poet

In this video, Bibhusha Rai (the second prize winner of Wingword Poetry Prize 2022) talks about her winning poem ‘Darjeeling Tea’ and her inspiration to write poetry. She had travelled to New Delhi to receive her award in December 2022. We follow her journey from Darjeeling to Delhi and the honorable moment when she received her prize at the official prizegiving ceremony.

Nandana Dev Sen: Winner of Wingword Poetry Prize 2022

In this video, Nandana Dev Sen graciously accepts the esteemed Wingword Poetry Prize 2022 and eloquently recites her award-winning poem, 'Daybreak'. Despite gaining fame as an actress, Nandana Sen discovered a profound passion for writing. She hails from a lineage of women who have wielded their pens to craft influential pieces of literature. Both her mother and grandmother were exceptional poets. Embracing her own identity as a poet, Nandana now invites her readers to delve into her captivating poetry.

Dr. Neal Hall: Winner of Wingword Poetry Prize 2022

Dr. Neal Hall from United States was honored with the esteemed International Wingword Poetry Prize in 2020. His work, 'Matriarchal Patriarch,' starkly illuminated the entrenched oppression within Indian households, where women endure violence and cruelty inflicted by their own kind. This poignant piece sheds light on the unsettling reality that patriarchy finds reinforcement from women who condone and even promote the mistreatment of other women. Through their teachings, they perpetuate a culture where the abuse of wives, sisters, and daughters is deemed acceptable. Consequently, the vicious cycle of torment persists unchecked. In the video Mr. Hall recited few other poems such as 'Always', 'The System We Cast' and 'Appalling Silence' from his collection of poems 'The Systems We Caste' published by Wingword Association. The work is inspired by the harrowing nature of discrimination and violence. The narration interrogates the fabric of casual exploitation which is unnoticed in day-to-day life, slipping into a profound expression of grief. Neal's poems express both a personal and global journey, all embedded in the microscopic tales woven from the lives of ordinary individuals.

Virtual Award Ceremony of Wingword Poetry Prize 2019

Due to COVID-19, we hosted a virtual award ceremony of Wingword Poetry Prize in September 2020 to meet and greet the winners of the esteemed competition. During the event, the winners and commendable mentions of Wingword Poetry Prize have the opportunity to interact with Laurie Ann Guerrero, Poet Laureate of San Antonio in Texas and Jamaal Jackson Rogers, Poet Laureate of Ottawa in Canada. They also receive organic writing tips from Vancouver Shullai. This is followed by a poetry reading by some winners of the 2019 competition.

Vancouver Shullai is the winner of Wingword Poetry Prize 2017. Hailing from lovely Laitumkhrah in the hills of Shillong, his poetry is a hybrid of old school vibrance and modern day madness. Our team traveled to Shillong to film his interview.

Interview: Winners of Wingword Poetry Prize 2018

Award winners of the 2017 competition attended a prize-giving ceremony in Jaipur, Rajasthan to commemorate their achievements. We chat with some of the winners and participants on their personal experiences with writing poetry- how they discovered their longing for words, their distinctive styles and how being a part of Wingword Poetry Prize has helped them positively in enhancing their lives.

Solid Writing Tips for Beginners

Nadine Aisha Jassat who was one of the judges of the Wingword Competition helps poets and writers develop their full potential through writing advice. In this video, you'll explore some of these fundamentals.

• Take time to relax and rest your mind. New ideas start to brew when feel at ease.

• Practice free writing to allow your imagination to run wild.

• Listen to your gut instinct.

• Throw out the rulebook. Experiment with your usage of word-choice and grammar to create a unique style of writing.

• Write for yourself, not for others. Pour your heart out on paper.

• Stay consistent with your writing journey. Be kind to yourself and adventure into the unknown.

Five Tips on Writing Impactful Poetry

Renowned poet Marc Nair who was one of the judges of the Wingword Competition shares one-on-one tips with enthusiastic poets on how to bring the best out of their writing potential. Writing is an art which can be finessed with the right techniques. In this video, learn about how compose an impactful poem which truly conveys your thoughts and sentiments.