Emerging voice

Saheera Thangal, who has bagged the first Emerging Writer Award, says her literary flights are powered by her passion for writing.

“Her poetry is ‘a surprise that has opened a door and stepped out.' Its intensity makes me laugh and cry at the same time.” The late Kamala Suraiyya wrote this blurb for a debut poetry collection titled Njanenna Ottavara (Me, the Single Line) by Saheera Thangal in 2007. The introduction to this collection was written by none other than poet K. Satchidanandan. Saheera's Malayalam novel Rabia was also well received for its excellent craft and bold theme – polygamy.

The 36-year-old Dubai-based advertising executive, author and poet celebrates this Ramzan with more. She has bagged the first Emerging Writer Award that will be given away at the third Kovalam Literary Festival in October.

In a phone interview from Palakkad, where she is all set to celebrate Ramzan with her family, Saheera talks about her literary excursions, and influences that have shaped her as a writer. “I am very happy and thankful to God for this unexpected treat during this holy month. Awards give writers an inspiration to emerge into something better than what they already are.”

Full report here Hindu

Panel to go into Kerala's appeal

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has promised to refer to an expert panel Kerala's plea for conferring ‘classical' status to Malayalam.

The Prime Minister, who gave a patient hearing to the delegation led by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy, Culture Minister M.A. Baby and poets O. N. V. Kurup, Sugathakumari and K. Satchidanandan, said while Kerala appeared to have a strong case, it was for experts to decide on the State's plea.

“The Prime Minister gave us a warm welcome and patiently listened to our arguments. We are hopeful that this initiative by the Culture Minister and the State government would produce a positive outcome,” O.N.V. Kurup told The Hindu here on Thursday evening.

Full report here Hindu

Word to your druthers

For years, we've been hearing about the death of print, that soon we'll all be reading books on screens. I for one welcome our electronic publishing overlords. If it means more people reading e-books, it means books still have value; they'll still exist for our enjoyment, education and entertainment. And so will the ever-popular Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, now in its 12th year.

The fest kicks off on April 21 with its Grand Prix winner, Haitian-Canadian novelist and journalist Dany Laferrière, whose lifetime of globally relevant work sets the tone for the following four days of panel discussions, readings, book launches and soirées.

Politics, as usual, are not shied away from. The Writers in Peril series addresses control issues in cyberspace, censorship, war crimes and more. Non-fiction writers Elizabeth Abbott, Denise Chong, Sarah Elton and Cleo Paskal give their take on telling the truth. American novelist James Frey also talks truth, scandal and moving on as a writer.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish poet Paul Muldoon reads from his work and offers a poetry workshop, giving insight into his unique style and sometimes strange (yet perfect) word choice. India takes the spotlight as poet and critic Koyamparambath Satchidanandan introduces his work and M.G. Vassanji talks about the meaning of home and rediscovering India. Lebanese poet Joumana Haddad receives the fest's Arab Literary Prize. Novelist

Full report here Hour.ca

Green letter days

More than 150 writers, many of them leading names, from the eight SAARC nations have converged in Delhi for the 33 rd SAARC Festival of Literature. Over the next three days, there will be outpourings of writings from the likes of fiction writers Selina Hossain of Bangladesh, Tahira Iqbal of Pakistan, AK Rashid from Afghanistan, Abhi Subedi from Nepal, Kunzang Choden from Bhutan and poet Lakshanta Athukorala from Sri Lanka.

India is represented by a large contingent comprising Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nair, Hindi poet Ashok Vajpeyi and poet-lyricist Gulzar among others. “For the writers, the event dissolves borders as they discuss issues that concern all of us. For readers, it’s a time to meet the people with whose words they have become familiar,” says poet K Satchidanandan, who recited from his works That is all on Friday, the first day of the festival.

Every year, the festival focuses on a pressing issue, and the present edition is highlighting environment degradation. Hence, the list of awardees included not only Pakistani media person Hamid Mir (who won the SAARC Lifetime Achievement Award), Indian writer and journalist MarkTully and Subedi (who won the SAARC Literary Awards), but also environmentalists Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal and Baba Sewa Singh from Punjab and archaeologist KK Muhammad. Each day is divided into two parts — academic discussions followed by reading sessions.

Full report here Indian Express

'For regional authors road to success is longer'

He might have inked numerous heart-rendering poems and pieces in his native Malayalam for years, but legendary writer K Satchindanandan believes for regional language authors the road to success is longer.

One of the brightest names in contemporary Indian literature, Satchidanandan, the former executive head of the Sahitya Akademi, rues the fact that a language writer cannot produce a one-book wonder like Arundhati Roy.

"I do not consider it a disadvantage, but it is a fact that for those who write in English even with a single book you can have a wonder like Arundhati Roy, which is not possible if you write in a regional language," Satchindanandan told PTI in an interview.

Full report here PTI