L Samarendra awarded on World Poetry Day

IMPHAL, March 21: The Sahitya Thoupang Lup Manipur in collaboration with the SuiGeneris Inc, Poknapham and the People’s Chronicle organized 'a festival of Laishram Samarendra' on the occasion of World Poetry Day at JN Manipur Dance Academy today.

During the festival, the Gopal Sharma Award was presented to poet Laishram Samarendra and a book titled ‘Tale of a Land’, the English version of Samarendra’s 'Khul Amagi Wari' was released by noted playwright Ratan Thiyam.The award included a citation and a cash amount of Rs. 10,000.

As a part of the occasion, Samarendra's  poems were read out by B Jayantakumar, S Bhanumati, K Gunileima, L Dorendro, Yaima Haoba, Ksh Tejkeshwar, N Bebeka, Gokul Athokpam, Elangbam Abenao, Mangang Chanu Yaiphabi, Ksh Anupama and Master S Poireiton.

Sharatchand Thiyam in his key note address said that every year on March 21, UNESCO celebrates the World Poetry Day after a decision to proclaim March 21 as World Poetry Day was adopted during the UNESCO’s 30th Session held in Paris in October-November 1999.

According to the UNESCO’s decision, the main objective of this action is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities, he added.

He continued that moreover, this day is meant to support poetry, to herald the return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, promoting teaching poetry, restoring a dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music, painting and so on, support small publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media so that the art of poetry will no longer be considered an outdated form of art but one.

Speaking on the occasion, Ratan Thiyam said that he finds great pleasure in reading the poetry of Samarendra and that the poet's life is parallel with that of Rabindranath Tagore as he is also a painter.