Abhay Kumar Suggests New Directions for Indian Poetry at Nissim Ezekiel’s 100th Birthday Seminar
New Delhi [India], August 3, 2024: Indian poet-diplomat Abhay Kumar proposed three new directions for Indian poetry during a seminar celebrating the 100th birthday of renowned poet Nissim Ezekiel. The event, organized by Sahitya Akademi, took place on August 1-2, 2024, at Rabindra Bhawan, New Delhi.
The seminar was chaired by Anisur Rahmam, with co-panelists Ranu Uniyal and Payal Nagpal. Malashri Lal, the convenor of the English Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi, along with other poets and scholars, were also present.
During the session titled ‘New Direction in Indian Poetry in English,’ Abhay Kumar praised Nissim Ezekiel’s role in modernizing Indian poetry in English during the 1960s. He suggested that Indian poetry should now focus on themes like the digital revolution, climate change, and space exploration.
Kumar emphasized the importance of writing about the relationship between humans and other species on our planet. He stated, “I would like Indian poetry to highlight this relationship between us, the human beings, and the planet, and our relationship with the fellow species on the planet. I think, it is this fundamental relationship, this fundamental interdependence, which should become the focus of Indian poetry.”
He also discussed the significance of astropoetry, saying, “Today we are more aware of what’s around us in space and astropoetry is as important as ecopoetry. Astropoetry makes us love and appreciate our planet, our only home, even more. When we look around us it’s almost desert, cosmic desert and the only oasis in this cosmic desert is our own planet…”
Kumar highlighted how the digital revolution has made the world smaller, allowing poets to publish their work globally with ease. He noted that many poets gain instant fame by sharing their work on platforms like Instagram. However, he also pointed out the challenges posed by AI-written poetry and urged poets to use digital platforms wisely to reach a broader audience.
Doubts Revealed
Abhay Kumar -: Abhay Kumar is an Indian poet and diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other countries.
Nissim Ezekiel -: Nissim Ezekiel was a famous Indian poet who wrote in English. He is known for his important contributions to Indian poetry.
Sahitya Akademi -: Sahitya Akademi is India’s National Academy of Letters. It promotes literature in different Indian languages.
Digital revolution -: The digital revolution refers to the change brought by computers and the internet. It has made it easier to share and access information.
Climate change -: Climate change means the change in the Earth’s weather patterns. It is mainly caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels.
Space exploration -: Space exploration is the study and travel to outer space. It helps us learn more about planets, stars, and the universe.
AI-written poetry -: AI-written poetry is poetry created by artificial intelligence. AI is a type of computer program that can perform tasks that usually need human intelligence.
