Rifleman and poet Kshetri Rajen bags Sahitya Akademi Award
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 17 2016:
Kshetrimayum Rajen Singh, or Kshetri Rajen, a havaldar in the First Manipur Rifles, has been honored with the Sahitya Akademi Award 2015 for his collection of poems Ahingna Yeksilliba Mang at an award function held at New Delhi on Tuesday, a statement informed.
Kshetri Rajen's interest in poetry dates back to the days before he joined the State forces.
He started writing poems while in college, publishing them regularly in local Manipuri weeklies.
His literary approaches reflect the sensibility towards culture and ethos, concerns, hopes and aspirations of Manipuri people.
Khestri Rajen, 48, was born in Thoubal.
He penned his first collection of poems in the year 2001.It was later published as a book titled Nongleek in 2003.Since then Khetri Rajen has been dividing his time between work and writing.
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But he is not among those who seeks serene corner for writing : "I don't sit down to craft poems; poems are born out of my mind while I am on duty or working," he stated.
Kshetri Rajen is an active member of a number of regional literary organizations.
He recieved the State literary award 'Chinkhu-Moirang Leima Ningshing Kabirdas Mana' in 2014 .
Till date, Khestri Rajen has published four books, namely, Nongleek (2001), Murtisingi Mami (2003), Ahingna Yeksilliba Mang (2009), Charugi Khangpoksang (2012) and Romanticism in Manipuri Poetry (2013).Of them, Nongleek and Murtisingi Mami have been translated into English.
His award-winning book Ahingna Yeksilliba Mang is a collection of 91 poems, which depict the poet's longing for peace and harmony in the violent and restless society of Manipur.
The poems talk about human agonies, common people's desire for peaceful life and the like.
Many critics acclaim the book of being a major contribution to modern literature of Manipur.