Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A few poets hailing from different small towns in Madhya Pradesh have different educational backgrounds - ranging from civil engineering to mathematics to mass communication but not literary one.

They also have different plans for the future. What connects them, however, is their love for poetry. And they not only read and enjoy poetry but also write it. On the eve of the World Poetry Day, Free Press talked interacted four young poets from the state who have no literary background but made a name for themselves in the world of poetry.

Coaching and Crossword

Nishant Upadhyay (29), from Morena, is a civil engineer by profession and a poet by passion. His love for poetry blossomed when he used to visit the Crossword store at Kota during his coaching days.

“I began writing rhyming lines when I was in Class 6 or 7. I fell in love with books,” he says. His poems have been published in many newspapers and magazines and he has recited his compositions at notable platforms in the country including Bharat Bhavan.

For the last seven years, he has been conducting workshops on stories and poems in which students from not only the country but also from abroad. His poems are mainly about women, patriarchy.

In love with Márquez

Mudit Srivastava, 33, from Khandwa is an engineering graduate and has been writing for 15 years. He is been associated with editing the children's magazine 'Chakmaak'.

His first collection of poems 'Tabhi Humne Apna Pedpan Kho Diya' came out last year. His poems have been published in reputed magazines. Nature and the five elements that make it are his favourite topic.

He has performed in various prestigious events in the country including Jaipur Literature Festival, Rekhta, Bharat Bhavan, Sahitya Akademi. He writes audio stories on Amazon Audible platform.    

Accompanied dad to Kavi Sammelans

Shivpuri’s Manu Vaishali (24) is a mathematics graduate and is currently preparing for the Civil Services Exam in Delhi. She has rhymed since childhood and started her stage journey after the Covid pandemic.

She appeared in two episodes of ‘Wah Bhai Wah’ aired on Shemaroo TV in 2023, after which her poems won appreciation on social media. “My father was a poetry-lover and I used to accompany him to Kavi Sammelans.

That was how I developed interest in poetry,” she said.

Passing by Dushyant Sangrahalaya

Krishna Nand Pathak, 26, is pursuing his post graduation in Education from the Azim Premji University, Bhopal. He has been composing poetry for the past eight years and ghazal and nazm are his favourite genres.

Human emotions and social issues form the subject-matter of his verse. “When I was studying in the Subhash School of Excellence in Bhopal, on my way from school to home and back, I used to pass by the Dushyant Sangrahalaya.

I wondered who this man was. One day, I entered the Sangrahalaya, and came to know that Dushyant Kumar was a great poet and read the entire corpus of his works. And that awakened the poet in me,” he said.