Mamta G. Sagar, a Bengaluru-based Kannada poet, writer, academic and activist, has recently won the World Literary Prize from the World Organization of Writers (WOW) for her contributions to the world of literature. Dr Sagar, a facilitator at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, known for her involvement in diverse forms of transdisciplinary creative writing and cultural industries, received the award on April 6 at a ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria.
“I am deeply honoured to receive the award and diploma. This recognition is a testament to the power of literature to inspire and provoke thought irrespective of the language,” said Dr. Sagar on receiving the news of her win. “I am humbled to be acknowledged among such esteemed writers.”
In addition to this award, Dr. Sagar, who has always actively engaged in community-based projects centred around poetry, has also been honoured with the LIFFT award, the gold medal, and a diploma for her outstanding achievements in the field of literature. Some of the themes she has addressed in her work, over the years, include identity politics, feminism, and cultural diversity.
Sagar produced Interversions 1,2, & 3, three films based on her poetry collections, with Srishti Films as part of the Wales-India collaborative projects (2018). She has also written and produced For Gauri, a video presentation of her poem written for the late journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh. She has several works to her credit including Kaada Navilina Hejje, Chukki Chukki Chandakki, Nadiya Neerina Teva, and Illi Salluva Maatu.
Congratulating Dr. Sagar on the occasion, Dr. Arindam Das, Director, SMI said, “Dr. Sagar’s achievement not only reflects her exceptional talent but also underscores our commitment to cultivating a community of erudite and exemplary practitioners who bring their real-world experience into the classroom, enriching the academic journey of our students.”
