Suman Pokhrel
- Director
- Writer
- Art Director
Suman Pokhrel is a celebrated poet and a prominent lyricist, playwright, translator, artist and creative director from Nepal. He stands as a luminous figure in the realm of literature, a multihyphenate whose brilliance transcends the boundaries of poetry. Pokhrel is not merely a celebrated poet but an influential lyricist, playwright, translator, and a visionary theatrist. His artistic journey is adorned with a tapestry of prestigious accolades, including the esteemed The Asia's Inspiring Poet Award in 2023 and the SAARC Literary Award in both 2013 and 2015.
Pokhrel, a wordsmith in Nepali, weaves his literary magic not only in his native tongue but also in English, Hindi, and various South Asian languages. His poetic genius has garnered well-deserved recognition, earning him a place in the curriculum of numerous universities across Asia. Beyond the confines of his homeland, Pokhrel's literary masterpieces have been translated into myriad languages, reaching the hearts of readers across continents. His verses have graced the pages of distinguished international journals, leaving an indelible mark on the global literary landscape.
Suman Pokhrel's artistry is a testament to the power of language, transcending cultural boundaries and resonating with a universal audience. In the ever-expanding tapestry of global literature, Pokhrel's presence is not just felt; it is celebrated, influencing minds and hearts with the profound beauty of his words.
Suman Pokhrel was born as the first child to engineer Mukunda Prasad Pokhrel and Bhakta Devi Pokhrel (Rijal), a government employee. After his birth, his parents relocated from Mills Area to the urban center of Biratnagar in Nepal. The marriage of Pokhrel's parents had taken place in 1965 in Varanasi, India, as a result of Bhakta Devi's father's political exile.
Suman Pokhrel hails from a family with a rich historical heritage, as his paternal grandfather, Bidhyanath Pokhrel, and maternal grandfather, Ganeshprasad Rijal, were both influential politicians and close companions who had the opportunity to study together in Varanasi during the 1930s. Ganeshprasad Rijal served as a member of parliament representing the Ilam constituency in Nepal's inaugural parliament in 1959. The political climate at that time led to Ganeshprasad Rijal's forced exile to India when King Mahendra of Nepal assumed power in December 1960. Meanwhile, Bidhyanath Pokhrel, a distinguished poet and politician, held a prominent position within the Nepali Congress. Although he initially obtained a parliamentary ticket from the Dhankura constituency in 1959, it was later transferred to another individual. Undeterred by this setback, Bidhyanath Pokhrel fearlessly contested the election as an independent candidate, despite ultimately experiencing defeat. Acknowledging his perseverance and astute political acumen, King Mahendra appointed him as a lifelong member of the Raj Sabha, which was akin to the Privy Council in the UK, in recognition of his adverse situation where he had not rejoined the Nepali Congress yet.
Suman Pokhrel attended a government owned Kindergarten in Biratnagar, until he was five. He was brought to his ancestral village of Kachide in Dhankuta at the age of seven and raised there by his paternal grandmother. His paternal grandfather Bidhyanath Pokhrel was a poet and a politician. His grandfather's library, which contained works in Nepali, Hindi, and classical Sanskrit, had a significant impact on how early in life he was exposed to literature. He returned to Biratnagar at the age of twelve to live with his parents. His father, an engineer by profession and an avid polyglot reader with a passion for art and literature; and his mother, a voracious reader of Nepali, Hindi and English literature served as Pokhrel's mentor.
After completing his university degrees in science, law and business management; he briefly worked in Nepal government as a Section Officer. Afterward, he worked for Plan International and other similar international non-governmental organizations for several years.
In 1999, Suman Pokhrel published his first book 'Shoonya Mutuko Dhadkanbhitra', which was a collection of his poetry written in Nepali language. He published his second book 'Hazaar Aankhaa Yee Aankhaa Maa' in 2003, and 'Jeevanko Chheubaata', the third one in 2009. He recorded Taj Mahal and My Love (2010), a poem from his second collection of poetry. Later he recorded Na Ta Din Bhayo (2013), Pagliyera Pokhiyun Jhain (2015), Dharti Aakash Bhanda Para (2015), Kati Mitha (2019), and several other songs in his lyrics in vocal of various singers and music composition of Bed Nidhi Poudel.
He wrote Yajnaseni, a play based on the Sanskrit epic 'The Mahabharata', which was premiered in Irvin in Dallas, TX in USA in 2016. The Unheard Plea (2019) in his lyrics. and music composition and vocal of Sudha Raghuraman was first performed by Neha Mondal Chakravarty in New York in 2018, which was recorded a year later. He directed the series Kavyaarohan (2019) from 2019 to 2022.
Suman Pokhrel translated works of several writers and poets from around the world into languages like English, Nepali, Hindi and Urdu. He published his Nepali translation of William Shakespeare's theatrical play 'The Tempest' in 2018. In the same year, he published other two volumes of poetry collections translated into Nepali.
His works have been translated into several languages across countries, and are appeared in notable journals worldwide. Poetry of Suman Pokhrel is taught as part of the literary curriculum in universities across countries. Some of those who appreciate Suman Pokhrel's poetry have had verses tattooed on their body parts. Writers regularly cite from his writings in their write-ups and people frequently quote verses from his poetry and share on social media like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Suman Pokhrel received multiple accolades, including the 'Asia's Inspiring Poet Award' from Asia Award and the 'Shaluk International Literature Award' from Shaluk Literary Magazine in Dhaka, Bangladesh, both in 2023. In the same year, he was also honored as the 'Poet of The Month' by Spillwords Press in New York, USA. He had been bestowed with the SAARC Literary Award, a prestigious recognition in the realm of art, literature, and culture in South Asia, in 2013. His exceptional achievement was further underscored when he received the same award for a second time in 2015, making him the sole individual to achieve this distinction twice.
Pokhrel, a wordsmith in Nepali, weaves his literary magic not only in his native tongue but also in English, Hindi, and various South Asian languages. His poetic genius has garnered well-deserved recognition, earning him a place in the curriculum of numerous universities across Asia. Beyond the confines of his homeland, Pokhrel's literary masterpieces have been translated into myriad languages, reaching the hearts of readers across continents. His verses have graced the pages of distinguished international journals, leaving an indelible mark on the global literary landscape.
Suman Pokhrel's artistry is a testament to the power of language, transcending cultural boundaries and resonating with a universal audience. In the ever-expanding tapestry of global literature, Pokhrel's presence is not just felt; it is celebrated, influencing minds and hearts with the profound beauty of his words.
Suman Pokhrel was born as the first child to engineer Mukunda Prasad Pokhrel and Bhakta Devi Pokhrel (Rijal), a government employee. After his birth, his parents relocated from Mills Area to the urban center of Biratnagar in Nepal. The marriage of Pokhrel's parents had taken place in 1965 in Varanasi, India, as a result of Bhakta Devi's father's political exile.
Suman Pokhrel hails from a family with a rich historical heritage, as his paternal grandfather, Bidhyanath Pokhrel, and maternal grandfather, Ganeshprasad Rijal, were both influential politicians and close companions who had the opportunity to study together in Varanasi during the 1930s. Ganeshprasad Rijal served as a member of parliament representing the Ilam constituency in Nepal's inaugural parliament in 1959. The political climate at that time led to Ganeshprasad Rijal's forced exile to India when King Mahendra of Nepal assumed power in December 1960. Meanwhile, Bidhyanath Pokhrel, a distinguished poet and politician, held a prominent position within the Nepali Congress. Although he initially obtained a parliamentary ticket from the Dhankura constituency in 1959, it was later transferred to another individual. Undeterred by this setback, Bidhyanath Pokhrel fearlessly contested the election as an independent candidate, despite ultimately experiencing defeat. Acknowledging his perseverance and astute political acumen, King Mahendra appointed him as a lifelong member of the Raj Sabha, which was akin to the Privy Council in the UK, in recognition of his adverse situation where he had not rejoined the Nepali Congress yet.
Suman Pokhrel attended a government owned Kindergarten in Biratnagar, until he was five. He was brought to his ancestral village of Kachide in Dhankuta at the age of seven and raised there by his paternal grandmother. His paternal grandfather Bidhyanath Pokhrel was a poet and a politician. His grandfather's library, which contained works in Nepali, Hindi, and classical Sanskrit, had a significant impact on how early in life he was exposed to literature. He returned to Biratnagar at the age of twelve to live with his parents. His father, an engineer by profession and an avid polyglot reader with a passion for art and literature; and his mother, a voracious reader of Nepali, Hindi and English literature served as Pokhrel's mentor.
After completing his university degrees in science, law and business management; he briefly worked in Nepal government as a Section Officer. Afterward, he worked for Plan International and other similar international non-governmental organizations for several years.
In 1999, Suman Pokhrel published his first book 'Shoonya Mutuko Dhadkanbhitra', which was a collection of his poetry written in Nepali language. He published his second book 'Hazaar Aankhaa Yee Aankhaa Maa' in 2003, and 'Jeevanko Chheubaata', the third one in 2009. He recorded Taj Mahal and My Love (2010), a poem from his second collection of poetry. Later he recorded Na Ta Din Bhayo (2013), Pagliyera Pokhiyun Jhain (2015), Dharti Aakash Bhanda Para (2015), Kati Mitha (2019), and several other songs in his lyrics in vocal of various singers and music composition of Bed Nidhi Poudel.
He wrote Yajnaseni, a play based on the Sanskrit epic 'The Mahabharata', which was premiered in Irvin in Dallas, TX in USA in 2016. The Unheard Plea (2019) in his lyrics. and music composition and vocal of Sudha Raghuraman was first performed by Neha Mondal Chakravarty in New York in 2018, which was recorded a year later. He directed the series Kavyaarohan (2019) from 2019 to 2022.
Suman Pokhrel translated works of several writers and poets from around the world into languages like English, Nepali, Hindi and Urdu. He published his Nepali translation of William Shakespeare's theatrical play 'The Tempest' in 2018. In the same year, he published other two volumes of poetry collections translated into Nepali.
His works have been translated into several languages across countries, and are appeared in notable journals worldwide. Poetry of Suman Pokhrel is taught as part of the literary curriculum in universities across countries. Some of those who appreciate Suman Pokhrel's poetry have had verses tattooed on their body parts. Writers regularly cite from his writings in their write-ups and people frequently quote verses from his poetry and share on social media like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Suman Pokhrel received multiple accolades, including the 'Asia's Inspiring Poet Award' from Asia Award and the 'Shaluk International Literature Award' from Shaluk Literary Magazine in Dhaka, Bangladesh, both in 2023. In the same year, he was also honored as the 'Poet of The Month' by Spillwords Press in New York, USA. He had been bestowed with the SAARC Literary Award, a prestigious recognition in the realm of art, literature, and culture in South Asia, in 2013. His exceptional achievement was further underscored when he received the same award for a second time in 2015, making him the sole individual to achieve this distinction twice.