India will have its very first representation through Indian English poetry at two International literature festivals namely the Cork International Poetry festival, Ireland and The Ars Poetica, Slovakia. In these two separate events, Sonnet Mondal has been invited to perform his poetry and participate in literary discussions. The Cork International Poetry festival, the biggest poetry festival of Ireland will be hosting Sonnet along with other international guests in its 2017 edition to be held in February 2017. During this fest an Irish special issue published by The Enchanting Verses Literary Review and edited by Patrick Cotter will be launched. Sonnet is presently the editor in chief of The Enchanting Verses Literary Review and this endeavour may open new gates of cultural cooperation between Ireland and India. The Cork International Poetry Festival is organised in the city of Cork by the Munster Literature Centre based in Ireland and is known for hosting elite poets across the globe.
In another internationally acclaimed poetry festival The Ars Poetica, Slovakia- Sonnet will be reading his poetry along with Sukrita Paul Kumar and Usha Akella. The event which will host an exclusive Indian evening at Bratislava, will witness a Poetry and Dance rendition by Sonnet along with renowned Kathak dancer Sangeeta Majumder. The Ars Poetica Festival in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Slovakia has hosted many award winning poets in the past. A special arrangement of translating the poetry from the invited Indian Poets into Slovakian has been made in this event. Before this, Mondal has read at the world’s oldest poetry festival, the Struga Poetry Evenings in 2014 and Uskudar International Poetry festival of the Government of Istanbul in 2015. Earlier this year he read at the International Poetry Festival of Granada in Nicaragua. Sonnet’s recent book is Ink and Line and his recent poems have appeared in the Indian Literature journal of Sahitya Academi, McNeese Review of McNeese State University and Asia Literary Review among others. China was Ars Poetica’s country in focus last year. India is the second Asian nation after China to be themed in this Slovakian festival which will be held in November later this year.
When asked about how he felt for such an honour, he said, “I have been invited to represent India in two big Lit fests of Europe. It feels amazing.”