Suman Pokhrel Biography

Suman Pokhrel is a poet, lyricist, playwright, translator & artist.

Suman Pokhrel is only writer to receive SAARC Literary Award twice. He received this award in 2013 and 2015.

Suman Pokhrel was born on September 21,1967, in Mills Area, Biratnagar, to Mukunda Prasad Pokhrel and Bhakta Devi Pokhrel.

Suman Pokhrel attended Bal Mandir, a government owned Kindergarten in Biratnagar, until he was five. Pokhrel got moved to his ancestral village of Kachide in Dhankuta at the age of seven and raised there by his paternal grandmother. His grandfather Bidhyanath Pokhrel was a poet and a politician. He was introduced to literature early through the influence of his grandfather's library, filled with Nepali, Hindi and classic Sanskrit literature. At the age of twelve, he moved back to Biratnagar to live with his parents. Pokhrel was mentored by his father, who was an engineer by profession and a bibliophile with a keen interest in art and literature.

Suman Pokhrel joined the Nepali civil service in Nepal Government as a Section Officer in February 1995. He left the job and joined Plan International in December 1998 as a development activist and went to the remote hilly region of the country. The job demanded visits to the more remote areas of the region.

A multilingual poet, Pokhrel has written in English, Hindi and Urdu beside in his mother tongue Nepali; and have them published across the countries. Many of his works have been translated into other languages by various translators including himself.
Suman Pokhrel's poems in English are appeared in different international poetry journals and anthologies including Snow Jewel; Life & Legends The Songs We Share; Sweet and Sour Dreams; Global Poetry, Learning & Creativity; Grey Sparrow; Prachya Review; California Quarterly; Asian Signature; ] and in different volumes of Beyond Borders, South Asia; and Art of Being Human, Canada.

Most of English translations of his poems has been rendered by Abhi Subedi. Some are translated by himself. Some other are translated by Mukul Dahal, Manu Manjil and other translators.

Beside into English, Suman Pokhrel's poems are translated into Bengali, French, German, ] Hindi, Italian, Persian, and Spanish; and are published online well as in print journals from different locations.

Pokhrel has read his poems for some international audiences. He has read his poems in SAARC Festivals of Literature in 2009,2010,2011,2013 and 2015. He read his poem in SAARC Charter Day Celebrations on December 8,2013 in New Delhi, India as an especial invitee. He recited his poems in Nepali during a monthly two-poet poetry recital program in Kathmandu in March 2015. He read his poems at All India Poets' Meet in Orissa, India in February 2016 as an especial invitee poet from foreign country.

Many of contemporary writers have quoted Suman Pokhrel's poems in their write-ups; and has regarded him as one of the most important creative voices of South Asia.

As a translator, Pokhrel has translated poems of several poets from around the world into Nepali and many of Nepali language poets' works into English, Hindi and Urdu.
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Suman Pokhrel is described as a poet with a strong tender voice critics say his poem poem ‘Children' creates tenderness in the mind. It is indescribable the way the poet has drawn out the innocence of children metaphorically with Nature. The rhetoric question at the end leaves an indelible mark in the minds of the reader. Where as in his poem ‘You Are, as You Are', he exudes humility in expressing love. The importance of love quotient in one's life is spelled in this poem, a simple submission almost in the form of a ritual. There is an abundance of sublime purity in his expression of love

One of Suman Pokhrel's most quoted poems, ‘Every Morning' emphatically declares the uncertainty of existence. It comes as a rude shock that how casually we take everything for granted. In a world which is filled with a plethora of violence, tragedy and devaluation of life the poet seeks gratitude for his being. His poem ‘Every Morning' is like a gentle reminder to mankind.

His poem ‘The Taj Mahal and My Love', is an innovative poem. The epitome of love creates awe in the mind of one and all, falls short to a lover who wants to give it all in this lifetime and not be delusional like Shah Jahan. The poet has penned down the poem with reverence to the greatness of the Taj Mahal.

Currently, he lives in Biratnagar, Nepal with his wife Goma Dhungel Pokhrel and two children, Ojaswee and Ajesh.