Transgender activist Disha Pinki Shaikh honoured with poetry award

Marathi writer, poet and activist Disha Pinki Shaikh has received the first Rutvij Kalsekar Poetry Award while renowned Marathi writer and poet Vasant Abaji Dahake has been honoured with the first Satish Kalsekar Poetry Award of the Shivaji University, Kolhapur for their contribution to the field of poetry. The award ceremony will take place on August 5.

Distinguished poet Satish Kalsekar died in 2021 while his son, and also a poet, Rutvij Kalsekar died in 2019. Their family has instituted the two poetry awards in their memory through a grant of ₹7 lakh to the Shivaji University.

Disha Pinki Shaikh, who is known for her activism around transgender community’s issues, was appointed as spokesperson of Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi in 2019. Shaikh, who is a transwoman, told Hindustan Times at that time, “A political representation of our community is important and this will only happen if we get access to education and awareness. Hence, my main aim is to enlighten my community about their rights.”

Shaikh published her first poetry collection titled Kurup in 2021, which brings the life of transgender community in a sharp focus and comments on its intersections with caste, class and patriarchy. The book has received much critical acclaim.

Shaikh was born in Yeola in Maharashtra’s Nashik district and was raised by a single mother. “I chose writing as a medium and started writing weekly columns for Marathi newspapers. I picked up this medium to voice my issues related to my community which gained momentum,” she had told Hindustan Times in 2019.