About the Author: Nisha Tandon, a bilingual poetess from Dubai has marked her name in poetry with her soulful poetry. An entrepreneur by profession, Nisha Tandon has used her life experience in a well-articulated and rhythmic tone in her poetries. Starting her poetic journey with her first poetry collection, Footprints; she has come a long way in her credentials as a poetess. Currently residing in Dubai, she has been an individual with various attributes. Apart from holding a reputed position in an HR & Training Consulting Firm, she has worked in hotels, educational institutions and corporate entities.
Interviewer: Welcome to Criticspace Journals, Nisha. First of all, we would like to congratulate you on the publication of your poetry volumes. In this time when prose is blossoming, how did poetry appeal more to you?
Nisha Tandon: Poetry as a form of expression has always appealed to me. My father writes poetry and I guess I inherited part of my passion from him. Poetry doesn’t necessarily follow the rules of narration and its fluid form enables me to be more expressive. Being the purest form of literature, it balances emotions with aesthetic appeal. Poetry has the power to move us with its rhythm and well crafted language.
Interviewer: What are the things in your life that influenced you to write?
Nisha Tandon: Primarily it has been my life experiences. Being exposed to people from multi cultural backgrounds has given me extensive insight into the kind of characterization that I can derive from muses. My inspiration strikes from reality or passionate emotions I, as a poet, am exposed to.
Interviewer: The poems seem to be a product of your experience. In what span of time did you write the poems?
Nisha Tandon: I have been writing poetry since I was in college way back in 1988 but took it up seriously much later. The thoughts matured as the years went by and my habit of penning my abstract thoughts only enhanced my finer pieces. It was only last year, with encouragement from my well wishers, did I decide to compile my work and publish it.
Interviewer: What is your favorite subject for writing?
Nisha Tandon: My favorite subject for writing would be an array of human emotions. I derive passion from the world around me, including my interactions with people. I somehow feel an instant connect to story telling. Most of my poems are tinted with descriptive imagery.
Interviewer: What comes more naturally? Hindi or English?
Nisha Tandon: I guess I am comfortable with both, though I feel I can express thoughts and emotions in Hindi language better. There is a lot of rhythm when I write in my native language, and can capture my precise thoughts better. Being a poet whose primary muse is her heart makes it is important to express the rawness of emotions that I feel, which just develops better in Hindi, albeit living in an English-centered environment enables me to write in both.
Interviewer: Could you name the writers you enjoy reading from earlier times or at present?
Nisha Tandon: In recent times I am highly influenced by the poetic style of Dr Kumar Vishwas, an Indian politician and an influential poet. His writing style is lyrical with a simplicity that instantly captures the audience’s heart.
Prior to that, it was the legendary Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan who weaved magic with his wisdom. He inspires a lot of aspiring poets.But I follow a style that comes naturally to me and write in free verse and do not follow any specific poetic style.
Interviewer: How far have your daughters made a difference in your writing?
Nisha Tandon: My daughters came into my life after a long wait; those daunting years also evoked many suppressed emotions and played an important role in my writing. They have been my focus, carefully exposing me to life’s various perspectives, and its purpose.
Interview: Many writers and readers may come across this interview. What advice would you like to offer to them who are new to poetry writing?
Nisha Tandon: I would say write from your heart, those are your unadulterated emotions. The only suggestion is to read as much as they can, observe, contemplate and write on topics they are passionate about. Writing prompts can often generate original thoughts. I heard somewhere that poets are great observers. Don’t hesitate to jot down a thought that crosses your mind randomly, they can turn out to be an exclusive piece of poetry
Thank you so much for answering all my questions. All the very best to you for future and your book too!
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