I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing: Divya Mathur
The influence of Divya Mathur’s contributions is instantly recognizable by the list of her works, a significant number of events she has organized to promote others, and awards and honours she has received. To crown all this, she has received a major accolade from the President of India in recognition of her multi-faceted impact on literature. Through Vatayan she founded in 2003, she has awarded and given a platform to many hitherto lesser-known writers, brought diverse voices from Hindi, Urdu, Panjabi, and English on one stage. Her anthologies, from Odyssey, Aashaa, Desi Girls, Ik safar sath saath: stories by Indian women settled abroad to Native scents, poems in translation from Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, funded by the ACE, have launched numerous diaspora writers in the West. Her own prolific output of novels, poetry and story collections has explored the meaning of what is it to be an eternal traveller – an outsider – in country, that is her home. Through them, she has also tried to give a meaning to what is missing from our identity as migrant settlers or as a nation.
Divya is not rich but funds her projects from what little she has! Unusually too, she hardly takes a centre stage. Such selfless devotion and commitments to her cause are genuinely stemming from the desire to help others. Yet, her own life story is full of struggles. Every time I have seen her surrounded by the great, I have observed them taken by Divya’s humble traits and keenly willing to join in her quest. From the celebrated to unknown writers, poets, artists, dancers, and musicians, all have enjoyed the opportunities she has created for them.
Everything about her is inspirational and exemplary; an unassuming soul. How does one begin to collate the actions including hundreds of events she has organised at various venues, including SOAS, London University, JLF-South Bank, The Nehru Centre, Keats House, Bhavan, RSC and the House of Lords!
Let me sum this up with E. E. Cummings’ following lines:
I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how to dance.
Divya’s life is about this singing, but not teaching others anything, except creating a perfect example of an extraordinary character.
Yogesh Patel MBE
Poet, Editor, Recipient: Freedom of the City of London
