Sejal Madan’s poem recognised by Premier’s Multicultural Media Awards


Manju Mittal - Sejal Madan 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Manju Mittal

Fifteen-year-old Sejal Madan of Girraween High School won Premier’s Multicultural Media Award  award for her poem ”˜I see humans but no humanity’ which describes intergenerational injustice suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Sejal won under the category “Best Student Work Promoting Harmony and Cultural Diversity” from Hon. John Ajaka, Minister of Multiculturalism and Hon. Mike Baird, Premier of NSW.

Manju Mittal - Sejal Madan

This second-generation talented, young writer Sejal Madan shared her coveted brush with fame, her interest in writing and her inspiration and future dreams with TIDU.

First of all, Congratulations on being awarded ”˜Best Student Work for your Poem’ ”˜I See humans but no humanity’ what a great achievement, how do you feel?

Honestly speaking I was not expecting it at all and I was shocked that I had won the award, but I feel honoured and excited to have been one of the recipient as a young writer and also I am very pleased and thankful to have received this award especially the recognition of my poem.

Tell us a little about of yourself and what age did you start writing?

I was born in India and moved to Australia as two years old. I started writing at a very young age. I also tried to write a novel. I am fascinated by poetry which I feel is a way of expressing yourself through words.

What inspired you to write this poem?

I studied about Aboriginal experiences and how the Aboriginal people were treated when the Europeans landed in Australia. I wrote my poem during NAIDOC week in 2015 as a tribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have suffered injustices over generations. The poem reflects the sentiments of the stolen generation in an effort to reflect our multicultural diversity in Australia. I did a lot of research on my own to write this poem.

Being a daughter of talented parents, your father being a great writer did writing come naturally to you?

Yes, my father plays a major role and is a great influence on my life. It is because of him what I am today. Truly I have been inspired by my parents.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I plan to help those who don’t have a voice when I finish HSC. I want to become a journalist or perhaps a lawyer.

What is your message to the young writers?

If you have an issue and you feel it should be told to, pen down your thoughts. If you really believe in what you are doing and working hard enough, I am sure it can definitely make a difference.

Young Indian girl Sejal Madan from Beaumont Hills, did the community proud and her parents, her father Nitin Madan said, “I was in tears when my daughter Sejal’s name was announced as the winner it was one of the best moment of my life”.

Sejal is a part of her school’s cheer leading team, which has competed at state level. She is also learning martial arts and is a student at IABBV Hindi School.

Sejal’s poem is a tribute to those who suffered and I would like to share few lines of her poem: “They took our land, our culture and children, told us it was for our own good, for our own protection, just because we treat the land as our own, just because in our hearts Australia is our home”.

The remarkable insight and thoughts of a young local student, Sejal who penned a powerful poem on Australia and its occupation of the land when they called it ”˜terra nullius’ overlooking that it was inhabited by aborigines over 40,000 years ago. Her poem provides a rich vein of hope for our future that the next generation, will rewrite Australian history the way it ought to be. We at TIDU sincerely wish Sejal best of luck in all her future endeavours.

 

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