Lives in Verse: Poetry as Biography

A writer, actor, and child-rights activist, Nandana Dev Sen is the author of six children’s books, and two volumes of translated poetry. Her own work has been translated into more than 15 languages globally. Her first book, Kangaroo Kisses, was selected by 320+ UK schools as a “Book of Excellence,” and her interactive workshops have been loved, in person, by more than 50,000 young people across the world. 

Nandana grew up in India, England and America, and has starred in 20 feature films from four continents, in multiple languages. Nandana studied filmmaking at USC, and literature at Harvard (winning such honors as the Detur Book Prize, John Harvard Scholarship, Agassiz Award, and Phi Beta Kappa). Over the years, Nandana has worked as a book editor, a literary translator, an interpreter for refugees, a screenwriter and script-doctor, an advocate for child protection, and as Princess Jasmine in Disneyland.

The winner of multiple awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (such as the Kalakar, TeleCine, and Big Bangla Awards), Nandana has served on the jury of numerous international film festivals (e.g.  Rome, London and New York), global literary prizes (such as the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature), and hearings  (for the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights). As an Ambassador, Nandana has represented UNICEF, Save the Children, Operation Smile, Terre des Hommes, RAHI, and Apne Aap. 

In addition to her academic and actor awards, some of Nandana’s other honors include the Wingword Poetry Prize and the Last-Girl Champion Award for lifetime achievement in child protection. Nandana is Artist Ambassador for Save the Children India, Global Author Advocate for Room to Read, and a Director of Women’s Refugee Commission, New York, where she chairs the Program and Advocacy Committee.  

Lemn Sissay OBE is a poet playwright, memoirist performer and broadcaster. Lemn Sissay was named MBE for services to literature by The Queen in 2014. In 2021 he named OBE for services to Literature and Charity. He has honorary doctorates from Universities of Huddersfield, Manchester, Brunel, Kent and Essex. Lemn has been Chancellor of University since 2015. He has judged many literary competitions including 2020 Booker Prize, The Gold Man Booker Awards, The National Poetry Competition, The Forward Prize, The Ted Hughes Prize, Cardiff International poetry competition, The Creative Future Literary Awards, and the Bridport Prize. He lives in London and Manchester.

Remona Aly is a journalist and broadcaster. She writes for The Guardian, is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought and a presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Something Understood. She is also an editor and podcast host for various platforms.