5 South Asian poets to follow this National Poetry Writing Month

Every April, my Instagram account comes alive with poetry—thanks to the annual #NaPoWriMo challenge. In a tradition that dates back 16 years, poets and writers around the world have celebrated the month as National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo). As part of the project, writers try to pen a poem every day by following prompts, experimenting with different formats, and sharing their work with the poetry community. 

If you’re attempting the challenge, or simply appreciate good poetry, then go through this list of South Asian poets who are known for their poignant words for a dose of inspiration. 

Noor Unnahar—@noor_unnahar 

Pakistan-based Noor Unnahar is an artist and author who marries art and poetry for a stunning, powerful visual effect. She works with multiple mediums—think photographs, illustrations, journals, collages, and more. Her debut poetry book Yesterday I Was the Moon was translated into a number of languages, and her most recent collection called New Names for Lost Things got rave reviews as well. If you want to follow a poetry account that transcends mediums, then her account is the one to follow. 

Megha Rao—@_megharao 

Kerala-based Megha Rao, who is a performance poet and author of multiple books, is most known for her podcast Poems To Calm Down To that topped Spotify India’s trending list, and her debut poetry book—Teething. Her work has been featured in publications like POETRY Magazine, BBC Radio, and Rollingstone among others. Her poems, which she regularly shares on Instagram, revolve around themes like family, love, feminism, tackling stereotypes and societal norms, and more in a tone that is at once piercing and haunting. 

Arunoday Singh—@sufisoul 

He may have started his career as an actor, but Singh’s heart-stirring poetry has earned him a dedicated following on social media, and a book contract—his debut poetry collection titled Unsung was released last year. His work spans themes of love, loss, heartbreak, and longing and is most times written in a simple yet moving Haiku-like format. His poems, which he shares on Instagram in the form of handwritten calligraphy, will surely tug at your heart strings.

Akhil Katyal—@katyal.akhil

Poetry enthusiasts will be well-versed with Akhil Katyal and his piercing work in English, Hindi, and Urdu—his first poetry book Night Charge Extra, was shortlisted for the Muse India Satish Verma Young Writer Award, and his second book of poems How Many Countries Does the Indus Cross won the Editor’s Choice Award from The Great Indian Poetry Collective. On Instagram, he shares his musings and poems on everything from something as simple as the biting cold of a winter night to elaborate odes to beloved heritage landmarks.  

Akif Kichloo—@akifkichloo

Indian-origin poet Akif Kichloo, who started creative writing after finishing medical school, draws on his experiences from his work. It is sure to leave a lasting impression on you long after you’re finished reading. Written in a story-telling style, his poems, which he shares with his audience on Instagram, are mostly about love, loss, and longing.