Birendrajit Naorem

Biography

Birendrajit Naorem was born on 19 September 1959 at Singjamei Makha Naorem Leikai, Imphal West, Manipur. He is the son of (Late) Naorem Kesho and Sarangthem Ningol Naorem Ongbi Subadani. He is married to Naorem Ongbi Ngambi, and they have two sons.

He is one of the prominent voices in contemporary Manipuri literature, known for his contributions to both poetry and fiction. His published works include Awonba (short stories, 1988), Sibu Hounaribra Ima (poetry, 1991), Amambadasu Anganbadasu (short stories), Phadok Amagi Seireng (poetry, 1995), Lanthengnariba Lanmi (poetry, 2000), Turel Nangdi (poetry, 2008), Punsina Puriba Mang (poetry, 2016), and Ishing Chaibi Amasung Lambi (poetry, 2019). He has also edited two anthologies — Kintharaklabada (1993), Nupi Gi Khonjel (1994), and Ngamkhei Ngakpa (2003).

Over the years, his literary contributions have earned him numerous prestigious awards, including the Thokchom Jogendro Ningsing Sana Gi Medal (1996) from Naharol Sahitya Premi Samiti, Imphal, for Phadok Amagi Seireng; the Ningombam Ongbi Pramodini Sahitya Mana (2003) for Lanthengnariba Lanmi; the Sahitya Akademi Award (2004) from Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi; the Yamini Sunder Guha Gold Medal (2010) from Manipur Sahitya Parishad, Imphal, for Turel Nangdi; the Tayenjam Jayenta Poetry Award (2012) from Naharol Sahitya Premi Samiti, Imphal, for Turel Nangdi; the Manipur State Award for Literature (2013) from the Government of Manipur for Turel Nangdi; the Waribam Meino Seireng Mana (2017) for Punsina Puriba Mang; and the Mahakavi Anganghal Seireng Mana (2020) from the Fiction and Poetry Club, Manipur.

He has been actively involved in several literary and cultural organisations, including Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Imphal; Cultural Forum Manipur; Naharol Sahitya Premi Samiti; Writers’ Forum, Imphal; Manipuri Literary Society, Imphal; and Asheilup. He is a former General Secretary of the Writers’ Forum, Imphal, and served as President of the Manipuri Literary Society for two terms. He was also the Joint Editor of Ritu (the literary journal of Cultural Forum Manipur) and served as Editor of Sahitya Gi Leichal (the literary journal of the Manipuri Literary Society).