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Scroll.in
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Seagull Books publication ‘Psyche Running' wins Griffin Poetry Prize for Durs Grünbein, Karen Leeder
Psyche Running, translated by Karen Leeder and written in German by Durs Grünbein, is the winner of the 2025 Griffin Poetry Prize. The prize-winning volume of poetry has been published by Seagull Books of India. The cash prize of C$130,000 will be divided between Leeder and Grünbein, with 60 per cent going to the translator and 40 per cent to the author. Each of the other finalists received C$10,000. The judges said, 'Durs Grünbein's Psyche Running is a brilliant overview and selection of a poet who satisfies our hunger to be serious, as again and again he finds himself 'between words and things.' Karen Leeder's adept translations establish a new version of Grünbein in English: universal, lyrical, philosophical.' Karen Leeder is a writer, scholar, and translator of contemporary German literature. She is the Schwarz-Taylor Chair of the German Language and Literature at the University of Oxford. In 2023, she began a three-year Einstein Fellowship at the Free University of Berlin for her project AfterWords. Durs Grünbein was born in Dresden in 1962 and now lives in Berlin and Rome. Since 2005, he has been a professor of poetics and aesthetics at the Kunstakademie, Düsseldorf. Upon receiving the Prize, Leeder said, 'It is such an honour to be the recipient of this very special prize. We are so grateful to Seagull Books for backing us. What a privilege to bring this amazing poet into English.' Grünbein added, 'Everybody is now talking about this famous publishing house in Kolkata and the publisher behind all the books: You, Naveen [Kishore, publisher], only you. Thank you for believing in me from the beginning.' The international Griffin Poetry Prize was founded in 2000 to recognise excellence in poetry. The prize is for first edition books of poetry written in, or translated into, English and submitted from anywhere in the world. Judges Nick Laird, Anne Michaels, and Tomasz Różycki read 578 books of poetry, including 47 translations from 20 languages, submitted by 219 publishers from 17 different countries. The other books on the shortlist were: The Great Zoo, translated by Aaron Coleman from the Spanish, written by Nicolás Guillén Kiss the Eyes of Peace, translated by Brian Henry from the Slovenian, written by Tomaž Šalamun Scattered Snows, to the North, Carl Phillips Modern Poetry, Diane Seuss
New York Post
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
I'm a grandma of 3 and just graduated from college — now I'm taking a millennial-style ‘gap year' and celebrating with my new Gen Z pals
This new grad is celebrating with a post-college rite of passage — a gap year — only she's doing it in her 70s. At 74, Dorotea Levy de Szekely — grandmother of three and self-proclaimed lifelong learner — just graduated with a bachelor's degree from Hunter College, proving it's never too late to hit the books or rewrite your own story. 'My motto has always been, 'Don't let age be your cage,'' the witty Upper East Sider told The Post, walking in Hunter's 228th commencement at the Barclays Center on Friday, alongside more than 3,300 grads. Born and raised in Argentina, the stylish silver scholar had a decades-long detour before snagging her degree. After a cruel teacher in the first grade told her she'd 'never' finish high school due to a learning disability, Levy de Szekely avoided college entirely, despite an unshakable love for learning and a longing to pursue higher education. 5 Argentina native Dorotea Levy de Szekely longed to learn, so she went to college as a senior student. Stephen Yang 5 She is among more than 3,000 graduates attending Hunter College's 228th commencement on Friday. Stephen Yang 'You always learn, and I worked my life towards that verdict,' she told The Post. 'But every time I walked by a university, I felt this sadness and longing inside, as I wanted to go there and learn. 'Thankfully, here at Hunter College in New York City, this is the only place in the world I think that welcomed me, notwithstanding my age or who I am.' Her college comeback began in 2017, when she enrolled at the Borough of Manhattan Community College and earned her associate's degree in 2019 with a flawless 4.0 GPA as the co-valedictorian of her class. Then came Hunter, where she racked up a 3.98 GPA, triple majored in German Language and Literature, English (with a concentration in Creative Writing), and Studio Art — and made BFFs more than half her age. 5 Levy de Szekely's inspiring motto: 'Don't let age be your cage.' Stephen Yang One of them, a 20-year-old classmate named Babsi, is 'younger than my granddaughter,' Levy de Szekely noted — and yet, they've become such close pals that Babsi came to cheer her on at graduation and even set up a WhatsApp video call so a classmate in Pakistan could watch, too. 'I thought this was very moving,' a delighted Levy de Szekely said. After the ceremony, which would also be attended by her proud children and grandchildren, the brainy besties planned to celebrate with burgers at UES hotspot, JG Melon. Levy de Szekely's passion for people — and prose — shaped her college experience. 'For me, it's so important to look you in the eye and know who you are,' she explained. 'Sometimes it comes across as if you're nosy or curious, but I'm always very interested in the human being who's sitting across from me … being less ignorant about the other person makes you more compassionate. 'I made great connections at Hunter because I'm always asking everyone, you know, 'Who are you, what motivates you, where are you from?'' It wasn't just fellow students who made an impact — professors left their mark, too, especially those who helped nurture her love of literature. 5 She enrolled at the Borough of Manhattan Community College in 2017 and earned an associate's degree in 2019. Stephen Yang 'I love creative writing and history … There's so many things,' she said, revealing the brainy books and subjects she devoured. 'Like, we were reading Franz Kafka in German and studying the problems that arise when translating it to English or any other language,' she recalled. 'That's, I think, something very interesting.' Her literary tastes skew philosophical and are especially inspired by early 20th-century Austrian author Stefan Zweig. 'He said something that stuck in my mind — that history decides for you,' Levy de Szekely told The Post, adding that Zweig's writing resonates with her as it proves that even the smallest choices can shape the course of history. Now, instead of backpacking through Europe like many Gen Z grads, Levy de Szekely is taking a 'gap year' her own way — by devouring books on her own time. Levy de Szekely, who speaks an astonishing four languages — Spanish, English, German and 'some French' — later plans to tutor in Hunter's German department and prep for a master's degree in English at CUNY's Lehman College or Hunter. 5 Levy de Szekely has a particular fondness for the work of early 20th-century Austrian author Stefan Zweig. Stephen Yang 'I would love to pursue a Master's in English,' she said, admitting, 'I'd love for it to be creative writing, but it's going to be difficult.' She's even dabbling in fairytale rewrites — including a fresh take on 'Little Red Riding Hood' that honors 'powerful women.' One thing's for sure: she's not slowing down. Forget Sudoku, too — Levy de Szekely says eternal curiosity and an open mind are all you need to keep the mental gears turning at any age. 'As I say, learning is a journey. It's a life journey. So you have to learn,' she explained with a hint of philosophy. 'In life, you cannot live without learning, even if you don't know that you're learning.' Or, as her father used to tell her: 'The day I cannot learn something anymore, I will be dead.' Clearly, this grandma's just getting started.
India Gazette
28-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"Tura Secretariat will function as 'additional secretariat' for Garo hills": Meghalaya CM
Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], May 28 (ANI): Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma declared that the Tura Secretariat will function as 'additional secretariat' for the people of Garo Hills. Speaking at a programme at Samanda and Williamnagar on Tuesday, CM Sangma unveiled the architectural drawing of the Tura Secretariat. 'Initially, the project was conceptualised as a mini Secretariat, but the government felt that the infrastructure should be upgraded to accommodate all department offices, the chief minister office, ministers office and bureaucrats', he said, while stating that the Tura Secretariat will ensure delivery of government services to the people of Garo Hills. 'People from Garo Hills have to travel to Shillong for different official works. The purpose of the Tura Secretariat will be to ensure that people from Garo Hills can easily get their official paperwork submitted for further processing at Tura itself', he added. The initial cost of the mini secretariat at Tura was Rs 30 crore, which has now been estimated at Rs 150 crore. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma stated that the Tura Convention Centre will be adjacent to the Tura Secretariat, as depicted in the architectural 3D drawings. He added that the first phase of the Secretariat is slated to be completed by January 2027. Earlier on May 22, CM Sangma launched the German Language Training Programme for Overseas Placement at the Shillong Tech Park. The programme, supported by the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society (MSSDS) under the Department of Labour, Employment & Skill Development, is aimed at training and placing qualified healthcare professionals from the state in Germany. Following the successful deployment of Meghalaya's youth to Japan and Singapore, Germany has now become the next destination offering a global stage for the state's aspiring nurses and healthcare professionals. 'What we are doing here today is converting a challenge into a great opportunity. Meghalaya has one of the youngest populations in the country, and we are turning this demographic advantage into a global force. If we send even 30,000 professionals abroad, the remittances can amount to Rs 250 crore a month -- that's Rs 3000 crore a year into our families' hands', the Chief Minister remarked. (ANI)
