A first-of-its-kind modern poetry award has been bestowed in Arakan State by the Arakanese Literature Development Foundation.

The foundation’s award presentation was held in Ramree Township on Friday, with poet Pan Thi Kyo (Rathedaung) winning the modern poem award for his compendium The Road of the Shooting Stars and Other Poems.

Traditionally, modern poetry as a genre has been excluded in the majority of literary awards presentations in Arakan State.

“I am grateful that the ‘modern poem’ award is given separately for the first time,” Pan Thi Kyo (Rathedaung) wrote on his Facebook page. “I am happy that I won the award. There are many poets who write better modern poems than me in Arakan State. I think I won the award because only a few modern poets competed in this category.”

There were criticisms because the “modern poem” genre was excluded in previous years, prompting the foundation to undertake a review for 2022, explained the chairman of the Arakanese Literature Development Foundation, Minbya Min Thein Zan.

“It caused controversy when a poem award was given for classic poems and not modern poems at the [previous] literary award presentation. So, this year we invited competition in both genres and presented two separate awards for classic and modern poems,” he told DMG.

Poet Min Lwin (Kyaukkale) won the “classic poem” award, while Khaing Shwe Thazin Myat won the “collective stories” award and Rakkha Thaki (Kyein Reik Mye) won the “article” award.

“It is a milestone for writers to win a literary award. I am happy. Awards were given in four genres this year. So, it is memorable,” said female writer Khaing Shwe Thazin Myat.

The Arakanese Literature Development Foundation also held its annual general meeting in Ramree from April 22-23, and discussed compiling a book on Arakanese orthography. Fifty-six writers and 10 monks attended the annual general meeting.