THE latest monthly prize winners of the 2020/21 GDNLife Short Story contests have been announced after the literary talent of all the entries was considered by a panel of judges.
Tanzanian writer, photographer and experimental home cook Jamila Sumra took the BD25 prize in the adult section for her spooky entry Roohan which has already received more than 2,300 views on our social media platform.
“I am absolutely thrilled at winning the GDNlife writing competition!” said Ms Sumra who is currently working on her first novel. She and her husband divide their time between Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and her parents’ home in Amwaj Islands.
“It’s always so lovely to be appreciated for something you enjoy so much,” she added. “This will inspire me to write more short stories. Roohan is special to me because it ties both my home country and my adopted country together.”
The main character’s exploits delighted one of the judges, Rohini Sunderam, from Bahrain Writers Circle, who thought that despite the supernatural nature of the tale, the ‘well-observed details’ gave the story ‘a feeling of authenticity’. “And I loved the viewpoint of the ghost,” she added.
In the junior section, teenager Sejal Sarda focused on a work-obsessed gentleman named Arthur.
Her literary prowess has attracted more than 2,260 views on GDNLife and Judge Chris Fenton, head teacher of the British Primary Department at Al Noor International School, was impressed with Pessimists Die Last.
“The character description of the protagonist Arthur is very well constructed in this cautionary tale. Well done Sejal!” he said.
The 17-year-old Year 12 St Christopher’s School student is studying Physics, Mathematics, English and Art, and her hobbies include playing the ukulele, volleyball and reading. Along with winning short story competitions she is a renowned painter and recently featured in the pages of the GDN.
The Indian expatriate lives with her family in Budaiya and moved to Bahrain, via the UAE, in 2015, and will enjoy a prize ticket to the movies when they reopen post the pandemic.
“As an aspiring artist, I am currently hosting my exhibition, Exuberance, in Harbour Gate with my mother!” she said. “The theme resonates with all our art pieces, for it echoes the celebration of life and loving oneself unapologetically.”
“I’m really grateful to have been selected as a winner for the GDNLife U18 story competition! My love for Literature and Language pushed me to enter this story competition, as GDNLife offers a fantastic platform for aspiring writers to hone their skills.”
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Having announced February’s winners, our panel of judges will shortly decide on who should walk away with the inaugural 2020/21 GDNLife Short Story of the Year Adult and U18 prize plaques after the competition’s first anniversary this month.
The winner of the GDNLife People’s Choice Award – the short story that has received the most views and likes – will also be announced.
Among the leading contenders are Muhammad Waleed Jamshed’s Tear That Spoke with 6,445 views, Tess Jannah’s Her Name Was Lakshmi with 3,755 views followed closely by her other entry The Lady Behind the Mirror with 3,786 views and Shama Uchil’s Home Alone which has so far attracted 3,516 views.
Keen writers of all ages are being offered the chance to publish their work on Bahrain’s popular social media platform www.gdnlife.com for a monthly prize following the 2021/22 short story writing contest relaunch in April.
