Aifest Forum

Agony and Ecstasy of Covid-19 Aifest Forum

To make optimum use of the Corona forced break from academic work, and to make learning fun, All India Forum for English Students, Scholars and Trainers (AIFEST) organized an Online International Poetry Competition for lovers of literature and poetry in November 2020. The participants were divided into three categories: Middle School (Classes V to VIII), High School (Classes IX to XII), and an Open Category for everyone else. Themes for poetry were different for different categories. The results were announced on 20th November 2020, following which recitations of selected poems were compiled and posted on the Official YouTube Channel of AIFEST. We left no stone unturned to ensure free, fair and just evaluation and competition. We also made sure that unbiased and capable judges evaluated the poems. The relevant details were posted on the official blog and emailed to the participants. All the submissions were checked for plagiarism using both Turnitin and Urkund software. Due to the huge volume of submissions we received, we had to omit many submissions based on the overall grade and score. We also understand that despite our best attempts, there could be subjectivity in evaluation and judgment. Pure objectivity, especially in evaluating poetry, is almost impossible. Please remember that even TS Eliot and William Wordsworth had faced rejection from reputed publishers. From the Open Category, 252 poems were awarded A Grade. These were sorted and edited based on the subject matter, point of view, and treatment of the theme. This anthology features 72 poems on the theme 'The Pandemic' compiled for the perusal and consumption of the enthusiasts. It is also sincerely hoped that this anthology will find its place in libraries and book houses as a periodical literary compilation documenting the output of a pandemic stricken multitude.