Mumbai cop’s poem selected for Marathi literary event

Head constable Nandkumar Sawant is the first policeman from Mumbai to participate in the event

A 54-year-old head constable from the Mumbai police force will read out his poem in the 91st Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan to be held in Vadodara on Saturday.

Sawant, who is also a stage actor, has acted in the R Madhavan-starrer webseries Breathe.(HT file photo)

Nandkumar Sawant, attached to the Local Arms division and posted at the port zone DCP office, is the first policeman from Mumbai to participate in the event, considered to be the most prestigious conference for Marathi writers.

Sawant’s poetry, Gaavakusa Bahercha Ukirda, has been selected for the literary conference.

“When I was posted at Kamathipura, a red light area in Central Mumbai, in 2012, I closely observed the lives of prostitutes and the dark side of it. I started converting my observations into words and the poetry slowly took shape. I sent it to All India Marathi Literary Conference and it got selected,” said Sawant, who was felicitated by Mumbai police commissioner Datta Padsalgikar on Monday.

Sawant, who is also a stage actor, has acted in the R Madhavan-starrer webseries Breathe.

He started writing poems in 2010. “I used to post my poetry on social networking sites. I started writing regularly after I received a positive response,” he said.