Little Miss Wordsmith: 10-Yr-Old Indian Iona Mandal Wins Big in UK

Iona, joint winner of the Young Writer Award, was two when she moved to the UK from India and couldn’t speak English

She’s just 10 years old and her story has already been published in the Wicked Young Writer Awards Anthology.

(Photo Courtesy: Ilika Chakraborty Mandal)

She’s just 10 years old and her story has already been published in the Wicked Young Writer Awards Anthology, published in association with Young Writers, UK.

Iona Mandal is the joint-winner of The 2017 Wicked Young Writer Awards. Her story Indigo’s Adventures with Love, was selected out of the 20 finalists from over 1,300 entries in the 8 to 10 category in a recently held award ceremony at Apollo Theatre, London – the venue of the much loved musical Wicked.

Iona’s story was selected “for its poetical, mature, meditational and thought provoking interpretation of the nature of love”.

Over 600 primary and secondary schools and colleges entered this year’s competition from all over the UK.

Iona’s Bouquet of Honours at the Age of Just 10

“It feels fabulous and I am chuffed!” says Iona.(Photo Courtesy: Ilika Chakraborty Mandal)

Born to Ilika Chakraborty Mandal, a social scientist and Partha Mandal, an IT professional, Iona couldn’t speak a word of English when she first moved to the UK from India in 2008. She was two years old then. She said:

It feels fabulous and I am chuffed. I knew it was very tough to have made it to the top 20 finalists in my category following rounds of screening!

The award is championed by Chief Patron The Duchess of Cornwall; author Michael Morpurgo was the Honorary Judge, including former Labour MP, Ed Balls, ITV News Arts Editor, Nina Nannar and performance poet and writer Laura Dockril.

Since her early age, Iona was fond of reading. Be it on train or lane journeys, she was always found with her nose in a book.

I think this had an impact on my imagination. When I was three, I learnt to read – and then the fun began.

With joint winner Miranda Tansley, judge Cressida Cowell and presenter Gaby Roslin.(Photo Courtesy: Ilika Chakraborty Mandal)

The little Birmingham-based writer started penning her thoughts when she was in Reception (kindergarten), and often shared her works before the school assemblies. During her free time, she indulged herself in writing stories and essays on random topics.

My mum’s friend read my work and suggested we send it to a children’s magazine or enter it to competitions. I think that inspired my mother to surf the internet and check if something was coming up.

Iona will be in class 7 in September this year.

Her first Hall of Fame was when she landed on the page of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation’s (DSWF), Global Canvas Art and Poetry Competition in 2014. She won the first prize in the Under 8 Category and also brought home the honour of overall Runner-Up.

I was invited to read my poem at the Flett Lecture Theatre of the Natural History Museum, London. The thunderous applause of the audience (much to my surprise!) left me awestruck. I came home beaming with a silver trophy and a Rhino Adoption Certificate for an endangered black rhino called Inka living in Namibia. There was no looking back.

Learning Bengali, Far Away From Home

The prized certificate signed by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.(Photo Courtesy: Ilika Chakraborty Mandal)

Today, she’s a celebrity in her own way, and is often recognised as a young writer in the neighbourhood.

“I was happy to discover that writing poems which came quite naturally to me, could win me a little fame and prizes. One competition led to the other,” said Iona who says she’s a spontaneous writer.

Considering her age, she doesn’t shy away from writing serious subjects which require historic facts and figures. One such is the Anne Frank- Reborn based on the Holocaust. The story bagged the first prize at the Evesham Festival of Word held in Birmingham in June this year.

While writing the story, I imagined how life would probably have been for Anne Frank in the Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. However, I took the story forward through her death and re-birth in a foster home in London using my imagination and blending a personal experience of discrimination as I felt the need to say that people fail to learn, and prejudice continues till date. However, the die-hard optimist that I am, I did end the story on a happy note.

Lately, she is also getting the taste of reading and writing in Bengali, her mother-tongue.

This (sic) is gradually exposing me to some wonderful literature outside English, and is also helping me appreciate my roots and culture.

Jonathan Douglas, director of National Literacy Trust, hands over the prize.  (Photo Courtesy: Ilika Chakraborty Mandal)

Iona is a fan of Malorie Blackman, the eminent British writer.

Her writings have also given her the entry into the House of Lords in the British Parliament.

With recognition at an early age, this young writer has already got the feel that with fame comes a “baggage of additional responsibilities to strive towards further excellence”.

According to her, a good piece of writing can ooze tremendous power and yet be eloquently silent.

Words need to be used carefully. They need to touch the soul of the reader.

(Anjana Parikh works with the healthcare sector in the UK. She's also a freelance writer based in Manchester. Before relocating to the UK in 2013, she worked as a full-time journalist with some of India's leading dailies like The Times of India, Deccan Herald and The Sunday Guardian. She also worked as the News Editor for a leading British Asian weekly Asian Lite. Apart from reading and writing, she also loves rambling and singing.)

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