Noetic Nook: How Parveen Minocha's is Cultivating Cultural Connection Through Children's Literature
“As immigrant parents, we hope for our kids to learn the native language. With this in mind, I am keen on writing bilingual books. Under my creative company, Noetic Nook, I have written other books, poems, and even songs! “ A technologist by trade, Parveen Minocha is currently working at Oracle Retail, building Cloud Services for retailers. She is also an Indian-American writer, and she founded ‘Noetic Nook’ to pursue her passion for creative writing and to bring harmony between English and Hindi with her creations. She brings a unique perspective to her writing, infusing it with vivid imagery and thought-provoking ideas. In her Women Who Win interview, she reflects on her journey growing up in India, the inspiration behind ‘Chumbak’, a children’s poetry book in Hindi with English translations, and her passionate community work with Ekal Vidyalaya. Enjoy!
1. Tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What inspired your love for poetry and writing as well as technology?
I grew up in India, mostly in the north-west region. My dad worked for Indian Railways, which gave us the opportunity to travel and study in different schools. My love for poetry started at home, with my parents. My mom was a school teacher and we got to hear powerful poetry in Hindi; she would recite lines to motivate us and continues to do so. My dad knows a lot of Punjabi and Urdu poetry, including verses of Madhushala by heart! I also give credit to Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools) for instilling a love of language and literature. Some of my early poems were featured in the annual school magazine. Over the years, I continued to write poems for my family, friends, and colleagues at work.
My parents' lives have been an inspiration. Starting afresh after the partition, education played a pivotal role. Dad became the first Electrical-Mechanical Engineer in the community and went on to shape the telecommunication and signaling for Western Indian Railways. We grew up seeing him design and build, on the field and at home. Mom says she is also ‘half-engineer’, being in his company. With a double Masters, in Engineering and Computer Applications, I attribute my passion for technology to my Dad and also to my professor, Late. Shri P.B.Desai, who was a visionary in this field.
2. You have published a new book called Chumbak, meaning magnet, a hindi poetry book for kids focusing on four key themes, relationships, imparting values early on, arousing curiosity and a play-way method of learning. Tell us more about the book and what the inspiration was behind it?
Early childhood years are key to the development of a child's brain. This includes health and nutrition, the impact of relationships, the feeling of being loved and safe, and learning by discovery. I wanted to do something in this space, having first-hand exposure working with the educators in the family. With other priorities in life, I found it challenging to make time for my writing dreams. But the universe facilitated, really. As I was recovering from a shoulder injury, Chumbak was born. Chumbak is a collection of children’s poems in Hindi. They touch upon the experiences in a child’s life, build values, and spark curiosity. Keeping in mind kids growing up outside India, I added English translations for the poems.
3. Do you have a favorite poem or line from the book that you can share with our readers?
I love Unchi Udaan, which inspires children to reach for the stars. One line says, “Mujhe kab pankh milenge maa? Main bhi udoonga oonche aasmaan.” Another favorite is Dadi ke Laddu, where a kid bonds with grandparents over the love for laddus. The first line goes, “Dadi ne banaye kitne laddu gol gol. Ek nahin, dus nahin, poorey sau ka bol!” And of course, the title poem Chumbak remains close to my heart. It inspires us to cultivate good values that will attract people and positivity toward us, just like a magnet! During my last India trip, I visited several schools, including Ekal school and my own high school, where I recalled fond memories and made new connections. The energy and excitement was contagious as we sang the title poem together. I even recited my poems on a train ride to a 5 year old co-traveler! His eyes lit up and this is a true testament to the joy of children’s literature.
4. Do you have a favorite woman poet? Or a favorite poem you like to read every now and then?
Subhadra Kumari Chauhan is one of my favorite Hindi poets, and I came across her work during my early school days. She is most known for her poem, Jhansi ki Rani - depicting the valor of Rani Lakshmi Bai, the queen of Jhansi, in the struggle for India’s freedom. I fondly remember my solo performance of this poem on Hindi Diwas (Hindi Day). I learned that Subhadra was a senior of Mahadevi Verma, another phenomenal poetess and writer. The two were good friends and would share their writings with each other, long before they became famous. Their bond touched my heart, not only a friendship to cherish but to grow with mutual encouragement. I find similar synergy with my friends in the Boston community, who remain a source of inspiration and support.
5. As we are the platform for women dreamers, what is your next big dream?
As immigrant parents, we hope for our kids to learn the native language. With this in mind, I am keen on writing bilingual books. Under my creative company, Noetic Nook, I have written other books, poems, and even songs! My next children’s book Madhuban, highlighting beautiful animals and birds, has both Hindi and English content. I would love to make this available in other regional languages. I am also fortunate to have co-authored My First OM with my dear friends, Ranjani Saigal and Meena Mehta. This book highlights the meditative powers of OM. All of my titles are currently available on Amazon. As for my dream project, I would like to create an epic, probably like Harivansh Rai Bachhan’s “Madhushala,” which is not just a great literary work but also carries a deep message. I hope my passion for writing makes a positive impact.
Check out Parveen’s work and follow her at:https://www.amazon.com/author/parveen.minocha
Bio: A technologist by trade, Parveen Minocha is currently working at Oracle Retail, building Cloud Services for retailers. A strong believer in the power of education, she volunteers for Ekal Vidyalaya, which brings education and holistic development to remote and rural parts of India.
As an Indian-American writer, she founded ‘Noetic Nook’ to pursue her passion for creative writing and to bring harmony between English and Hindi with her creations. She brings a unique perspective to her writing, infusing it with vivid imagery and thought-provoking ideas. Her ever-growing repertoire of poems has inspired ‘Chumbak’, a children’s poetry book in Hindi with English translations. Parveen donated proceeds from the launch of Chumbak to Ekal Vidyalaya.