In a powerful tribute to the beauty of introspection and poetic honesty, Shahzneen Patel has been announced as the winner of the Bharat Lit Award 2025 by Cherry Book Awards for her poignant and soul-searching poetry book, Ambivalence. The award recognizes her fresh literary voice, emotional depth, and the unique perspective she brings to contemporary Indian poetry.
🌺 Why Shahzneen Patel Was Chosen
Shahzneen Patel’s journey as a poet is as compelling as her writing itself. With Ambivalence, she delivers an authentic, unfiltered window into the human psyche—its confusion, contradictions, and quiet resilience. The jury praised her for:
- Raw Emotional Honesty: Her verses explore vulnerability without artifice, making them deeply relatable and heartfelt.
- A Debut With Depth: Ambivalence is her first published poetry collection, yet it reflects maturity and depth often found in the works of seasoned poets.
- Literary Courage: She doesn’t shy away from grey areas—embracing emotional paradoxes with lyrical grace.
- Impact Beyond the Page: As an instructional designer, Shahzneen is committed to change-making through learning, which beautifully complements her purpose-driven writing.
📘 Ambivalence – A Journey into Inner Dualities
In Ambivalence, Shahzneen Patel takes the reader on an inward journey—through moments of longing, identity crisis, gentle rebellion, and healing. The title says it all: this collection embraces the emotional push and pull that defines the human condition. The poems feel like midnight conversations with oneself—intimate, reflective, and tenderly cathartic.
✨ A Short Review: Ambivalence by Shahzneen Patel
Shahzneen Patel’s poetry flows with natural rhythm and emotional clarity. There’s a quiet strength in her words—no need for flamboyance or overly complex metaphors. Her simplicity becomes her superpower. Every reader, at some point, finds their own thoughts echoed in her verses. Ambivalence is the kind of book that understands you before you understand it. It’s a mirror held up to the reader’s soul.
🔥 A Rising Literary Star
Though Shahzneen’s primary identity lies in the world of instructional design, her foray into poetry has revealed a whole new dimension of her creative spirit. Her win is not just about a book—it’s about recognizing the depth of voices that come from unexpected places, and how storytelling can thrive anywhere.
Congratulations to Shahzneen Patel, a voice of vulnerability, strength, and transformation. The Bharat Lit Award 2025 is just the beginning of what promises to be a remarkable literary journey.
About Shahzneen Patel
Shahzneen Patel is an instructional designer creating impactful learning programs, trainings, and courses for different organisations across various industries. So far, she has created and curated learning journeys for over 4000 individuals, covering 100 hours of learning, across defence, government, retail, and the consumer goods sector. She believes in following a go-getter approach and having a lifelong learning attitude throughout her life. Her aim is to become a renowned instructional designer in the world.
