Wingword Poetry Prize

Official Statement Regarding Wingword Poetry Prize 2025

The Delhi Poetry Slam (DPS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, transparency, and integrity across all its literary initiatives, including the Wingword Poetry Prize.

After due consideration, DPS has decided to withdraw and revoke the first prize awarded to the Recipient of the Wingword Poetry Prize 2025. This decision follows communication from the Recipient that was derogatory, accusatory, and harmful to the reputation of the competition and the organisation, despite ongoing professional engagement between DPS and the prize winner.

DPS clarifies that its commitments to prize winners were being actively and diligently carried out. In the recipient’s case, DPS remained in regular professional contact, and work on his prize-winning anthology—including editorial processes, design, and publication planning—was nearing completion.

Despite this continued engagement, the recipient made statements questioning the legitimacy and credibility of the competition, which DPS considers inconsistent with the standards of mutual respect and professional conduct expected of prize recipients.

Since the inception of the Wingword Poetry Prize in 2017, this is the first instance in which an award has been revoked, reflecting the seriousness of the circumstances leading to this decision.

The prize amount of ₹50,000 originally allocated to this award will be added to the Wingword Poetry Prize 2026 pool.

DPS reserves the right to revoke any award where a prize winner’s conduct brings disrepute to the organisation, its jury, or the wider literary community.

This decision has been taken with regret but in the interest of safeguarding the dignity of the platform, the jury, and the many poets who engage with DPS in good faith.

DPS remains committed to upholding fairness, transparency, and respect for all other prize winners and participants.

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Delhi Poetry Slam Team