India, March 21 -- As the world marks World Poetry Day today (March 21), veteran poet, lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar reflects on the enduring relevance of poetry, calling it a timeless form of expression rooted in culture and human experience. "Poetry in India has always been bound with culture and represented the social values and difficulties of that period. Be it Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Pritam, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, they wrote poems about war, partition, separation from loved ones, themes that are still relevant to the contemporary world," he says. The veteran quotes Amrita Pritam's famous work Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah, a heartrending piece written during the riot-torn days following the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition: "Ajj aakhan Waris Shah nuu, kiton qabraan wichon bol/ tey ajj kitaab-e-ishq daa, koi agla warka phol (Today, I call Waris Shah, "Speak from inside your grave"/ And turn, today, the book of love's next affectionate page)." Insisting that poetry does not know any borders, he shares, "Poems that I read in school, such as The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Tennyson, are still works that I refer to." At 91, Gulzar continues to engage deeply with poetry and younger audiences. Having translated 365 poems written by 279 poets in 34 languages, he says nothing brings him more joy than interacting with children. "Recently, when I was interacting with students, a question came up; someone asked me how poetry is relevant, other than in textbooks," he shares, noting that March 21 is also observed as the International Day of Forests. Emphasising the beautiful connection between poetry and Nature, Gulzar says, "In the times of modern technology and AI, it is poetry that can make children fall in love with Nature and teach them about relevant issues like protecting the environment. This is a cause of concern in modern times. I wish for children to be exposed to poems that they can relate to, and I'm working on a book that will be called Aab-O-Hawa."...