Taking the world of words by storm, 12 year old Anika Sharma

Words and words are all I have….

So goes the song written by Bees Gees, and resonates how many of us use words to gave shape and meaning to our actions, dream and emotions.

Even in the age of mobiles and apps, many of us maintain a diary or a journal and nowadays-even blogs to express our deepest emotions and feelings. It is always words that come to our rescue.

This has been the case for 12 year old Anika Sharma too. The desire to put her thoughts into words made her take to writing poetry. Her poems were simply an expression of herself — whatever would be running in her head would find its way on to paper.

Based out of Dubai, this 12 year old has to her credit a collection of poems, she is writing her first novel and has some great wisdom to impart to both parents and young boys and girls of her age. HerStory spoke with Anika to know more about her love for writing and what keeps her excited and motivated.

Ripples

Anika’s parents are engineers. They realized early on that their young daughter had a gift with words and to ensure that gift was not lost, they decided to get her poems published into a book called Ripples. Released last year on Children’s day, Anika’s reveals that one of the poems is dedicated to her favorite lovebirds who managed to get out of the cage and fly away. To deal with the loss, Anika took to expressing her loss in poetry.

“My poems got published when I was 11 and mostly the poems I wrote were an outcome of my instant thoughts. At that time writing to me was only an expression of emotions and feelings in words. After my book got published and all the appreciation I received for it, I thought to take ‘writing’ seriously and now I try to learn the skills of serious writing with every passing day,” says the young lady speaking on the phone with me from Dubai.

Early conditioning

Her parents have been very supportive and encouraging from an early age. “My parents identified my writing potential and provided me support, encouragement and access to the things which shaped and developed my creative thinking. They instilled in me the habit of acquiring good knowledge. Reading a lot of books and healthy discussions with my family also help me in shaping my thought process,” says this voracious reader whose favorite authors include Enid Blyton, J. K. Rowling, C. S. Lewis, Lewis Caroll and Tolkien.

“I love to read books from different genres but I love fiction. I enjoy the imaginative stories by my favourite authors, their writings can easily capture the readers’ minds and transport them completely to another fictitious world,” she says.

Balancing act

A student of Gems International School, Dubai, Anika is learning Spanish, Arabic, French, and Hindi as

secondary languages. She loves animals and plays classical piano with great ease reveals her mother, Roli Sharma.Anika’s other interests include playing musical instruments and she is learning to play quite a few of them. Other than this she is into just about everything — swimming, fitness, dance, theatre, musical shows, tech gadgets etc. She claims that she has a voracious appetite to learn new things.

Like most kids, Anika is very attached to her grandparents who live in Kanpur and after she gets back from school she loves sharing with them the details of her day.

Given that her school curriculum is very demanding, she does manage to make time for things that she is passionate about. She gives priority to her academics and catches up on reading while travelling and during leisure time. “I’m learning various styles of writing as they are part of my school’s curriculum and sometimes I do that separately as well.”

Journey to Acropolis

She is currently working on her fictional novel, ‘Journey To Acropolis’, which tells the story of four poverty stricken children who go through an incredible journey full of adventures. Anika’s novel is shaping well.

The initial chapter, which I had the opportunity to read, shows how Anika is weaving elements from her life as a child into her story. She is writing under the pen name of Aneeka Sharrma.

Words of wisdom

This young lady is extremely sensitive, mature and friendly. However, given her interest she is not the usual 12 years old but a very thoughtful and driven individual who often finds it difficult to find friends with whom she can align her interest.

Anika’s word of caution to people her age is that, “All children are full of new ideas and can do what they

want but don’t do the work to please anyone. Be honest with your own self; plan you each day with the aim of learning new things. Always keep your studies ahead of any thing and focus your energies in right direction by developing good habits. There is no any second to hard work. I always believe: ‘Be a voice not an echo’.”To parents she advices, “I think, parents should not compare their child with any other. As every child is unique in it’s own way. Let children explore their own passion. Allow them to think rationally and develop their own point of view on any situation. Don’t entrust your own ambitions and frustrations on your child. Treat a child as an individual while respecting his/ her choices and passions.”

This young mind has lots to share and the direction in which the world is heading is not very positive for the coming generations according to her. “ This disturbs me and drove me to pen down these lines especially for the readers of YourStory:

“THE MESSAGE”

People have passion,

though ,

the world lacks compassion.

Humans young and old,

act warm outside, from inside they are cold

The world calls ,

But still Techies, doctors, engineers that’s all;

Rich and poor is a big difference,

but to me it does not make any sense;

When All are born the same ,

why do some remain happy while some suffer pain?

How can people dream to touch the sun,

If they are cruel enough to hurt one,

If somewhere people suffer and feel lonely,

then how can others enjoy and think of themselves only?

Can we really call the earth green ,

If people have black hearts and their acts are mean.

All are afraid of future,

Then why don’t they worry about nature?

How can a nation do discrimination when we all are nature’s creation?

But still hope is there;

The problem will be solved, with empathy and care;

All will be equal and World will be fair.