Meet Anu Mahadev

An amalgam of a left-brained ex-engineer and a right-brained creative writer would be the best way to describe a lyrical storyteller like ANU MAHADEV. Originally from India and Bahrain, Anu is now a New Jersey-based poet and a 2016 MFA graduate of Drew University’s low residency poetry program. She is currently Poetry Editor for Platform Review, a literary journal launched by Arts by The People, to encourage emerging writers who are local to New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York City. Anu’s past editorial roles in the literary world have been Poetry Reader for The Adroit Journal, Poetry Editor for The Wild Word, Editor-in-Chief for Jaggery Lit, and Senior Editor for The Woman Inc. Her latest collection of poetry, A Mouthful of Skywas released in April 2022 by Get Fresh Books LLC. Anu’s work has appeared in many literary journals and anthologies, and she is an alumna of the 2023 Kenyon Writers’ Workshop (with Dan Beachy-Quick), the 2024 Juniper Summer Writing Institute (with Diana Khoi Nguyen) and the 2024 Kenyon Writers’ Workshop (with Natalie Shapero).

Additionally, Anu reads a lot of fiction, writes book reviews, sings Carnatic classical and Indian film music, practices mindfulness meditation, takes long walks with her dog and travels with my family. As of last year, as an empty nester, Anu is a language neophyte and a student of the Bhagavad Gita – the holy Hindu scripture. Anu loves to actively volunteer in causes that resonate with her – mostly in the field of education and cultivates genuine interpersonal relationships with the people she is fortunate to meet. Anu likes to think of herself as a curious and lifelong learner and is humbled with how much she does not know and has yet to learn. Anu is currently working on her next book. 

You can find Anu on anumahadevpoet.com and medium.com/@anumahadev.