Ludhiana, January 9
Mr Gurbhajan Gill, Editor, Punjabi, Communication Centre, Punjab Agricultural University, has been awarded the Prof Puran Singh Memorial Poetry Award by the Punjabi Sahit Kala Sangam, New Delhi, at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi. The award has been instituted by Mr Kartar Singh Dhaliwal’s family of Rakhra village in Patiala. This award consists of Rs 21,000, a shawl and a citation. It was presented by Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Minister for Fertilizers and Chemicals.
Mr Dhindsa said the responsibility of Punjabi writers had increased manifold because of the invasion of the electronic media on Punjabi culture and traditions through the propagation of western culture. This had resulted in Punjabis’ forgetting their cultural heritage and becoming rootless. The current genre of writers should inculcate positive moral and ethical values and try to preserve our traditional culture through literature.
Mr Gurbhajan Gill has written many Punjabi poetry books like ‘Shisha Jhooth Bolda Hai’, ‘Har Dukhda Pind Mera Hai’, ‘Bol Mitti Diya Bawya’ and ‘Agan Katha’. He has two compilations of ghazals and his book ‘Bol Mitti Diya Bawya’ is prescribed as a text book for BA (honours) of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
The award ceremony was presided over by a noted Punjab poet Dr
J.S. Neki, former adviser, World Health Organisation, and former Director of the PGI, Chandigarh. Mr Surjit Singh Dhaliwal, MLA, Samana, was the guest of honour. The chairman of the Punjabi Sahit Kala
Sangam, Mr Harbhajan Singh Rattan, proposed the vote of thanks.
