Punjabi author’s book wins best children’s lit honour

The Department of Language has announced 10 best literary book awards for the year 2023 related to various categories. As many as 144 books in different categories, including Punjabi novels, poetry books and drama were shortlisted for the awards and 10 were announced as winners. Among the awardees is city-based noted Punjabi writer and poetess, Dr Simrat Sumera, whose latest children’s novel ‘Sunehri Taapu’ (Golden Island) will be awarded Sri Guru Harkrishan Award in the Best Children’s Literature category.

Director, Department of Languages, Jaswant Singh Zafar, said the awards will be presented during the state-level inaugural function to mark Punjabi Month in the first week of November 2024 at Bhasha Bhawan, Patiala. He said that for these awards, the books published during the last year were requested to be considered under the ‘Best Book’ awards. “These books were evaluated by learned experts from different fields and the best books were selected. Along with the prize money, a plaque and a shawl will be presented,” he shared.

Dr Simrat Sumera is an eminent writer of Punjabi language, with 32 published books of poetry, novels, drama, sketches, children’s poetry, ghazals etc. She has been a recipient of the National Teacher’s Award, National Literature Award and Teacher State Award, among other honours. A former government school teacher at Harchowal, she is currently engaged full-time as an author.

“It’s an honour to be appreciated for a book that is meant to be read not only by children but also adults. As a generation that is caught in the battle between capitalism, urbanisation and environment resources, ‘Sunehri Taapu’ explores the theme of environmental awareness, collective responsibility and inculcating life skills. The book is about salvaging whatever we can right now of our environmental resources if we are to give any hope for to the next generation for future,” shared Sumera. The book has also been translated in Hindi.