Eminent Punjabi poet Surjit Patar dies at 79

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 11

Eminent poet and Padma Shri awardee Dr Surjit Patar passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday morning at his residence near Barewal Colony here.

He was 79.

Many political leaders, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, expressed grief over the demise saying it is a big loss for the Punjabi literary community.

Patar's poetic works include 'Hawa Vich Likhe Harf', 'Hanere Vich Sulagdi Varanmala', 'Patjhar Di Pazeb', 'Lafzaan Di Dargah' and 'Surzameen'.

He received the Padma Shri in the field of literature and education in 2012. Patar was the president of the Punjab Arts Council. He had also been the president of the Punjabi Sahit Akademi.

The poet and writer has been awarded with the Sahitya Akademi Award, Panchnad Puruskar, Saraswati Samman and the Kusumagraj Literary award.

From Patar village in Jalandhar district, he did his graduation from Randhir college in Kapurthala and Ph D on 'Transformation of Folklore in Guru Nanak Vani' from the Guru Nanak Dev University.

He retired as a professor of Punjabi from the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana.

Patar has also translated the three tragedies of Federico Garcia Lorca, Girish Karnad's play 'Nagmandala', and poems of Bertolt Brecht and Pablo Neruda into Punjabi.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring called it an irreparable loss for Punjabi literature.

Former Punjab chief minister and BJP leader Amarinder Singh on X said, "End of an era, as famous Punjabi writer and poet Padma Shri Surjit Patar Sahib has passed away today. My heartfelt condolences to his family and millions of fans worldwide. Punjab has lost an icon today."         

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said the death of Patar has left a void in the world of literature.

"After Shiv Batalvi, Patar Sahib was the most popular and beloved poet of Punjabis. I express my heartfelt condolences to his family and his well-wishers," Badal said. 

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar also expressed grief over the sudden demise of Patar. Jakhar said the death of Dr Patar is an irreparable loss that has created a vacuum hard to fill. "His verses inspired all. Punjabi literature will always remain indebted for his contribution. His distinguished work including ”Lafzah di Dargah”, his famous poems like “Hawa vich likhe harf,” “Hanere vich sulagdi varnmala” enamored all," said Sunil Jakhar.

Patar's remarkable contribution to Punjabi cinema - his dialogues for films like 'Shaheed Uddham Singh' and the Punjabi version of Deepa Mehta’s 'Heaven on Earth', underlined his prowess, he said, adding that beyond his works, he translated Federico Garcia Lorca’s three tragedies and other works into Punjabi.

"Dr Patar’s pioneering role in the Punjab Arts Council, Chandigarh, and Punjabi Sahit Akademi, Ludhiana, will be remembered. May God give the family the strength to bear with the enormous tragedy," he said.

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