Hoshiarpur: Baljinder Mann, Mahilpur's preeminent children's literature author and editor of the only Punjabi children's magazine, "Nikkiyan Karumbalan," listed in the India Book of Records, captivated everyone with his insightful thoughts during the five-day Amritsar Literature Festival and Book Fair, bringing glory to Hoshiarpur district.
During the Karumbalan session of the five-day fair, chaired by Principal Dr. Atam Singh Randhawa and Head of the Department of Punjabi Studies Dr. Parminder Singh at Khalsa College, Amritsar, Baljinder Mann highlighted the limitations and potential of children's literature, stating that students who read children's literature become better citizens.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of teachers and parents to provide children with books and children's magazines appropriate to their age. To foster book culture, the government should mandate that magazines published in Punjabi be distributed to every government and non-government school. We can shape our future by connecting with our rich heritage through our mother tongue.
He further explained that Punjabi ranks eleventh among the world's 7,000 languages. Today, Punjabi is spoken in 133 countries. Despite this, the number of Punjabi speakers and readers in Punjab is declining. If we are to make our mother tongue a leader, we must make it the language of employment, business, justice, and the internet.
On this occasion, Kamaljeet Neelon, a Shiromani and Sahitya Akademi Award-winning literary figure and a favorite among children, reconnected with the new generation with his 30-year-old song, "Son Ja Babua Mano Billi Aai."
On this occasion, Principal Dr. Atam Singh Randhawa, playwright Kewal Dhaliwal, Dr. Inderjeet Kaur Pingalwara and Gurpreet Singh Mintu, who serves humanity, were present in the panel. In the discussion on children's literature, Sahitya Akademi Award winner Dr. Inderpreet Singh Dhami provided information about the creative process of his novel Supansaaz.
On this occasion, Kamaljeet Neelon, Baljinder Mann, Dr. Inderpreet Dhami and Gurpreet Singh Mintu were specially honored. A book exhibition was organized by 130 publishers from where book lovers purchased books as per their interest. The stage was conducted by Dr. Hira Singh.
Dr Satinder Kaur Kahlon, Jatinder Kaur, Harveer Mann, Jasvir Begumpuri, Principal Ranjit Kaur Bajwa, Navjot Kaur Bajwa, Bhai Jaswant Singh, Sukhwinder Kaur, Sumit Singh, Prof Satnam Singh, Amarjit Singh Randhawa, Paramjit Singh Bal, Surinder Kaur and Kamaljit Kaur along with students, litterateurs and literature lovers were present in the jam-packed pandal.