Ludhiana, February 18- The Late Shri Pritam Singh Bassi Award instituted by Late Dr. Darshan Gill and his colleagues twenty-five years ago by B.C. Cultural Foundation (Registered) Surrey (Canada) in collaboration with Punjabi Folk Heritage Academy will be conferred on Punjabi poet Darshan Khatkar on 20th February at the Overseas Literature Study Centre, Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Ludhiana.
Prof. Gurbhajan Singh Gill, convener of the programme, informed that on the occasion of conferring the Shri Pritam Singh Bassi Sahitya Award for the year 2024 to eminent revolutionary Punjabi poet Shri Darshan Khatkar, General Secretary, Punjabi Folk Heritage Academy, Dr. Guriqbal Singh will deliver the keynote address on the literary service and life of Darshan Khatkar.
Prof. Gurbhajan Singh Gill informed that the poems written by Darshan Khatkar before going to jail in 1971 and during his stay in jail were published in 1973 as a poetry book 'Sangi Saathi'. In 2010, the poetry collection 'Ulte Rukh Parvaaz' presented the continuity of the Naxalite poetry tradition and attacked the marketist tendency. His other works include '94 Letters to Vilayat and Memories' edited by Davinder Noura, 'Darshan Khatkar: Sangharsh aur Kavita' edited by Sukhwinder Kamboj Ravinder Sehra and Sukhwinder Gill and Marx's first book 'Punji Nu Padhe Padhe' published in 2024.
He informed that this award was established by Punjabi poet Manga Singh Bassi, born in Bir Bansian (Jalandhar) and currently living in Canada, in the memory of his revered father and patron of Punjabi Sahitya Academy Ludhiana, S. Pritam Singh Bassi. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51,000, a citation and a certificate. The chief guest at the function will be Dr Varyam Singh Sandhu, while the presiding officer will be Dr SP Singh, former vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
Mohan Gill, representative of BC Cultural Foundation, will be the special guest. Trailochan Lochi will sing some compositions of Darshan Khatkar. The function will be telecast live on Malwa TV. College principal Dr Arvinder Singh Bhalla and head of postgraduate Punjabi department Prof Sharanjit Kaur have requested Punjabi lovers to attend the function.
S. Inderjit Singh Bal, Prof Jagir Singh Kahlon (Toronto), Angrez Singh Brar (Surrey), Prof Ravinder Singh Bhattal and former president of Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Ludhiana, Dr Lakhwinder Singh Johal are also attending the function. The stage management of the programme will be done by Dr Tejinder Kaur, who will be the coordinator of the Centre for Overseas Literature Studies.