Separate fund for documentation of Punjabi folk songs

By Haryananewswire

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 17

The Haryana Government has  decided to earmark a separate fund of Rs.25 lakh for documentation of Punjabi folk songs in the state. 

            This was announced by the Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr.  K.K. Khandelwal on behalf of Chief Minister, Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the presence of Haryana Governor Mr. Jagannath Pahadia during Punjabi Sahityakar  Samman Samaroh organised here today. Noted Punjabi singer Mrs. Dolly Guleria will be convener of this fund.

The Governor,  the Education Minister, Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal and Minister of State for Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs, Mr Shiv Charan Lal Sharma gave away awards to 28 litterateurs for the year 2011 and 2012 for their outstanding work in promotion of Punjabi literature during the  Samman Samaroh organized by Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Akademi. 

          Mr. Jagannath Pahadia  congratulated the litterateurs and said that as Punjabi is widely spoken in Haryana, the State Government has accorded second language status to Punjabi language. Haryana Government is taking commendable steps for the promotion and preservation of literature, he added.

Mr. Pahadia urged the litterateurs awarded on this occasion to provide right direction to the society through their writing to bring laurels at National and international level. He hoped that litterateurs would supplement their efforts and continuously engaged in the service of society.     

Speaking in chaste Punjabi, Education Minister Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal said that Haryana Government is giving due honour to litterateurs for their outstanding work. Besides according second language status to Punjabi, it has also allocated sufficient funds for promotion, publication and preservation of Punjabi literature. The monthly magazine ‘Samvad’ is also being published in Punjabi language.

Mrs. Bhukkal urged them to highlight the social evils prevailing in the society through their writings and show the path to the youngsters. Litterateurs could contribute in building a better society, she added.

Minister of State for Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs also congratulated the litterateurs for their achievement and urged them to continue work for promotion of literature.

While highlighting origin of Punjabi, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr K.K. Khandelwal said that Sheikh Baba Farid was the first poet of Punjabi. Now Punjabi is spoken by about 14 crore people across 165 countries. The language is spoken by 38 per cent population residing in Haryana.

He said that State Government headed by Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda had done a lot for the promotion of Punjabi language. Before the year 2005, only a single samman with a prize money of Rs.21,000 was given to Punjabi litterateurs. Even the budget of Akademi was merely Rs.20 lakh at that time. The Chief Minister earlier enhanced the budget to Rs. one crore and now the same had been increased to Rs. 1.5 crore. He said that during the function organized last year, the Chief Minister had announced that Rs. one lakh cash prize would be given for Baba Sheikh Fareed Puraskaar which has materialized this year.

Haryana Punjabi Gaurav Puraskaar for year 2011 and 2012 carrying prize money of Rs.1.5 lakh each was conferred upon Dr. Kartar Singh Suri and late Sh. Harbhajan Singh Rainu respectively.

Mahakavi Bhai Santokh Singh Puraskaar for year 2011 and 2012 carrying prize money of Rs.one lakh each were given away to Mr. Kedar Nath Kedar and Dr. Karamjit Singh respectively. Baba Sheikh Fareed Puraskaar for year 2011 and 2012 carrying cash prize of Rs.one lakh each were bestowed to Mr.Kabal Virk and Mr. Surinder Singh Oberai respectively. Sant Taran Singh Wahimi Puraskar carrying prize money of Rs. one lakh for year 2012 given away to Mrs. Jagir Kaur Sandhu.

Raagi-Dhadhi/Lok Gayak Puraskar for year 2011 and 2012 carrying prize money of Rs.21,000 was conferred upon Mr. Neele Khan and Mr. Joginder Singh Mukta respectively.

Pustak Puraskar in poem writing, story writing, novel, play, child literature and lok sahitya  for year 2011 was conferred upon Dr. Nirmal Singh, Mrs. Joginder Kaur Agnihotri, Mr. Ram Sarup Rikhi, Mr. Prem Sethi, Mr. Iqbal Singh and Mr. Sadhu Singh Kissan. All these awards carries a cash prize of Rs.21,000.

Pustak Puraskar in poem writing, story writing, novel, play, child literature, lok sahitya and creative writing for year 2012 was bestowed on Ms. Sushila Sargam, Mrs. Harsimran Kaur, Mr. Prem Singh Barnalvi, Dr. Praduman Bhalla, Mrs. Manjit Kaur Ambalvi, Mr. Puran Singh Nirala and Dr. Upenderjit.

Similarly, first second and third prize carrying award money of Rs.5000, Rs.4000 and Rs.3000 in Punjabi Story writing competition for year 2011 given away to Mrs. Indu Gupta, Mr. Prem Singh Barnalvi and Mr. Lakhwinder Singh Bajwa respectively. For year 2012, the same prize money was conferred upon to Mrs. Gurbachan Kaur, Mr. Subhash Saluja and Mr. Angrez Singh.

Pustak Prakaashan Sahayata Anudaan for year 2012 in poem writing conferred upon Mrs. Kulveer Kaur and Mr. Dilbag Virk. The same award for year 2012 in story writing given away to Mrs. Manpreet Kaur and Mr. Charan Papralvi . These award carries prize money of Rs.10,000 each.

Director, Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Akademi Mr. Sukhchain Singh Bhandari and Vice Chancellor Kurukshetra University Kurukshetra, Lt. Gen.(Retd.) Dr. D.D.S. Sandhu also spoke on this occasion. Vote of thanks was presented by Director General, Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department, Mr Sudhir Rajpal.