Submitted. Punjabi literature is being celebrated at the Dhahan awards in Vancouver tonight and with the proclamation
of Punjabi Literature Week Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, 2016, by the Government of British Columbia.
Pictured at right: Jarnail Singh
People of Punjabi descent have a history in British Columbia that spans more than 120 years.
They have made significant contributions to the social and economic development of the province.
Their rich culture has helped nurture the inclusiveness, understanding and mutual respect for which British Columbia
is known.
The Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature promotes the preservation of Punjabi culture and heritage through recognition
of emerging and established writers writing in the two Punjabi scripts: Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi.
The Dhahan Prize awards $25,000 to the best book of fiction written in one of the Punjabi scripts at the international
level each year.
This year’s top prize goes to Jarnail Singh for his short story collection, Kaale Varke, which translated means
Black Pages. Singh came to Canada in 1988 from the Punjab in India, and now lives in Toronto.
Two runner-up prizes of $5,000 are also being awarded. The 2016 winners are:
* Zahid Hassan from Lahore, Pakistan, for his novel Tassi Dharti (Thirsty land).
* Simran Dhaliwal from the Punjab, India, for his short story collection Us Pal (That Moment).
The Dhahan Prize was established in 2013 by the Canada India Education Society in partnership with the University
of British Columbia’s department of Asian studies. The prize is named after Vancouver entrepreneur and philanthropist
Barj Dhahan, who isalso the co-founder of the Canada India Education Society.
Delta North MLA Scott Hamilton is presenting the B.C. government’s proclamation at the Dhahan awards.