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LITERATURE

Ninth-pass Punjabi writer

gets key literary award

Kirpal Kazak, a mason by profession, along with prominent literary
figures will get the Sahitya Akademi Award, writes swinder bajwa
Punjabi University has published over 12 His father Sadhu Singh Ramgarhia was a
research books penned by Kazak, who narrator and was well versed in Arabic,
irpal Kazak, a mason by pro- mostly concentrated on research-based Persian and Sanskrit languages. His
fession, will be sitting along content. Besides, he contributed to mother’s name is Veer Kaur.
with 22 prominent literary children’s literature too by penning Khul Among the recipients of the 2019
figures, including Shashi Ja Sim Sim, Jo Dard Nahi, Aao Pind Dekhiye honour is writer and politician Shashi
K Tharoor. Kazak — fondly and others. Tharoor, who was conferred with the
known as Punjab’s Verrier Elwin — is Kazak has penned over 24 books in award for his work An Era of Darkness:
one of the recipients of the Sahitya Aka- Punjabi. Most of his books have vastly The British Empire in India published in
demi Award. The 76-year-old author is explained the life of marginalised com- 2016. The awards will be presented on
among six short story writers who have munities in India. His contributions to February 25, 2020 in New Delhi.
been awarded one of the highest literary writing for telefilms, documentaries and
awards in the country for his collection others are also liked and appreciated. LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
of stories in Punjabi Antheen (Endless).
Born in village Bandoke of Distt
Sheikhpura, which is now in Pakistan,
Kazak started out as a mason. He later List Of Winners In Different Language And Genre Categories:
went on to spend several years with
nomadic tribes researching their way of Language Title & Genre Author Name
life. At the age of four, the author migrat- Assamese Chanakya (Novel) Joysreegoswamimahanta
ed to Patiala from Sheikhpura, where Bengali Ghumerdarjathele (Essays) Chinmoyguha
surviving a poverty-ridden life he joined Bodo Akhaiathumniphrai (Poetry) Phukan Ch. Basumatary
the family occupation of masonry. At 19,
he wrote his first short story. Dogri Bandraltadarpan (Essays) Om Sharma Jandriari
Even during his tough days, Kazak English An Era Of Darkness (Non-Fiction) Shashi Tharoor
continued with his writing pursuits. He Gujarati Mojmarevu Re (Essays) Ratilalborisagar
met Amrita Pritam a novelist, essayist Hindi Chheelate Hue Apneko (Potery) Nand Kishore Acharya
and poet who wrote in Punjabi and Hin- Kannada Kudiesaru (Autobiography) Vijaya
di at one point of time. She encouraged Kashmiri Akhyaadakhqayamat (Short Stories) Abdul Ahadhajini
him to start writing books. Kazak started
contributing a column to Amrita’s pub- Konkani The Words (Potery) Nilba A Khandekar
lication Nagmani. His first book Kala Ilm Maithili Jingikoriaonkariat (Poetry) Kumar Manish Arvind
(black magic), was published in 1972. Malayalam Achanpirannaveedu (Poetry) V Madhusoodanan Nair
This ninth pass writer joined the Manipuri Eiamadiadungeigieethat (Novel) L Birmangol Singh (Beryl Thanga)
department of literary studies at Punjabi Marathi Kadachit Ajoonahi (Poetry) Anuradha Patil
University, which acknowledged his Odia Bhaswati (Short Stories) Tarunkanti Mishra
intellect and contributions. He started
researching the culture of nomadic Punjabi Antheen (Short Stories) Kirpal Kazak
Punjabi tribes such as Sikligars and Gadi Rajasthani Bareekbaat (Short Stories) Ramswaroopkisan
Lohars with his work often being com- Sanskrit Prajnachakshusham (Poetry) Penna Madhusudan
pared to the British-born anthropologist Santali Sisirkali (Short Stories) Kali Charanhembram
Verrier Elwin. Sindhi Jeejal (Short Stories) Ishwar Moorjani
Looking at his contribution to Tamil Sool (Novel) Cho Dharman
Punjabi literature, Kazak was ap-
pointed as a folklore assistant in Punjabi Telugu Septabhoomi (Novel) Bandi Narayana Swamy
University and retired as a professor. Urdu Sawaneh-E-Sir Syed: Ekbazadeed Shafey Kidwai

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