The Dhahan Prize is an annual prize awarded by Canada-India education society for excellence in Punjabi fiction. The prize is given to three books of fiction, written in either Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi script of Punjabi. [1] The prize is named after Canadian Punjabi businessman, Barj Singh Dhahan. [2]
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Punjabi people and native to the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Punjabi is the 9th most widely spoken language in the world. Punjabi is the most widely spoken language in Pakistan and the 11th most widely spoken language in India, and the third most-spoken native language in the Indian Subcontinent. Punjabi is the 3rd most spoken language in England and the fifth most spoken in Canada most-spoken native language. It also has a significant presence in the United Arab Emirates, the United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Ajmer Rode is a Canadian author writing in Punjabi as well as in English. His first work was non-fiction Vishva Di Nuhar on Albert Einstein's Relativity in dialogue form inspired by Plato's Republic. Published by the Punjabi University in 1966, the book initiated a series of university publications on popular science and sociology. Rode's first poetry book Surti influenced by science and philosophical explorations was experimental and in words of critic Dr. Attar Singh 'has extended the scope of Punjabi language and given a new turn to Punjabi poetry'. His most recent poetry book Leela, more than 1000 pages long and co-authored with Navtej Bharati, is counted among the outstanding Punjabi literary works of the twentieth century.
Sukhminder "Sukh" Singh Dhaliwal is a Canadian businessman and politician, who has served as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Surrey—Newton since 2015. He was previously the Member of Parliament for Newton—North Delta from 2006 to 2011.
The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 24 major Indian languages such as English, Bengali, Punjabi and the 22 listed languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution recognised by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
Harjeet Atwal is a British Punjabi writer and novelist. He has written more than 20 books and he is also the editor of Punjabi magazine 'Shabad'. He is also known as a storyteller and poet. Now he lives in London with his wife and three children. He received runner-up Dhahan Prize for his novel 'Mor Udari' in 2015.
Punjabi cinema, sometimes metonymously referred to as Pollywood, is the Punjabi language film industry centred around the state of Punjab in India based in Amritsar and Mohali.
Punjabi literature, specifically literary works written in the Punjabi language, is characteristic of the historical Punjab of India and Pakistan and the Punjabi diaspora. The Punjabi language is written in several scripts, of which the Shahmukhi and Gurmukhī scripts are the most commonly used in Pakistan and India, respectively.
Amrinder Singh Gill is an Indian actor, singer, songwriter, and film producer who makes Punjabi-language films and music. He has been nominated for twenty-four PTC Punjabi Film Awards, winning seven including three for Best Actor, and two for Best Playback singer and has been nominated for five Filmfare Awards, winning two for Best Actor and Best Playback singer, among other accolades.
Dalip Kaur Tiwana was a novelist and short-story writer of contemporary Punjabi literature. She won awards, both regional and national, and was a widely translated author. She retired as Professor of Punjabi, and Dean, Faculty of Languages, from Punjabi University, Patiala.
Najm Hosain Syed is a Pakistani writer. He has written poetry and plays in the Punjabi language as well as literary criticism on Punjabi literature in his Recurrent Patterns in Punjabi Poetry (1968).
Diljit Dosanjh is an Indian singer-songwriter, actor, film producer and television presenter who works in Punjabi and Hindi cinema. Also Known as G.O.A.T of Punjabi Industry. He is recognised as one of the leading artists in the Indian music industry. He also acts in Punjabi movies, with many of them being commercially successful, including Jatt & Juliet, Jatt & Juliet 2, Punjab 1984, Sardaar Ji, Ambarsariya, Sardaar Ji 2, Super Singh, Sajjan Singh Rangroot, Shadaa and Honsla Rakh– which are among the most successful Punjabi movies in history.
Ashnoor Kaur is an Indian actress. She is best known for her acting in several television serials including Jhansi Ki Rani, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Patiala Babes. In 2018, she made her Bollywood debut with supporting roles in Sanju and Manmarziyaan.
Jannat Zubair Rahmani is an Indian film and television actress who predominantly works in Hindi-language television shows and films. She started her career in 2010 in Star One's Dill Mill Gayye where she played the cameo role of a young patient Tamanna, but gained recognition through Imagine TV's Kashi – Ab Na Rahe Tera Kagaz Kora and Colors TV's Phulwa in 2010 & 2011 respectively. She has also played the role of Young Phool Kanwar in Bharat Ka Veer Putra–Maharana Pratap and Pankti Sharma in Tu Aashiqui. In 2018, she was seen in the Bollywood film Hichki, where she played the role of a student.
Qismat (transl. Destiny) is a 2018 Indian Punjabi-language romantic drama film written and directed by Jagdeep Sidhu. Produced by Shri Narotam Ji Productions, the film stars Ammy Virk and Sargun Mehta in lead roles along with Guggu Gill, Tania and Harby Sangha in supporting roles. It was titled after a 2017 song of the same name, sung by Virk and starring Mehta in its music video. The film follows a man who falls in love whilst studying in Chandigarh, despite his marriage being arranged to another woman. It marked feature film debut for Tania.
Maninderjeet Singh Buttar is an Indian singer and songwriter known for his work in Punjabi music. He is best known for songs "Yaari", "Sakhiyaan", "Ik Tera", "Pani Di Gal"and "Laare".
Avtar Singh Billing is a Punjabi writer, novelist and story writer. He has written 8 novels, 6 short-story collections and three books on children's literature.
Roopi Gill is a Canadian actress and model. She rose to fame with her performance in the music video for the song "Diamond", by Gurnam Bhullar. She started her acting career with Ashke (2018), for which she received a PTC Punjabi Film Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Also, she appeared in the music video of "Stranger" song by Diljit Dosanjh. She has frequently collaborated with Sukh Sanghera for music videos and films. In 2019, she appeared in Laiye Je Yaarian, for which she received PTC Critics Award for Best Actress.
Amarjit Chandan is a Punjabi writer, editor, translator and activist. He has written eight collections of poetry and five collections of essays in Punjabi. He has been called "the global face of modern Punjabi poetry".
Harpreet Sekha is a Canadian writer who has written three anthologies of short-stories. He won the runner-up Dhahan Prize in 2018 for his short-story collection Prism.
Balbir Madhopuri is a Punjabi language writer, poet and translator. He is best known for his autobiography, Chhangiya Rukh. His writings are primarily focused on the issues related to the oppressed and depressed classes, especially Dalits. In 2021, He has received The Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature for his novel Mitti Bol Payi.