Punjabi poet Darshan Khatkar was conferred with Pritam Singh Bassi Memorial Award at a ceremony held at Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Ludhiana. The award, given by the BC Cultural Foundation of Surrey, Canada, in collaboration with Punjabi Lok Virasat Academy, recognises Khatkar’s immaculate contributions to Punjabi literature.
Gurbhajan Singh Gill, convener of the event, highlighted the literary contributions of Darshan Khatkar, a renowned revolutionary poet whose work has long reflected social and political issues. Writing for decades, Khatkar first gained prominence with ‘Sangi Sathi’ (1973), a poetry collection featuring verses penned during his imprisonment in 1971. His recent anthology ‘Ulte Rukh Parwaz’ (2010), continues his tradition of Naxalite poetry, critiquing market-driven trends. His other notable works include ‘Vilayat Nu 94 Khat Atey Yaadan’ and ‘Sangharsh te Shayari’. His latest book, ‘Poonji Nu Padhde Padhde’ (Reading Marx’s Capital), was published in 2024.
Waryam Singh Sandhu served as the chief guest of the event with SP Singh, former V-C of GNDU, presiding over the function. Additionally, Mohan Gill represented the BC Cultural Foundation as special guest. Singer Trilochan Lochi performed some of Khatkar’s compositions while Guriqbal Singh, general secretary of the Punjabi Lok Virasat Academy, delivered the keynote address.