Punjabi University to publish selected poems of Bhai Vir Singh in Shahmukhi

Tribune News Service

Ravneet Singh
Patiala, April 18

Selected poems of Padma Bhushan and Sahitya Academy awardee writer Bhai Vir Singh will now be available in Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi (Persian) scripts of Punjabi together in the form of a book, being published for the first time by Punjabi University, Patiala, in view of his 150th birth anniversary. Experts, including Surjit Patar and playwright and editor, Punjabi Tribune, Dr Swaraj Bir Singh, have contributed to the university’s project aimed at bringing notable works of Punjabi writers to the fore.

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University Vice-Chancellor Prof Arvind said, “It will be for the first time that selected poems of Bhai Vir Singh will be published and made available in Shahmukhi script. The project, comprising 52 poems, chosen through expert committees comprising noted writer Surjit Patar and Dr Swaraj Bir Singh is almost complete and the book will be available soon.”

The book will also be released in foreign countries. “It will be made available in countries including Pakistan where people use the Shahmukhi (script) of Punjabi in their normal part of life”, the VC said.

Chairperson of Bhai Vir Singh Chair Dr Harjodh Singh said, “The motive behind publication of the book is to spread the message of Punjabi language, writings of notable Punjabi writers worldwide. This year we are observing the 150th birth anniversary of Bhai Vir Singh, who is known to be the theologian of the Sikh revival movement and played an important role in renewal of Punjabi literary tradition. He was awarded Sahitya Akademi award in 1955 and the Padma Bhushan award in 1956.”

He said the university had also started publication work of ‘Bhai Veer Singh Rachna Kosh’ and ‘Bhai Veer Singh Rachnavli and Anukramnika Kosh’ comprising all literary works of the writer.

University officials said the transliteration into Shahmukhi was being done digitally (computerised). “This will be the first book transliterated into Shahmukhi script. Later, the standardised script will be used to publish other noted Punjabi literary works as well”, they said.

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