WELCOME
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Tuesday, 11 November 2014
WELCOME
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
SARDAR KHUSHWANT SINGH -A GREAT PUNJABI BUT ENGLISH WRITER
SARDAR Khushwant Singh (February 2, 1915 – March 20, 2014) was an Indian novelist, lawyer, politician and journalist. An Indo-Anglian writer, Singh was best known for his trenchant secularism,[1] his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit. He served as the editor of several literary and news magazines, as well as twobroadsheet newspapers, through the 1970s and 1980s. He was the recipient of Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in India.Early life
Singh was born in Hadali, Khushab District, Punjab (which now lies in Pakistan), in a Sikh family. His father, Sir Sobha Singh, was a prominent builder in Lutyens' Delhi. His uncle Sardar Ujjal Singh (1895–1983) was Ex. Governor of Punjab & Tamil Nadu.
He was educated at Modern School, New Delhi, Government College, Lahore, St. Stephen's College in Delhi and King's College London, before reading for the Bar at the Inner Temple.[2][3]
Career
Singh started his professional career as a practising lawyer in 1938. He worked at Lahore Court for eight years. In 1947 he entered Indian Foreign Service for the newly independent India. He started as Information Officer of the Government of India in Toronto, Canada. He was Press Attaché and Public Officer for the Indian High Commission for four years in London and Ottawa. In 1951 he joined the All India Radio as a journalist. Between 1954 and 1956 he worked in Department of Mass Communications of UNESCO at Paris.[4][5] From 1956 he turned to editorial services. He had edited Yojana,[6] an Indian government journal; The Illustrated Weekly of India, a newsweekly; and two major Indian newspapers, The National Herald and the Hindustan Times. During his tenure, The Illustrated Weekly became India's pre-eminent newsweekly, with its circulation raising from 65,000 to 400000.[7] After working for nine years in the weekly, on 25 July 1978, a week before he was to retire, the management asked Singh to leave "with immediate effect".[7] The new editor was installed the same day.[7] After Singh's departure, the weekly suffered a huge drop in readership.[8]
Singh is said to have woken up at 4 am each day to write his columns by hand. His works ranged from political commentary and contemporary satire to outstanding translations of Sikh religious texts and Urdu poetry.[4] Despite the name, his column "With Malice Towards One and All" regularly contained secular exhortations and messages of peace. In addition, he was one of the last remaining writers to have personally known most of the stalwart writers and poets of Urdu and Punjabi languages, and profiles his recently deceased contemporaries in his column.[citation needed]
Khushwant Singh, though an agnostic himself, was also a knowledgeable man understood the nitty-gritty of religion and the influence it exercised on the human life. He is particularly noted for the English translation of the long poem Shikwa, written in 1909 by Mohammed Iqbal, wherein the latter as a Moslem complains to Allah about how He had let the Muslims down. Similarly, Singh also translated into English Iqbal's equally famous 1913 long-poem Jawab-e-Shikwa in which Allah is supposed to have replied to all the questions the poet had raised in Shikwa about the reasons for demoralisation and intellectual derailment of the Muslim community as a whole. Singh promoted lesser known Urdu poets such as Balmukand Arsh Malsiyani (1908-1979)in his columns. At the same time Khushwant Singh favoured Devanagari or Latin script for Urdu in India
Politics
From 1980 through 1986, Singh was a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 for service to his country. In 1984, he returned the award in protest against the siege of the Golden Temple by the Indian Army.[10] In 2007, the Indian government awarded Khushwant Singh the Padma Vibhushan.
As a public figure, Singh was accused of favoring the ruling Congress party, especially during the reign of Indira Gandhi. He was derisively called an 'establishment liberal'. Singh's faith in the Indian political system was shaken by the anti-Sikh riots that followed Indira Gandhi's assassination, in which major Congress politicians are alleged to be involved; but he remained resolutely positive on the promise of Indian democracy[11] and worked via Citizen's Justice Committee floated by H. S. Phoolka who is a senior advocate of Delhi High Court.
Personal life
Singh was married to Kawal Malik and had a son, named Rahul Singh, and a daughter, named Mala. Actress Amrita Singh is the daughter of his brother Daljit Singh and Rukhsana Sultana. He stayed in "Sujan Singh Park", near Khan Market New Delhi, Delhi's first apartment complex, built by his father in 1945, and named after his grandfather.[12] His grandniece Tisca Chopra is a noted TV and Film Actress
Religious belief
Singh was a self-proclaimed agnostic, as the title of his 2011 book Agnostic Khushwant: There is no God explicitly revealed. He was particularly against organised religion. He was evidently inclined towards atheism, as he said, "One can be a saintly person without believing in God and a detestable villain believing in him. In my personalised religion, There Is No God!"[14] He also once said, "I don’t believe in rebirth or in reincarnation, in the day of judgement or in heaven or hell. I accept the finality of death."[15] His last book The Good, The Bad and The Ridiculous was published in October 2013, following which he retired from writing.[16] The book was his continued critique of religion and especially its practice in India, including the critique of the clergy and priests also earned alot of acclaim in a country like India, where such debates hardly happen.
Death
Singh died due to natural causes on 20 March 2014 at his Delhi-based residence, at the age of 99. His death was mourned by many including the President, Vice President and Prime Minister of India.[18] He was survived by his son and daughter. He was cremated at Lodhi Crematorium in Delhi at 4 in the afternoon of the same day.[1] During his lifetime, Khushwant Singh was keen on burial because he believed that with a burial you give back to the earth what you have taken. He had requested the management of the Bahai faith if he could be buried in their cemetery. After initial agreement, they had proposed some conditions which were unacceptable to Singh, and hence the idea was later abandoned.[19] He was born in Hadali, Khushab District in the Punjab Province of modern Pakistan, in 1915. According to his wishes, some of his ashes will be brought and scattered in Hadali.
Honors and awards
- Rockfeller Grant,1966
- Padma Bhushan, Government of India (1974)(He returned the decoration in 1984 in protest against the Union government's siege of the Golden Temple, Amritsar)
- Honest Man of the Year, Sulabh International (2000)
- Punjab Rattan Award, The Government of Punjab (2006
- Padma Vibhushan, Government of India (2007)
- Sahitya academy fellowship award by Sahitya academy of India (2010)
- ‘All-India Minorities Forum Annual Fellowship Award’ by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav (2012)
- Lifetime achievement award by Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest in 2013
- Fellow of King's College London on January 2014
Saturday, 16 November 2013
GREAT Punjabis awarded in UK.Their names are included in this website.www.punjabisguinnessweb.blogspot.com
Vancouver publisher, Harbinder Singh Sewak whose work with the Canadian military and with newspapers to highlight social issues facing immigrants in Canada, took the top media prize at the World Sikh awards in London last night.
The World Sikh Awards which celebrates the achievements of the global Sikh community also presented British Prime Minister David Cameron a Special Recognition Award for his work with the Sikh community in India.
Dedicating the award to his mother Tharmo Kaur, Sewak said: “(Although) the award is a Sikh award, I feel I’m representing Canada as a whole…Canada is playing a major role in highlighting issues that affect Sikhs all over the world.”
“My great grandfather was awarded a medal by the British government, today less than 100 years later, on British soil, I'm being honored by own community…this is a great personal honour for me and my family, said Sewak, who was born in Malaysia and moved to Vancouver in the early 90’s by way of Bangkok, where he ran a clothing business, New Zealand, where he lived with the native Maoris as a fruit picker, and after backpacking through Europe.
“I wanted to see the world and my family was very supportive.”
In Vancouver, Sewak publishes the Asian Pacific Post, the South Asian Post and the Filipino Post.
He was first South Asian print publisher to win a Jack Webster excellence in journalism award in mainstream categories. He was also the co-author of Justice for Jassi, a book following the so-called ‘honour killing’ of Jaswinder Jassi Sidhu, the 25-year-old Maple Ridge girl who was allegedly murdered in 2000 for marrying an Indian rickshaw driver. Sidhu’s mother and uncle have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and are currently facing extradition to India.
Sewak also founded the 3300 B.C. Regiment Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps (RCACC), the first-ever corps funded by a Sikh community group, The Friends of the Sikh Cadet Corps Society, which now has more than 75 cadets and has seen interest not only in B.C., but across the country.
He was instrumental in arranging for the Canadian military participation at the mammoth Surrey Vaisakhi festival parades.
Major-General Robert Nitsch of the UK Support Command, hailed Sewak’s work with the Canadian military, especially the cadet program.
“I look forward to sharing your ideas for our British military outreach initiatives,” said Nitsch, who was among the 750 guests at the gala event held at the Hilton Park Lane hotel in London.
Jas Parmar, Bedford Borough’s mayoral candidate said Sewak’s projects in Canada spoke volumes for the world Sikh community.
The judges in awarding the award said "they were totally impressed with the range of achievements by Sewak after having delved deeply into his work when deciding on the nominations and winners"
Receiving his award at 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Cameron said: "It is a tremendous honour to receive this award and I'd like to say a big thank you for the privilege."
He added: "These awards are all about highlighting the very best of the Sikh faith both here in Britain and abroad, and I want to congratulate all those who are being recognised for their contribution."
Other winners at The Sikh Awards were Jatinder Singh Durhailay, 25, from Ilford, who won the People's Choice Award. The artist's work has been exhibited around the world, including at the Tate Modern at the National Army Museum.
Professor Harminder Singh Dua, who is the chair and professor of ophthalmology at the University Hospital Nottingham, won the award for Professions. He is the current president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and editor-in-chief of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
India-based Harpal Singh Saggu received the Sikh Businessman Award. Saggu operates 'Synergy Group' which has an annual turnover of USD 200 million and over 4,000 employees.
Harpreet Kaur won the Sikh Businesswoman Award. She was only 11-year-old when she began investing in the stock market. Kaur is the founder of GICF Group, which consists of GICF Education, Finance, Productions and Soch Trust.
The ceremony, which was organised by The Sikh Directory, was hosted by former London Mayoral adviser Kulveer Ranger and Kiss FM radio presenter DJ Neev.
Winners of the 2013 Sikh Awards
Recipients include current British Prime Minister, a renowned international artist, a leading specialist in eye surgery, and one of Kenya’s greatest sportsmen.
Photo caption:
01: Navdeep Singh, Founder of The Sikh Awards based in London, UK.
02: BHAI SAHIB DR. MOHINDER SINGH WON FOR THE SIKH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
03: Jatinder Singh Durhailay, 25, from Ilford, won the People's Choice Award. The artist's work has been exhibited around the world, including at the Tate Modern at the National Army Museum.
04: INDIA-BASED HARPAL SINGH SAGGU RECEIVED THE SIKH BUSINESSMAN AWARD. SAGGU OPERATES ‘SYNERGY GROUP’ WHICH HAS AN ANNUAL TURNOVER OF USD 200 MILLION AND OVER 4,000 EMPLOYEES.
05: Harpreet Kaur won the Sikh Businesswoman Award. She was only 11-year-old when she began investing in the stock market. Kaur is the founder of GICF Group, which consists of GICF Education, Finance, Productions and Soch Trust.
06: PRABJOT KAUR WON FOR ENTERTAINMENT. ORIGINALLY FROM WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, SHE IS THE CHIEF POLITICAL TELEVISION CORRESPONDENT AT WIS TV, AN NBC TELEVISION STATION BASED IN COLUMBIA.
07: Harbinder Singh Sewak won for Media. The Vancouver based publisher of The Post Group of newspapers has forged a powerful new alliance between the Canadian Armed Forces and the Sikh community as well as co-authoring a book on the tragic murder of Maple Ridge woman Jassi Sidhu.
08: Professor Harminder Singh Dua, who is the chair and professor of ophthalmology at the University Hospital Nottingham, won the award for Professions.
09: SARUP SINGH ALUG WON FOR SEVA. HE IS THE FOUNDER OF ‘ALAGSHABADYUG INTERNATIONAL CHARITABLE TRUST’. HE HAS WRITTEN 94 PUBLICATIONS CONCERNING SIKHISM AND HE RECENTLY STARTED THE CAMPAIGN ‘SAVE OORA AND JOORA’ FOR SIKH YOUTH AROUND THE WORLD.
10: Avtar Sohal won for Sports. He is one of the greatest hockey players that Kenya has ever produced, and competed at the Olympics in 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972. He was captain for the last three and was Head Coach at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
11: DAVID CAMERON – THE CURRENT SITTING BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, CAMERON WAS RECOGNISED WITH A SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD. " DURING HIS VISIT TO INDIA EARLIER THIS YEAR, CAMERON BECAME THE FIRST SERVING PRIME MINISTER TO PAY HIS RESPECTS AT THE GOLDEN TEMPLE AND HE LAID A WREATH AT THE MEMORIAL SITE IN JALLIANWALA BAGH GARDENS IN AMRITSAR, SITE OF THE 1919 AMRITSAR MASSACRE. WRITING IN THE MEMORIAL BOOK OF CONDOLENCE, CAMERON DESCRIBED THE MASSACRE AS 'A DEEPLY SHAMEFUL EVENT IN BRITISH HISTORY', ADDING "WE MUST NEVER FORGET WHAT HAPPENED HERE.”
Saturday, 10 November 2012
SANT BALBIR SINGH SEECHEWAL JI- A GREAT PUNJABI ENVIRONMENTALIST
In his latest project in early 2009, taking up the cudgels to save Buddha Nullah, eminent environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has initiated a campaign for generating awareness amongst different sections of the society to solve the problem of desilting the water body following the failure of the Punjab Pollution Control Board's (PPCB) and industries in complying with the High Court's orders in this regard.
Seechewal says that when he started the water-cleaning project of Kali Bein Rivulet in 2007, it was a challenging task. But, as people became aware of its importance, they joined in cleaning the rivulet, which had become a dried-up drain and had been reduced to a garbage dump with its historic and religious significance long forgotten.
[edit]Respect for natural resources
"People had illegally taken over the riverbed and it was difficult to free it from their clutches. But, with god's grace it was done. It was an incredible experience to resolve the issue of Kali Bein. Following that we can bring about a revolution by treating polluted water and use it for irrigation purposes. Polluted water has become a major problem not only for India but also for the entire world. However polluted water can bring prosperity if we treat it and use it for irrigation. We have proved this in village Seechewal and other nearby villages. We have purified the polluted water and directed it to fields through water motors. We have learned a lot from this experience," said Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who has now earned a name as an environmentalist.
Seechewal says: "We are facing water scarcity these days, as the ground water level has gone down. But, this can be changed. The flow of polluted water in free-flowing natural rivers has blocked the recharging process. If the flow of polluted water can be stopped to the streams, the water level will automatically improve. In India, when rains come we have floods, but when rains stop we face severe droughts. This is happening because the water is not recharging the earth. If the water is used to recharge properly, we will never face scarcity of water. And, water can be preserved for the coming generations."
"Whatever work we have done in cleaning up the Kali Bein rivulet it is for the welfare of mankind. No other work can be more sacred than this. It is said in the Bani (Guru's gospel) that it is better to save a creature, than to take bath in 68 holy places of pilgrimage'. Nowadays, animals, birds and even water creatures are dying - and to protect them is the need of the hour. We are happy that we are devoting our time for their betterment," Seechewal adds.
Seechewal lays stress on understanding the importance of river water.
"Water is water. Be it of Punjab's white Bein or Kali Bein, or be it of rivers like Satluj, Ganga, Yamuna and Godavari. Be it water in India or any other country - it is needed by everyone. We need water just like we need air to breathe. A wave has started from Punjab's Kali Bein rivulet and we want it to spread not only across India but also across the whole world. Environment is of prime concern these days. Efforts made at the Kali Bein have sent a message globally," said Seechewal.
Friday, 26 October 2012
JASPAL BHATTI-GREAT PUNJABI COMEDIAN
Early years
Jaspal Bhatti was born on 3 March 1955 at Amritsar in a Rajput Sikh family. He graduated from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh in Punjab, as an electrical engineer. He was very famous for his street plays like his Nonsense Club during his college days. Most of these plays were spoofs ridiculing corruption in society. Before venturing into television, he was a cartoonist for theThe Tribune newspaper in Chandigarh.
Flop Show
His low-budget Flop Show show in the early 1990s is remembered even today. His wife Savita Bhatti produced the show and acted in all the episodes as his wife. Only 10 episodes were ever produced, but the show has had a long and powerful legacy and is well remembered. One of his co-actors Vivek Shauq has been very successful since his stint in Flop Show, having found a footing in Hindi cinema. On 10 January 2011, Shauq died from septicemia.
Subsequent work
Bhatti's subsequently acted and directed the popular TV series Ulta Pulta and Nonsense Private Limited for the Doordarshan television network. What attracted audience to his shows was his gift of inducing humour to highlight everyday issues of the middle class in India. Jaspal Bhatti's satire on the Punjab police Mahaul Theek Hai (1999) was his first directorial venture for a full-length feature film in his native Punjabi language. It was well received amongst audience for its simple and honest humour. He played the role of Jolly Good Singh, a guard, in the movie Fanaa. He played a comical college principal in Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe. He also starred in the comedy Punjabi film Jijaji. Bhatti acted in Hindi Movie Aa Ab Laut Chalen with Kadar Khan in 1999.
Bhatti appeared in SAB TV's Comedy ka King Kaun as a judge with actress Divya Dutta. In his latest stint, Bhatti and his wife Savita competed in a popular Star Plus show Nach Baliye which went on air in October 2008.[1] The couple put their best foot forward to entertain the audiences with their dancing and comic skills.
The cartoonist, humorist, actor and filmmaker was focusing on acting as he was getting numerous offers from Bollywood producers as a comedian.
In his later years, Jaspal Bhatti set up a training school[2] and a studio in Mohali near Chandigarh called "Joke Factory".
He also launched a new 52-episode comedy series titled ''Thank You Jijaji''[3] on Sony's family entertainment channel, SAB TV. It was shot at his own MAD Arts film school at Chandigarh.
At a 2009 carnival at Chandigarh, Bhatti put up a stall displaying vegetables, daal and oils. The onlookers were invited to throw rings around them to win these costly goods as prizes to poke fun at the government's failure to control inflation.[4]
In 2009, Bhatti school’s, Mad Art’s, animation film on female foeticide won the second prize in the Advantage India organized by 1take media.[5] It won a certificate of merit at the IDPA-2008 Awards in Mumbai.[6]
Bhatti was granted the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the first Golden Kela Awards.[7]
Political Satire
Bhatti was known for floating his political parties during elections to highlight the problems faced by the general public.
In 1995, he floated the 'Hawala Party' delighting passers by with his original poker faced takeoff on growing political corruption in the country which was already a hotly discussed topic in the context of the Jain-Hawala Diaries.[8]
In 2002, Bhatti announced that he is starting the "Suitcase Party" & released his manifesto alloting 5 seats to his family & more seats to be decided based on the suitcase size of the prospective candidates[9]
In 2009, the comedian announced that he is floating the "Recession Party" & Bhajna Amli, alias Gurdev Dhillon, as his party's face from the Ludhiana. In his trademark satirical style, he kept his party's symbol as opium, drugs and alcohol for which he claimed that there will be no shortage of supply if his party is voted to power.[10]
Critical response
India’s leading media critic Amita Malik says of him: "Bhatti has the correct style for TV, an understated, quiet humour which sinks in without shouting, and which mercilessly exposes both corruption in our every day life and the typical people, who thrive on it. The grim fact and the hard truths of our society so bitter otherwise are made so funny through the adept handling of Bhatti, that cleansing laughter is created out of common malpractices."[11]
Personal life
Bhatti married Savita Bhatti on 24 March 1985[citation needed] and has a son, Jasraj Bhatti, and a daughter, Raabiya Bhatti.[12]
Death
On 25 October 2012, he died in a car accident. The Honda Accord car which the 57-year-old actor/director's son Jasraj Bhatti was driving hit a tree near Shahkot in Nakodar area of the Jalandhardistrict. The accident took place at around 1.30 am, when Jasraj lost the control over the vehicle while taking a blind turn and rammed into a roadside tree. The actor, along with his son and actress Surilie Gautam, was driving from Bhatinda to Jalandhar for the promotion of Power Cut (2012 film), which is based on frequent power cuts in Punjab. Bhatti was sitting in the rear seat of the car and received serious head injuries. Bhatti was taken to a private hospital in Jalandhar where he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
SH. YASH RAJ CHOPRA- GREAT PUNJABI- FILM MAKER
Yash Raj Chopra (27 September 1932 – 21 October 2012)[1] was an Indian film director, screenwriter and film producer, predominantly working inHindi cinema and Bollywood. Chopra began his career as an assistant director to I.S. Johar and his elder brother, B.R. Chopra. He made his directorial debut with Dhool Ka Phool in 1959, a melodrama about illegitimacy and followed it with the social drama Dharmputra (1961). Encouraged by the success of both films, the Chopra brothers made several more movies together during the late fifties and sixties. Chopra then rose to prominence after the commercially and critically successful drama, Waqt (1965), which pioneered the concept of ensemble casts in Bollywood.
In 1973, Chopra founded his own production company, Yash Raj Films, and launched it with Daag: A Poem of Love (1973), a successful melodrama about a polygamous man. His success continued in the seventies, with some of Indian cinema's most successful and iconic films, including the action thriller Deewar (1975) which established Amitabh Bachchan as leading man in Bollywood, the romantic drama Kabhi Kabhie (1976) and Trishul(1978). The eighties marked a professional setback in Chopra's career as several films he directed and produced in that period failed to leave a mark at the Indian box office, notably Silsila (1981), Mashaal (1984), Faasle (1985) and Vijay (1988). However, in 1989, Chopra directed the commercially and critically successful cult film Chandni which became instrumental in ending the era of violent films in Bollywood and returning musicals.
Chopra then directed and produced the cult classic Lamhe in 1991. Considered by critics and Chopra himself as his best work to date, the film became one of the biggest Bollywood hits in the overseas market. Chopra followed it with the box-office hit and trend setter Darr (1993). StarringShahrukh Khan in his debut, it showed a sympathetic look at obsessive love and defied the image of the conventional hero. Since then, Chopra directed three more romantic films, all starring Khan; Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Veer-Zaara (2004) and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012) before he announced his retirement from directing in 2012.
Chopra founded and was chairman of the motion picture production and distribution company Yash Raj Films, which ranks as India's biggest production company as of 2006, as well as the founder of Yash Raj Studios. Chopra's career has spanned over five decades and over 50 films and is considered one of the leading filmmakers in the history of Hindi cinema. Chopra has won several film awards, including six National Film Awards, eleven Filmfare awards and four Filmfare Award for Best Director. The Government of India honoured him with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2005 for his contributions towards Indian cinema. BAFTA presented him with a lifetime membership for his contribution to the films, making him the first Indian to receive the honour.
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