"Baaghi Di Dhee" (Daughter of the Rebel), a tale of a rebel couple that was arrested during India's freedom struggle, following which their ailing daughter was left behind, is considered a classic. (The Tribune)

Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir (15 January 1899 – 18 January 1976) was an Indian politician and Punjabi language writer. He was the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1 November 1966 to 8 March 1967.

He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi in 1978 for his short story collection, Urvar Par and was posthumously decorated with Padma Vibhushan, the second highest Indian civilian award given by Government of India. [Wikipedia]

Poet and politician Gurmukh Singh Musafir. wore several hats - of a freedom fighter, Jathedar of Akal Takht, Member of Parliament, Chief Minister and Sahitya Akademi Award winner. One is not sure about Musafir’s place as a politician in history, but he lives on even decades after his death as a poet and short story writer. When he was serving as the Chief Minister of Punjab, he would proudly say that he was not a politician but a writer, and it were his circumstances that made him a politician. He entered the Punjabi literary world just after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre — he would weave poems around the Akali resistance to liberate gurdwaras. (The Tribune)

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‘Katal/Qatal’ is narrated by the son of an artisan who is on his death-bed. The story captures complex spousal, parental and familial connections. Jinder ends the story inconclusively leaving the narrator as well as the reader/listener guessing whether the man died of natural causes or of strangling by the wife he cheated on all his life. This short story is considered among his masterpieces.

An excerpt - “When I reached the courtyard holding tumbler of tea in each hand, Bibi stood bending over Bapu. Her hands were close to his neck. I slowly inched towards the window. I thought Bibi was nervous. She was repeatedly adjusting her shawl and spreading it out as if she did not want anyone to see what she was doing..." (from translation by Madhuri Chawla)

Jinder (b. 1954 Ladhran, Nakodar) has published 7 short stories collections, 2 travelogues and an autobiography in two parts. He has also edited 18 collections of short stories; he has translated 2 books from Hindi to Punjabi. Jinder has also translated Ramdarash Mishra’s Chonvian Kahanian from Hindi to Punjabi.

Jinder’s two short story books were published in Hindi in 1997 and in Shahmukhi in Pakistan in 1998. His collections ‘Nahin Main Nahin’ was published in 2000 and 2004, ‘Bina Wajah Taan Nahin’ in the years 2004, 2013 and Zakham in 2010, 2013 and 2014. The latter book was also published in Marathi language in 2013. His book ‘Zakham, Dard Aur Paap’ was published in 2011 and collection of all stories ‘Tehzeeb’ in 2012. Jinder’s selection of stories was published in 2014 ‘Awazaan’, and ‘Siyasat Khed Siyasat’ in 2020.

Jinder’s two travelogues are titled ‘657 Meel’ and ‘Chal Jinder Islamabad Chaliye’ in 2016. The latter is a well-read travelogue and is available in Shahmukhi script.

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The threads of this hand-knitted "Sweater" start with love, take the narrator places, and finally culminate in a hierarchy of needs. Nostalgia woven in the strands of the sweater keeps giving warmth. This story by Zubair Ahmad remains one of the most well known, and most loved short stories from West Punjab.

Zubair Ahmad (b. 1958), Short story writer, poet, critic grew up in an old neighbourhood Mohalla Krishan Nagar in Lahore. His ancestors came from Batala, Gurdaspur. He retired as Associate Professor of English from Old Islamia College, Lahore in 2018.

He has published three collections of short stories. The collection 'Kabootar, Banere te Galiãn' (2013) won first Masud Khaddarposh Award for Best Book of Punjabi Fiction for Year 2013 and the Dhahan International Punjabi Literature Prize for Short Stories in 2014. Third book of stories 'Pãni di Kandh' was published in 2019. He has also published a book of poems 'Dum Yãd na Keeta' (1996).

His book of literary criticism 'Wichãr Lekh' was published in 2016. He has written columns about Punjabi literature in daily Dawn and The News on Sunday. 'Grieving for Pigeons: Twelve stories of Lahore', translated by Anne Murphy is published by Athabasca University Press, Edmonton, Alberta later this year.

His story ‘Doors and Windows on a Rainy Day’ is included in the collection Stories of the Soil: Classic Punjabi Stories edited by Nirupama Dutt (Penguin, 2010). Another of his story “The Door is Open” was published in A letter from India: Contemporary short stories from Pakistan edited by Moazzam Sheikh (Penguin, 2004).

Ahmad founded 'Nai Ufaq' in 1975-76 with Irfan Malik, and other friends. He was convener of the Punjabi Parchãr Committee 1982-86 and held first Punjabi School in 1984-85 conducted by Lakhat Pasha. He worked in the first Punjabi daily newspaper Sajjan 1988-90 as a volunteer sub-editor. He founded Kitab Trinjan, the first exclusive non-commercial, non-profitable Punjabi bookshop and ran it as a volunteer during 1997-2009, which was re-opened last year. He co-edits 'Baramah' with Amarjit Chandan, an annual Punjabi magazine published in Lahore.

Prem Parkash has compared his short story sensibility with that of Rajinder Singh Bedi’s. He has published two books of poetry 'Koi Dumm yād Nā Kitā' (1996) and 'Sadd' (2012) and a book of short stories 'Meehn Buhey te Bārian' (2001) and 'Kabootar Banerey te GalliaaN' (in the Gurmukhi script. 2008).

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Writer Amarjit Chandan dives deep into 1947 trauma held strongly but unaddressed in the collective psyche of Punjabis on both sides of the Indo-Pak border. He exhorts leaders, politicians and well-wishers of the community to come forward and lead to the path of apologizing for the past mistakes of violence and find forgiveness as well as reconciliation.

On my YouTube, you can see the featured picture of a sculpture by artist SL [Sardari Lal] Prashar. He made this sculpture in 1948 with the clay of the Ambala Refugee Camp while he was its in-charge. Before partition he was Vice Principal of National College of Arts, Lahore.

Amarjit Chandan (b. 1946) is an eminent Punjabi writer, editor, translator and activist living in the UK. He has eight collections of poetry and five collections of essays in Punjabi to his credit. His work is known internationally and has been translated into many global languages.

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"Manjje di Baahi" (Side of the Cot) paints the picture of a small landholding family where a woman decides to make 'arrangement' with her brother-in-law to dissuade him from getting married. What is the logic behind her decision and action? Listen to the short story to find out.

Ajmer Singh Aulakh (19 August 1942 – 15 June 2017) was a renowned Punjabi playwright from Mansa district, Punjab. He was one of the most creative and impactful writers and playwrights in the history of the revolutionary movement on Punjab or India, whose mark will live forever.

He reflected the essence of the semi-feudal character of rural oppression or the forces that governed it. His body of work illustrated the social reality of the peasantry in sublime depths.

Aulakh wrote nearly 13 one-act plays and about 20 short plays. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2006.

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'Nikki' is the story of a young Punjabi woman who has recently won a beauty contest in Canada. Ajmer Rode's short story showcases the critical (and disapproving) eye with which her immigrant parents' diasporic social circle looks at the development.

Ajmer Rode (b 1940 - Rode) has published books of poetry, drama, prose and translation in Punjabi and English. His works have been widely anthologized, and are being prescribed in several educational settings. His collaborative poetry project 'Leela' with his poet-brother Navtej Bharti is considered one of the most outstanding works of 20th century Punjabi poetry.

He translated Gurdial Singh's iconic novel 'Marhi Da Diva' as 'The Last Flicker.' It was published by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.

Ajmer Rode plays a pivotal role in promotion of Punjabi writing in Canada.

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'Manggo,' (1957) is the story of a cow jealous of another 'new' cow in the house, and of the power dynamic between the two domestic animals. This short story is the sample of acclaimed writer Santokh Singh Dhir's mastery of his craft. This story is a part of his short story collection called "Sanjhi Kandh" (ਸਾਂਝੀ ਕੰਧ ) (1958).

Santokh Singh Dhir (2 Dec 1920- 8 Feb 2010) was the first full-time writer of Punjabi. He received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award for his short story collection "Pakhi" in 1991. The Punjab Languages department honoured him as the Shiromani Sahitkar Award in 1996. Many other awards and fellowships followed.

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This is a hilarious account of one husband's experience of fasting on Karva Chauth. Karva Chauth, on the fourth night of the waning moon, is a day of fasting for many Indian married women, primarily from North and West of the country. The narrator of this satire suffers all through the day from perceived and real hunger when he decides to observe the strenuous fast to spare his wife from having to follow this ritual. Enjoy the narration to follow his journey of this one day.

Dr Gurnam Singh Tir (1930 - 1991) has been a unique presence in the genre of satire in Punjabi. He was a writer, journalist and lawyer. His popular column 'Chacha Chandigarhia' critiqued political, social, economic and religious realities of the time. He wrote 14 books in all.

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The plot of 'Khoon' revolves around the quintessential rural Punjabi existence that identifies with land, revenge, and blood-ties. Gurbachan Singh Bhullar is a keen observer of human relations and equations.

ਕਹਾਣੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਛੇ ਕਿਤਾਬਾਂ ਦੇ ਲਿਖਾਰੀ ਗੁਰਬਚਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ (ਸੰਨ 1937 ਜਨਮ ਪਿੰਡ ਪਿੱਥੋ ਜ਼ਿਲਾ ਬਠਿੰਡਾ) ਪਰਮੰਨੇ ਸਹਾਫ਼ੀ ਤੇ ਉਲੱਥਾਕਾਰ ਵੀ ਨੇ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਸੰਨ ’67 ਤੋਂ ’90 ਤਕ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਦੇ ਰੂਸੀ ਸਫ਼ਾਰਤਖ਼ਾਨੇ ਦੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿਚ ਛਪਦੇ ਪੰਦਰਾਂਰੋਜ਼ਾ ਪਰਚੇ ‘ਸੋਵੀਅਤ ਦੇਸ’ ਦੀ ਐਡੀਟਰੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਤੇ ਫੇਰ ਦਸ ਸਾਲ ਤੋੜੀ ਰੋਜ਼ਾਨਾ ਅਖ਼ਬਾਰ ‘ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਟ੍ਰਿਬਿਊਨ’ ਦੀ ਐਡੀਟਰੀ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਮਾਰਕਸ ਦੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ‘ਕੈਪੀਟਲ’ ਤੇ ਲੇਨਿਨ ਦੀਆਂ ਚੋਣਵੀਆਂ ਲਿਖਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਉਲੱਥੇ ਵਿਚ ਵੀ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਪਾਇਆ ਤੇ ਪੁਲੀਟੀਕਲ ਇਕੌਨੌਮੀ ਦੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿਚ ਛੋਟੀ ਡਿਕਸ਼ਨਰੀ ਵੀ ਛਾਪੀ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸੰਨ 2015 ਵਿਚ ਹੁਕਮਰਾਨ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਦੇ ਗੁਰਗਿਆਂ ਹੱਥੋਂ ਕਲਬੁਰਗੀ ਵਰਗੇ ਲਿਖਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਕਤਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਰੋਸ ਵਿਚ ਸਾਹਿਤ ਅਕਾਦਮੀ ਦਾ ਲਿਆ ਇਨਾਮ ਮੋੜ ਦਿੱਤਾ।

ਇਸ ਕਹਾਣੀ ‘ਖ਼ੂਨ’ ਦੀਆਂ ਦੋ ਫ਼ਿਲਮਾਂ ਬਣ ਚੁੱਕੀਆਂ ਹਨ।

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"Shah Di Kanjjri" (The Shah’s Harlot) is an ode to womanhood in which two women come face to face with dignity. (ref Nirupama Dutt). Shahni (the rich man's wife) and Neelam (his concubine) have never met though both know of each other's existence. The Shah's son is getting married, and the courtesan is invited to sing at the wedding. What happens when the Shahni and Neelam meet?

Amrita Pritam (1919-2005) was a celebrated Punjabi poet who also left behind a fine legacy of fiction including her novel 'Pinjar.'

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