By Kazy Javed

The News Karachi Edition

Talvinder Singh believes that Punjabi language writers of both India and Pakistan can play a positive role in bringing peace and stability to our God-forsaken South Asian region. They are read and admired on both sides of the divided and are in a position to serve as links between the two nations.

He cites the example of two Pakistani writers, Ms Afzal Tauseef and Ilyas Ghuman, and says they are well known in Indian Punjab. Their books have been transliterated from Persian into Gurmukhi script and published in East Punjab winning many readers. Books of many other Pakistani Punjabi writes have also been published there. Similarly, Indian Punjabi writes are not unknown in the western Punjab. Their books are published here and many literary magazines carry their writings. Talvinder Singh says that Punjabi writers should keep their cross-border readers in mind and should make conscious efforts to remove misunderstandings between the Punjabis living on both sides of the border through their literature. The border is there and has to remain there. Yet the Punjabis of the two sides can learn to live like good neighbours.

Born in the wake of Partition in Amritsar, Talvinder Singh lives in the industrial town of Batala. He belongs to the group of eminent fictionists of East Punjab which includes Veryam Singh Sidhu, Ram Saroop Ankhi, Gurdial Singh, Prem Prkash, Jinder and Herjeet Atuwal. His first book, Lo Hone Tak, was published in 1988. It is a novel about the industrial workers and was given Nanak Singh Award in 1989. His second novel appeared in 1998 under the title Yodhey and also won the same award. Three collections of his short stories have also seen been published.

Talvinder Singh was in Lahore past week together with Kuldeep Singh, a young journalist who is associated with Punjabi language daily Jugbani. Ilyas Ghuman arranged a function at his New Garden Town residence to honour Talvinder with Punjabi Kahani Award, 2003. A number of noted Punjabi writes were present there. They included, among others, Raja Rasalu, Amin Khial, Afzal Tauseef, Ashiq Raheel, Abbas Mirza, Neelma Sarwar, Ibad Nabil Shad, Sanawar Chadhar, Zahid Hasan, Masood Ahmad Chaudhry, Afzal Sahar, Mahmood Ahmad and Munir Sherwani.