Veteran Dogri writer and well-known artiste of national repute, Padmashree Narsingh Dev Jamwal was today conferred with the prestigious Dinu Bhai Pant Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award – 2019. The ceremony was held in the Abhinav Theatre in a jam-packed hall.
The award has been instituted by Dinu Bhai Pant Memorial Trust set up by the family members of Late Sh. Dinu Bhai Pant and is given away every year under the aegis of Dogri Santha Jammu. This is the third Award, the first two have been conferred upon Padamshree Padma Sachdev and Ved Rahi respectively.
Narsingh Dev Jamwal is a senior and prolific writer, whose prowess with pen can be gauged from the fact that he has written 45 books which comprise poetry, novels, short-story collections, plays, essays and books on children literature etc. In addition to his publications, he has contributed 90 radio plays and half a dozen TV serials. He has received various honours and awards for his vast contribution to Literature and Arts which include Padamshree, Sahitya Akademi Award for both original work as well as for translation, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Akashwani New Delhi Award, Big Duggar Award, J&K Academy’s Best Book Award (5 times), Lifetime Achievement Award of J&K State and
many other honours and distinctions.
While accepting the Award Jamwal said that he considers it as a rare honour to receive this Award which is instituted in the name of the great trend setting Dogri stalwart, whom he considers his ideal and who has inspired him immensely. He talked in detail of his close
association with Pant.
The Award was presented to Jamwal by Prof. Manoj Dhar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof. Lalit Magotra, President Dogri Sanstha and members of the Dinu Bhai Pant Memorial Trust. The award includes a Cheque of Rs. 51,000/-, a medallion, a shawl and a citation.
Prof. Dhar in his address said that Dinu Bhai Pant is one of those few Dogri poets, whose name is well known, throughout length and breadth of Dogra region and the State. He complimented the family members of Late Pant, for instituting this prestigious Award and appreciated the efforts of Dogri Sanstha in organizing the ceremony and carrying out the procedure for finalizing the Award. He also urged upon the younger generation of writers to emulate the example of Pant and try to reach or even surpass the benchmark set up by him.
Earlier Prof. Lalit Magotra, while welcoming the audience spoke on the outstanding and unique contribution of Pant which laid the firm foundation of Modern Dogri Poetry. He said it was the unprecedented popularity of his poem ‘Shaihr Paihlo Paihl Ge’ which inspired the other young writers of that time to write in Dogri. He also recited a few couplets of Pant, to let the audience have a taste of the high quality of his works.
Virender Pant, Representative of Dinu Bhai Pant Memorial Trust and son of Dinu Bhai Pant also spoke on the occasion, highlighting the simplicity and down-to-earth character of Pant. He narrated a few interesting anecdotes which brought forth these virtues of Late Pant.
Earlier Dr. Nirmal Vinod, General Secretary of Dogri Sanstha, read out the citation which was presented to Jamwal as a part of the Award.
Prof. Shashi Pathania conducted the proceedings of the award ceremony in a dignified and befitting manner.
A short documentary on the life and achievements of Dinu Bhai Pant, produced by Sahitya Akademi and directed by Ved Rahi was also screened on this occasion.
At the conclusion of the programme Dr. Nirmal Vinod thanked the audience, the Chief Guest, media and all concerned.
