Taking top prize of $25,000 for the Dhahan Prize in Punjabi Literature was Sooraj Dee Akh for ‘Sun’s Eye, novel by Baldev Singh from Punjab, India. Finalists for Shahmukhi Script were Jhootha Saacha Koi Na (‘Everything Goes’), short stories by Nasir Baloch (Punjab, Pakistan).

Sponsor Coast Capital Savings Credit Union will be presenting the winners for the Dhahan Youth Awards Oct. 20 during the Prize Award Ceremony. Grade 11 and 12 students in British Columbia were welcome to submit short stories written in Punjabi and English. The finalist for the Shamuhkhi Script was Jhootha Saacha Koi Na (‘Everything Goes’), short stories by Nasir Baloch (Punjab, Pakistan). The finalist for the Gurmkhi script was Prism, short stories by Harpreet Sekha (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada).

“The 2018 Dhahan Prize winners are well recognized for their creative works, representing the three Punjabs – West, East and Diasporic. Their themes and stories are relevant and timely contributions in understanding the past and the fast changing cultures in the global village,” said Barj S. Dhahan, Founder of the Prize.

The Dhahan Prize is the largest literary award celebrating the history of the Punjabi language.  The Prize promotes Punjabi literature. The Dhahan Prize Youth Award encourages the youth of B.C. to embrace the Punjabi culture of the generations of families who have immigrated to Canada, specifically in British Columbia, through creative writing in the Punjabi language. Punjabi is now the third most spoken language in Canada.