Sujan Singh

Early life

Singh was born on 29 July 1909, to father S. Hakam Singh, in Dera Baba Nanak, a town of Gurdaspur district in Indian Punjab. He was brought up by his maternal grandparents and spent his early childhood days in Calcutta. After his grandparents' and father's death, he had a difficult time.

He got his primary education from Bal Mukand Khatri Middle School and did his Bachelor of Arts from Khalsa College in Amritsar. He did his Giani (a course) and Master of Arts in Punjabi by corresponding.

He worked as a bank employee, teacher, headmaster, lecturer and principal. He is known as a progressive writer. He remained President of Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, Senior vice president of Punjabi Sahitya Academy Ludhiana, member of presedium of progressive Writers Association of India and of Afro-Asian Writers Association.

He was married to Joginder Kaur. He had three sons and five daughters. Bawa Balwant, a noted Punjabi poet of Punjab was one of his close friends.

Career

Although he is known for his stories, he wrote some essays too. His first essay, Tawian wala Waaja, was published in the monthly magazine, Likhari. He published two collections of essays, Jammu Jee Tusi Barhe Raa and Khumban Da Shikar. His story anthologies include Dukh Sukh (1939), Dukh Sukh Ton Pichhon(1944), Dedh Aadmi, Manukh Te Pashu(1954), Kalgi Dian Annian(1969) and Shehar Te Garaan(1985).

Awards

He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, for his story collection, Shehar Te Garaan, in 1987. He was also awarded the Best story writer of Punjabi by the Language Department of Punjab in 1972. He also wrote three books on the lives of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji (Wade Kian Wadiian), Guru Amar Dass ji (Amar Guru Rishman) and Guru Gobind Singh ji (Kalgi Dian Annian).