Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi held its Annual Round-Up this
evening at the UT Guest House. It was a well-attended event, a packed
hall with hardly any standing space. The audience comprised the young
and not so young literature enthusiasts, some of them award-winners.
The
main speaker of the day was Bachi Karkaria, well-known journalist from
Mumbai, long associated with the Times Group. She was introduced at
length by the Chairperson of CSA, Manju Jaidka who outlined her
illustrious career spanning several decades. Ms Karkaria delivered a
very interesting talk on "Media: For Better or for Worse?" which was
followed by a Q and A session in which eminent members of the audience
-- including Mr Paramjeet Sahai and Mrs Jasbir Kaur -- participated.
Aradhika Sharma ably summed up the talk and gave the speaker a warm vote
of thanks.
Bachi
Karkaria, who is known for her wit and humour, began her talk with a
reference to "Arnab the great whom everyone loves to hate." Focused on
her vast experience in journalism, she highlighted the advantages that
we, in India, enjoy, living as we do in a democratic set up where the
press is free and fearless. Referring to social media, she called it a
double-edged sword which needs to be handled with care because it is a
powerful tool which can be extremely destructive if used
indiscriminately. The media, whether it is print or visual or virtual,
must learn to analyze and inform with a sense of responsibility.
Journalists can play a major role in shaping the destiny of a country.
Ms
Karkaria's talk was followed by a round-up of CSA activities over the
last 12 months. The year was presented in pictures through a powerpoint
presentation. The audience was duly impressed by the range of activities
held during the last 12 months.
CHANDIGARH SAHITYA AKADEMI has,
over the last few years, tried to make an impact in the city. Regular
Literary Programs – poetry symposia, meet-the-writer sessions, book
launches, readings, seminars and invited lectures - have been held. The
promotion of literature has been going on regularly. Awards have been
instituted for senior as well as upcoming writers of the city. Stretching
the scope of its activities across a broad section of society, from
senior citizens to young school-going children, the Akademi reached out
to diverse groups. Creative Writing Competitions and Quiz Contests are
organized, Grants-in-Aid are awarded to unpublished manuscripts and
awards are given for printed books. The chief languages of the region –
Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu – are promoted. There
is no doubt that CSA is now an acknowledged presence in Chandigarh. Its
activities are posted regularly on Facebook and Blogger, keeping its
members informed of its activities. The city has responded very
enthusiastically to all the programmes of the CSA.
TODAY, at the event beginning 5.45 in the UT Guest House, the following were given awards by Bachi Karkaria:
For Books-in-Print, 2014:
1. "Sahi Rastey ki Talaash" -- Hindi poetry by Daljit Kaur
2. "Khul Gaye Kiwaad" -- Pbi poetry by Sevi Rayat
3. "Witness to a Wandering Mind" -- novel in English by Triloknath
4. "Open Skies" -- poetry in English by Sushma Sagar
5. " Ma Lo" -- novella in English by Suneeta Patnayak .
GRANTS-IN-AID Awards:
Hindi:
Santosh Dhiman (poetry)
Amarjit Amar (poetry)
Naveen Neer (poetry)
Urmil Kaushik Sakhi (short story)
Ajay Singh Rana Asar (novel)
Punjabi:
Gul Chauhan (children's literature)
Goverdhan Gabbi (novel)
Poonam Kapoor (play)
Summer Programme for Children: CSA
will hold a Summer workshop for children in collaboration with the
State Library, Sector 17. Please look out for details on CSA Blog and
Facebook.
