Saturday, May 9, 2015

Round-Up 2015

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 Creative Writing Competitions and Quiz Contests are organized, Grants-in-Aid are awarded to unpublished manuscripts and awards are given for printed books.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.

Posted by at