Anu Singh and Giti Chandra

 31 Jan 2015

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi this evening hosted two women writers from Delhi who have recently been making waves in the literary world: Anu Singh, who writes short fiction in Hindi, and Giti Chandra who writes young adult fiction in English.

Anu Singh Choudhary is a Communications Consultant, Documentary Filmmaker, Writer, Editor and Translator. A compulsive multi-tasker, Anu also writes columns on women and youth empowerment and trains students and corporates on video production and creative writing. She has worked with a leading news channel for several years directed four independent documentaries and co-directed and scripted many others. Her debut collection of short stories, ‘Neela Scarf’, broke record of sorts, and became one of the highest pre-booked titles on Flipkart. This evening she read some excerpts and highlighted popular aspects of her collection of short stories.

Giti Chandra is an Associate Professor at the Dept of English, St Stephen's College, Delhi.  She is a trained Soprano, Violinist and Conductor and has been teaching for more than two decades. A PhD from Rutgers University, she is the author of several published papers, articles, book reviews, and has written two fiction novels, part of an ongoing trilogy The Book of Guardians. This evening she spoke eloquently about her novels, "The Fang of Summoning" (Hatchette:2010); and "The Bones of Stars" (Hachette: 2013).

The two authors this evening shared in common their love for the magic of the everyday world. All you need to do is look around for the stories hidden in every nook and corner. It is this magic that makes the world a special place. The authors recounted anecdotes from real life and interacted with the listeners animatedly. Present in the audience were leading writers, critics and literature aficionados of the city.

Referring to future programmes of the CSA, Chairperson Manju Jaidka announced that on 10th February the lyricist Irshad Kamil, is likely to pass through the city and will engage in an interactive session with students at the Panjab University. The exact time and venue will be announced on the CSA Blog and Facebook.

Further, from 20^th to 22^nd February, CSA will hold “Spring Celebrations”, details of which will be announced likewise.

Grants-in-Aid awards are likely to be announced in the next few days.

Stay tuned. Ciao

Link for Today’s pics:  https://www.facebook.com/chandigarhsahitya.akademi/media_set?set=a.1034445469905860.1073741849.100000212495273&type=1&pnref=story 

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi

CALL FOR BOOKS PRINTED IN 2014

Awards for Printed books 2014

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi invites writers residing or working in Chandigarh to submit PRINTED BOOKS in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, or English (Poetry, Fiction, Plays) published in 2014.

Two copies of each book should be sent to the CSA office (1st Floor, State Library, Sector 34, Chandigarh), by JANUARY 23, 2015.

Edited books and those published with financial help from CSA or from another agency will not be considered.

Manju Jaidka
Chairperson, CSA

Punjabi Literature, Culture and Films

SADDA PUNJAB: SAHITYA, SABHYACHAR ATE FILMAN

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi is committed to its task of promoting literature in all the main languages being used in the state: Hindi, Punjabi, English and Urdu. The focus of today’s event was Punjabi literature and culture. The speaker, a young man called Daljit Ami, has made a niche for himself in media, particularly in TV journalism. We have often seen him interview celebrities on the small screen. He has also been making documentaries and is frequently asked to lecture on his areas of interest.

Punjabian di shaan vakhri, so goes the saying. Punjab is a thriving state that has impacted people and places in all corners of the world one way or another. Who is a Punjabi and what makes one a Punjabi? It is hard to define but surely, being Punjabi does not mean simply having saag and makki ki roti or in doing the bhangra, or in getting drunk? Let us not believe in stereotypes, says Daljit Ami, let us look at the real picture.

Among many other issues, Daljit Ami focused on the problem of drug addiction in the Punjab. Why has the land of five rivers been afflicted with this problem? Can something be done about it? There are other issues too, which Punjab has in common with other states: how do we treat our women? Or those who are weaker than us, the disabled, the weak, or the helpless? All these issues have to be taken into account when discussing sadda Punjab.

Punjabi literature, no doubt, is flourishing with books being published daily in large numbers. Talking about disaporic Punjabis, Daljit mentioned that the language and literature nurtured by them is generally caught in a time warp, depending on the time when the first generation of immigrants had relocated. Punjabi cinema dates back to approx 1931-32. Initially it focused on popular legends of the region. Over the years, however, Punjabi films have progressed only in fits and starts; good films are few and far between, dependent on occasional interest taken by individuals sporadically. Whereas a lot of foreign films focus on diasporic and related issues, Punjabi films typically speak of success stories, not of the actual struggle and agony that displaced people have to face.

We need a new idiom, says Daljit Ami. We cannot keep on laughing at old jokes, we cannot go on harping on obsolete tropes.

Introducing Daljit Ami this evening was Jatinder Kaur who teaches Punjabi at MCM DAV College for Women. The audience included several writers and creative artists of the city who participated keenly in the discussion that followed.

The next CSA event will be announced on Facebook and blog. Stay tuned.

10 January 2015 - Sadda Punjab: Sahit, Sabhyachar ate Filman

CHANDIGARH SAHITYA AKADEMI

cordially invites you its upcoming event on

Sadda Punjab: Sahit, Sabhyachar ate Filman  (Punjabi Literature, Culture and Films)

with 

Sh. DALJIT AMI

(journalist cum documentary filmmaker who has worked in three languages, four forms of media, and written extensively on socio-cultural and political issues) 
The thrust of the discussion will be the Punjabi spirit as it appears in literature and culture. In particular, the attempt will be to explore the achievements of literary giants in the land of five rivers and how their literature reflects the indomitable Punjabi spirit. It is, however, felt that more needs to be done to further popularize our literature and bring it to an national or even international platform.In recent years this exercise has been undertaken on celluloid, through the cinematic attempts made by talented young film producers from the region. Films have the potential to engage with wide ranging subjects and appeal to a wide variety of audience. How do Punjabi films stand vis-a-vis Punjabi culture and how does "Pollywood" represent literature that has its roots in the local terrain?

CSA invites you to look at these issues and many more....

on Saturday, 10 January 2015

at 3.30 pm

Venue: UT Guest House

RSVP:

Chairperson, CSA