Surjit Patar is a popular Indian poet, famous in Punjabi and known for his poetry collections Hawa Vich Likhe Harf (1991), Hanere Vich Sulagdi Varnmala (Script Smoldering in the Dark – 1992), Lafzan. Di Dargah” (Temple of Words – 1999) and “Suraj Mandar Dian Pourian” (2011).
Wiki/Biography
Dr. Surjit Patar was born Surjit Hunjan (age 78; as of 2023) on Sunday, January 14, 1945, in Patarhan village (now known as Pattar Kalan) in Jalandhar district, Punjab, India. His zodiac sign is Capricorn. Surjit completed his education at a local village school in Pattakaran and then attended Nawab Jasa Singh Ahluwalia Government College (formerly Randhir College) in Kapurthala, Punjab. When he graduated, he enrolled in the science major, but soon after he dropped out and took the liberal arts major. After completing his BA, Surjit Patar received his MA in Punjabi Language and Literature from Panjab University, Patiala in 1970. Sujit Patal later went to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to pursue a doctorate in literature, focusing on “Transformation of Folklore Elements in the Banhi of Guru Nanak Dev”. Surjit Patar settled in Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′ 5″
Hair color: gray
Eye color: dark brown
family
Parents and siblings
Surjit Patar’s father Harbhajan Singh immigrated to Kenya to earn a living for his family. Surjit’s mother Harbhajan Kaur used to work as a housekeeper in several houses in the village. Surjit Patal has four sisters and is the only son of his parents.
wife and children
Surjit Patar married Bhupinder Kaur Patar on October 22, 1978. Bhupinder Kaur Patar is a housewife. The couple has two sons: Manraj Patar and Ankur Patar. Manraj Patar is a Ludhiana-based lyricist and singer. Ankur Patar is a photographer and digital artist based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Both of Surjit Patal’s sons are married.
Surjit Patar with his sons Ankur Patar (left) and Manraj Patar (right)
Religion/Religious Views
Surjit Patal believes in Sikhism.
Surjit Patar (far left) receiving honors at Gurudwara Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi
caste
Surjit Patar belongs to the “Hunjan” sect (Punjabi Rajput) of Punjabi Sikhs, which is known for its merchants, traders and immigrants. People of this caste are mainly settled in the Maja district of Punjab.
Signature/Autograph
Sujit Patal’s autograph
Profession
poet
Initially, Surjit Patar’s poetry was published in Preet-Lari (Related by Love), a journal founded by the famous novelist Gurbaksh Singh in 1933 . Surjit Patar wrote many poems during his career such as “Hawa Vich Likhe Harf” (1991), “Hanere Vich Sulagdi Varnmala” (Script Smoldering in the Dark – 1992) , “Lafzan Di Dargah” (Temple of Words – 1999) and “Suraj Mandar Dian Pourian” (Stairs of the Temple of the Sun – 2011), “Haneri vi Jgah” Sakdi Hai Deeve” (The wind can also light a lamp) and “Kuj Keha Ta Hanera Jarenga Kive” (If you say something, how will the darkness disappear?).
Surjit Patar’s book “Hawa Vich Likhe Haraf”
Poetry “Suraj Mandar Dian Pourian” by Sujit Patal
ghazal writer
Surjit Patar published a book titled Patjhar Di Panjeb (Autumn Anklet), which contains all his written ghazals.
Collection of Ghazals by Surjit Patar, Patjhar Di Panjeb
Surjit Patar has composed many ghazal songs including “Boohe Di Dastak Toh Darda”, “Hun Waqt Chaal Esi Koi Hor Chal Gya Hai” and “Paani Vi Peyas Waangu Ajj Bekarar Hoya” .
Translator
Sujit Patal translated three tragedies (“Bloody Wedding”, “Yelma”, “Bernada Alba”) by the famous Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca into Punjabi. Surjit also translated the play “Nagamandala” by Indian actor and director Girish Karnad. Sujit Patal also translated some poems by Pablo Neruda and Bertolt Brecht.
dispute
Surjit Patar returns to Padma Shri Award
In 2020, Surjit Patar announced that he would return the prestigious Padma Shri Award, which he had received in 2012 for his contributions to literature and education. Surjit took this decision in support of farmers protesting against the farm laws passed by the BJP government.
Surjit Patar returns to Sahitya Akademi Awards
In 2015, Surjit Patar returned his Sahitya Akademi Award in protest against the rising communal violence in the country. The Dadri lynching case urged Surjit Patal and other award recipients to take this crucial step.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Surjit Patar was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979 for his first collection of poetry, Hawa Vich Likhey Haraf.
- In 1980, Surjit Patar was awarded the Gyani Gurmukh Singh Musafir Award for Poetry by the Department of Languages, Patiala, Punjab.
- In 1993, Surjit Patar was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of poems Hanere Vich Sulagdi Varnmala (Script Smoldering in the Dark – 1992).
- In 1999, Surjit Patar was awarded the “Panchnad Puruskar” award by the Bhartiya Bhasha Parishad, Kolkata
- In 2010, Surjit Patar was awarded the Saraswati Samman Award 2009 for his collection of poems “Lafzan Di Dargah (Temple of Words – 1999)”.
- In 2011, Surjit Patal received the Gangadhar National Poetry Award from Sambalpur University.
- In 2012, Surjit Patal was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest honor, for his contributions to literature and education.
Surjit Patar received the Padma Shri from the then President of India Pratibha Patil in 2012
- In 2014, Surjit Patar was awarded the Kusummagraj Literary Award and a cash prize of Rs 100. 100,000.
Favorites
Facts/Trivia
- Surjit Patar enjoys spending time with his grandson Aveer and often shares his photos on social media.
Surjit Patar and his grandson Aveer
- In 2017, Surjit Patar was appointed as Chairman, Punjab Arts Council, Chandigarh.
Surjit Patar (blue shirt) takes over as Punjab Arts Council chairman from Navjot Singh Sidhu (yellow turban)
- Surjit Patar serves as the principal of Punjab Sahit College, Ludhiana, Punjab.
- Surjit Patar started writing poetry at the age of 15.
- Surjit Patar is the cousin of the famous Punjabi folk singer and songwriter Didar Singh Pardesi.
- Before he started writing poetry, Surjit Patal used to sing Qurbani at local gurudwaras to entertain his pious father.
- Surjit Patar wanted to be a musician since his childhood.
- Surjit Patar’s college teacher Surjit Singh Sethi guided and inspired him to start participating in literary activities in college.
- After completing his MA in Punjabi Language and Literature, Surjit Patal pursued his PhD in “Existential Elements in Punjabi Drama” from Panjab University, Patiala. When he joined, student protests were underway, which inspired Surjit Patar to write a poem about the situation. The poem was an absolute mockery of the then vice-chancellor of the university and resulted in Sujit Patal being suspended from his PhD programme.
- Surjit Patar was the father-in-law of Fariduddin Ganjshakar (popularly known as Sheikh Farid) and Amrita Pritam ) and other famous Punjabi poets wrote TV scripts.
- Sujit Patal’s main influence in entering the field of literature was the famous novelist Dalip Kaur Deewana.
- Surjit Patar wrote the dialogues for the 1999 Punjabi film Shaheed Uddham Singh.
- Surjit Patar retired in 2004 as Professor of Punjabi Language at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education