2023 Dhahan Youth Awards presented to Punjabi and Indigenous high school writers

Dhahan Youth Award is sponsored by:

Surrey, B.C. (November 17, 2023) – Eight British Columbia youth were presented with the Dhahan Youth Award for writing stories in Punjabi and English. They also received framed certificates, $500 cheques and the publication of their work in an anthology called Lofty Heights.

2023 Lofty Heights Anthology by Dhahan Youth Award winning authors

Michael Wong Director, Business Banking at Coast Capital Savings giving speech at 2023 Dhahan Youth Award presentation — Michael Wong, Director, Business Banking at Coast Capital Savings, spoke a few words at the 2023 Dhahan Youth Award presentation.

Raj Puri, District Principal Settlement Services at Surrey Schools, said a few words before the announcing of the 2023 Dhahan Youth Award winners

2023 Dhahan Youth Award Winners:

‘Your Life, Your Choice,’ by Ishmeet Kaur Johal, Dasmesh Punjabi School, Abbotsford

‘ਆਪਣੀ ਜਿੰਦਗੀ, ਆਪਣੀ ਸੋਚ,’ ਇਸ਼ਮੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਜੌਹਲ, ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਕੂਲ, ਐਬਟਸਫੋਰਡ

اپنی زندگی، اپنی سوچ , اشمیت کور جوہل, دمیش پنجابی سکول، ایبٹس فورڈ

Ishmeet Kaur Johal - 2023 Dhahan Youth Awardee

‘The Sound of Silence,’ by Sahij Kaur Baath, Dasmesh Punjabi School, Abbotsford

‘ਚੁੱਪ ਦੀ ਆਵਾਜ਼,’ ਸਹਿਜ ਕੌਰ ਬਾਠ, ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਕੂਲ, ਐਬਟਸਫੋਰਡ

چپّ دی آواز, سہج کور باٹھ, دمیش پنجابی سکول ایبٹس فورڈ

Sahij Kaur Baath - 2023 Dhahan Youth Awardee

‘Testimony of Tears,’ by Khushleen Kaur Khinda, L.A. Matheson Secondary, Surrey

‘ਹੰਝੂਆਂ ਦੀ ਗਵਾਹੀ,’ ਖੁਸ਼ਲੀਨ ਕੌਰ ਖਿੰਡਾ, ਐੱਲ ਏ ਮੈਥੇਸਨ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ

ہنجھوآں دی گواہی, کھشلین کور کھنڈا, ایل اے میتھیسن سیکنڈری سری

Kushleen Kaur Khinda - 2023 Dhahan Youth Awardee

‘What Will People Say?’ by Jenci Mann, L.A. Matheson Secondary School, Surrey

‘ਲੋਕ ਕੀ ਕਹਿਣਗੇ?,’ ਜੈਨਸੀ ਮਾਨ, ਐੱਲ ਏ ਮੈਥੇਸਨ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ

لوک کی کہن گے؟, جینسی مان, ایل اے میتھیسن سیکنڈری سری

‘The Consequence of Lying,’ by Jasleen Kaur Uppal, L.A. Matheson Secondary School, Surrey

‘ਝੂਠ ਦਾ ਨਤੀਜਾ,’ ਜਸਲੀਨ ਕੌਰ ਉੱਪਲ, ਐੱਲ ਏ ਮੈਥੇਸਨ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ

جھوٹھ دا نتیجہ, جسلین کور اپل, لّ اے میتھیسن سیکنڈری، سری

Jasleen Kaur Uppal - 2023 Dhahan Youth Awardee

‘Pain of the Soul,’ by Rehat Kaur Aujla, L.A. Matheson Secondary School, Surrey

‘ਰੂਹ ਦੀ ਪੀੜ,’ ਰੂਹ ਦੀ ਪੀੜ, ਐੱਲ ਏ ਮੈਥੇਸਨ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ

روح دی پیڑ, رہت کور اؤجلا, لّ اے میتھیسن سیکنڈری، سری

Rehat Kaur Aujla - 2023 Dhahan Youth Awardee

‘Colourful World,’ by Harmeet Kaur Sond, Princess Margaret Secondary, Surrey

‘ਰੰਗਲੀ ਦੁਨੀਆ,’ ਹਰਮੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਸੌਂਦ, ਪ੍ਰਿੰਸੈੱਸ ਮਾਰਗ੍ਰਟ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ

رنگلی دنیا, ہرمیت کور سوند, پرنسیسّ مارگرٹ سیکنڈری، سری

Harmeet Kaur Sond - 2023 Dhahan Youth Awardee

‘Sorry,’ by Kavin Singh Mahal, Princess Margaret Secondary, Surrey

‘ਮੁਆਫੀ,’ ਕੈਵਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਮਾਹਲ, ਪ੍ਰਿੰਸੈੱਸ ਮਾਰਗ੍ਰਟ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ

معافی, کیون سنگھ ماہل , پرنسیسّ مارگرٹ سیکنڈری، سری

Kavin Singh Mahal - 2023 Dhahan Prize Youth Award Winner

Alongside the Punjabi and English writers were three Indigenous youth who submitted poems to be published in Lofty Heights.

Poetry contributors:

Shonteya Walker

For her poem, “Some of the best people have been in the back of cop cars”.

The Dhahan Youth Award was created in 2017 in partnership with B.C. secondary schools, in particular, L.A. Matheson Secondary of the Surrey School District. It is sponsored by Coast Capital.

To win, students are tasked with writing a short story in Punjabi, in either Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi script, and translating it into English, without any help. The award is open to grade 11 and 12 applicants from any school in British Columbia.

This year, awardees were recognized from Surrey’s L.A. Matheson Secondary, Princess Margaret Secondary, Queen Elizabeth Secondary and Dasmesh Punjabi School in Abbotsford.

The goal of the initiative is to inspire young people to not only learn their mother tongue verbally, but to know how to read and write in it as well.

“As children of immigrants, it’s easy to lose the language of our ancestors,” explains Dhahan. “We wanted a youth award to keep the Punjabi language alive. We also wanted our community to know that we are happy to be participants in Canada’s diverse fabric, without losing who we are as Canadians – that’s why the book is translated into Canada’s official languages: English and French.”

Students were presented their awards at the 10th annual Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature ceremonies, held November 16, 2023, at Northview Golf and Country Club, Surrey, B.C.

“These youth awards were created to give students learning Punjabi an opportunity to showcase their creative writing skills outside of the classroom…Now, when our youth sit in the same room with authors from all over the world and are celebrated, it encourages them to be lifelong learners,” said L.A. Matheson Languages Department Head and Punjabi teacher Gurpreet Kaur Bains, to the Surrey School District.

The Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature, geared to adult writers, awards $45,000 cumulatively to three authors yearly. It is the world’s richest literary prize among South Asia’s indigenous languages.

About The Dhahan Youth Award: https://dhahanprize.com/dhahan-prize-youth-award/