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Surrey, B.C. (November 14, 2024) – Eight British Columbia youth were recently 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.
One Indigenous youth received a certificate and $250 for writing a poem, also included in the Lofty Heights anthology.
The Lofty Heights anthology is published yearly in the two Punjabi scripts (Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi), as well as in English and French.
The winning youth received their awards during the 2024 Dhahan Prize ceremonies on November 14, 2024 at Northview Golf and Country Club in Surrey, B.C., where adult authors were awarded $51,000 cumulatively, alongside the youth.
Awards were presented by Mr. Amol Thind, Business Management Advisor, Coast Capital Savings and Mr. Sunny Deol, Principal at L.A. Matheson Secondary School.
2024 Dhahan Youth Award Winners:
‘A Lesson of True Happiness,’ by Jasmeet Kaur Dhaliwal, Dasmesh Punjabi School, Abbotsford
‘ਸੱਚੀ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਦਾ ਸਬਕ,’ ਜਸਮੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਧਾਲੀਵਾਲ, ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਕੂਲ, ਐਬਟਸਫੋਰਡ
سچی خُوشی دا سبق , جسمیت کور دھاریوال, دمیش پنجابی سکول، ایبٹس فورڈ
‘Inner Struggle,’ by Sahij Kaur Baath, Dasmesh Punjabi School, Abbotsford
‘ਅੰਦਰੂਨੀ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼,’ ਸਹਿਜ ਕੌਰ ਬਾਠ, ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਕੂਲ, ਐਬਟਸਫੋਰਡ
اندرونی سنگھرش, سہج کور باٹھ, دمیش پنجابی سکول ایبٹس فورڈ
‘The Price of Trust; A True Tale of Betrayal and Resilience,’ by Gurdeep Kaur Bilin, Khalsa Secondary School, Surrey
‘ਭਰੋਸੇ ਦਾ ਫਲ (ਇੱਕ ਹੱਡਬੀਤੀ),’ ਗੁਰਦੀਪ ਕੌਰ ਬਿਲਿਨ, ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ ਸਕੂਲ, ਸਰੀ
بھروسے دا پھل (اک ہڈ بیتی), گُردیپ کور بلن, خالصہ سیکنڑی سکول ،سری
‘A Promise,’ by Harman Singh Atwal, L.A. Matheson Secondary School, Surrey
‘ਇੱਕ ਵਾਅਦਾ,’ ਹਰਮਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਟਵਾਲ, ਐੱਲ ਏ ਮੈਥੇਸਨ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ
اک وعدہ, ہرمن سنگھ اٹوال, ایل اے میتھیسن سیکنڈری سری
‘Shattered Borders,’ by Jasleen Kaur Uppal, L.A. Matheson Secondary School, Surrey
‘ਟੁੱਟੀਆਂ ਸਰਹੱਦਾਂ,’ ਜਸਲੀਨ ਕੌਰ ਉੱਪਲ, ਐੱਲ ਏ ਮੈਥੇਸਨ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ
ٹُٹیاں سرحداں, جسلین کور اپل, لّ اے میتھیسن سیکنڈری، سری
‘Falling Spirits,’ by Gurjaap Singh Deol, L.A. Matheson Secondary School, Surrey
‘ਢਹਿੰਦੀ ਕਲਾ,’ ਗੁਰਜਾਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਓਲ, ਐੱਲ ਏ ਮੈਥੇਸਨ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ
ڈھیندی کلا, گُرجاپ سنگھ دول, لّ اے میتھیسن سیکنڈری، سری
‘My Life, My Destiny,’ by Jasmeet Kaur Dhaliwal, Princess Margaret Secondary, Surrey
‘ਮੇਰੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ, ਮੇਰੇ ਲੇਖ,’ ਜਸਮੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਧਾਲੀਵਾਲ, ਪ੍ਰਿੰਸੈੱਸ ਮਾਰਗ੍ਰਟ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ
میری زندگی, میرے لیکھ, جسمیت کور دھاریوال, پرنسیسّ مارگرٹ سیکنڈری، سری
‘The Star Disappeared in the Rising Age,’ by Harnoor Kaur Panfair, Queen Elizabeth Secondary, Surrey
‘ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਉਮਰੇ ਛਿਪ ਗਿਆ ਤਾਰਾ,’ ਹਰਨੂਰ ਕੌਰ ਪਨਫੇਰ, ਕੁਈਨ ਐਲਿਜ਼ਾਬੈੱਥ ਸੇਕੰਡਰੀ, ਸਰੀ
چڑھدی عمرے چھپ گیا تارا, ہرنور کور پنپھیر, چڑھدی عمرے چھپ گیا تارا
Alongside the Punjabi and English writers were three Indigenous youth who submitted poems to be published in Lofty Heights.
Poetry contributor:
Soja Raven Layla Vasanji
For her poem, “My Heart Skips A Beat”.
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, Khalsa Secondary School 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 14, 2024, 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 $51,000 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/
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