The Dhahan Prize For Punjabi Literature

To inspire the creation of Punjabi literature across borders, bridging Punjabi communities around the world and promoting Punjabi literature on a global scale.

Arvinder Kaur Dhaliwal

Arvinder Kaur Dhaliwal - Jhanjraan Wale Paer author

Amritsar, Punjab, India

Arvinder Kaur graduated with a BA (Hons. in Punjabi) and has further earned an MA and PHD in Punjabi. She is fluent in Urdu and Persian and is currently an Assistant Professor in Punjabi at the DAV College, Amritsar.

As a teenager she was inspired by Gulshan Nanda’s novels. She began her literary journey by writing Punjabi poems. Arvinder Kaur is a gifted translator and transliterator of Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi books. Her writings include Khasmakhanian, Bullah, Teesri Dastak, Border-Border, Dukh Darya, Jodiyaan Jagg Thodiyaan, and Shahid Nadeem de Natak. She has also produced works of literary criticism in drama.

She has been honoured with the ‘Kalaa Ratan Purskaar 2013’ and the ‘Gurdial Singh Phull Yaadgari Sabha’ and ‘Principal Sujan Singh Yadgari Utshahvardhak Sanman 2020’. In 2021 the Jhanjaran Wale Paer short story collection was conferred the Dalbir Chetan Yadgari Purskar Award.