• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • English
  • Gurmukhi
  • Shahmukhi

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.

  • Home
  • About us
    • Founding Organizations
    • Founder’s Circle
    • Advisory Committee
    • Keynote Speakers
  • Winners
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners
    • 2018 Winners
    • 2017 Winners
    • 2016 Winners
    • 2015 Winners
    • 2014 Winners
  • Youth Award
  • Luminaries
  • News
  • Sponsors
  • Events
  • Submissions
You are here: Home / Winners / Balbir Madhopuri

Balbir Madhopuri

New Delhi, India

From a humble beginning as a child laborer in the Punjabi village of Madhopur to becoming Deputy Director in India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Madhopuri’s journey is one of hardship, courage, and determination. He holds a postgraduate degree in Punjabi from Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar.

His prodigious writings bring to light the sufferings of the deprived and oppressed people especially the Dalits within a caste ridden society. ‘Chhangiya Rukh’ (2002) is a ground-breaking autobiography which has been translated into English, Hindi, Urdu, Russian and Polish. ‘My Caste-My Shadow’, a book of poems and ‘Ghadri Baba Mangu Ram’ solidified his standing as an influential writer. ‘Mitti Bol Paye’ has been compared with the writings of Thomas Hardy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Charles Dickens.

To his literary credit are fourteen books of fiction including significant editorial and translation works. A recipient of the Indian Sahitya Academy Translation Prize and the Lifetime Achievement Award, Punjabi Academy Delhi. Madhopuri is the Director of Punjabi Bhawan, Punjabi Sahit Sabha, New Delhi and the Editor of the quarterly Samkali Sahit magazine.

Mitti Bol Peye (‘The Earth Speaks’), Novel2021 Finalist

Mitti Bol Peye (‘The Earth Speaks’), Novel

By Balbir Madhopuri

Footer

dhahan punjabi literature prize logo

Looking for something?

  • Home
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Submissions
  • Dhahan Youth Award

Follow us!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 · Canada India Education Society

© 2025 Canada India Education Society

  • English
  • Gurmukhi
  • Shahmukhi