$25,000 CDN First Prize celebrates the rich culture and transnational heritage of Punjabi literature.
After receiving over 70 eligible entries from 5 countries around the world, the winner of the $25,000 CDN Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature is Avtar Singh Billing’s novel, Khali Khoohaan di Katha (The Story of Empty Wells).
Based in Vancouver, Canada, The Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature aims to inspire the creation of Punjabi literature across borders, bridging Punjabi communities around the world, and promoting Punjabi literature on a global scale.
The Dhahan Prize awards $25,000 CDN annually to one “best book in fiction” published in either of the two Punjabi scripts, Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi. Two runner-up prizes of $5,000 CDN are also awarded, with the provision that both scripts are represented among the three winners. The Dhahan Prize is awarded by our organization, Canada India Education Society (CIES), in partnership with the Department of Asian Studies in the Faculty of Arts at University of British Columbia (UBC), and is funded by an endowment from Barj and Rita Dhahan, and family and friends.
Visit The Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature to learn more about the prize and this year’s winners.
