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Surrey, B.C. (August 4, 2025) – The world’s leading prize for Punjabi fiction, based in Vancouver, B.C., has announced its 2025 shortlist—six new works competing for $51,000 in cumulative awards.
The Dhahan Prize grants a $25,000 CAD winning prize, two $10,000 CAD finalist awards, and $6,000 CAD toward transliteration into Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi for all three.
“Our mission is to celebrate and elevate Punjabi literature on a global stage,” says Barj S. Dhahan, founder of the Prize. “By recognizing powerful new tales in Punjabi fiction, we aim to inspire readers, support authors, and strengthen cultural connections across borders.”
Award recipients will also receive airfare and hotel accommodations to attend the award ceremonies on November 13, 2025, at Northview Golf & Country Club in Surrey, B.C., Canada.
The shortlisted candidates are:
The 2025 Dhahan Prize Shortlist, ਢਾਹਾਂ ਇਨਾਮ 2025 ਦੀ ਛੋਟੀ ਸੂਚੀ, ڈھاہاں انعام 2025 دی چھوٹی سوچی
Pinjray Vich Aahllna (‘The Nest in a Cage’), ਪਿੰਜਰੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਲ੍ਹਣਾ, پنجرے وچّ آلھنا
Short Stories by Akmal Shahzad Ghumman (Islamabad, Capital Territory, Pakistan), ਕਹਾਣੀ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਹਿ, ਅਕਮਲ ਸ਼ਹਿਜ਼ਾਦ ਘੁੰਮਣ (ਇਸਲਾਮਾਬਾਦ, ਰਾਜਧਾਨੀ ਖੇਤਰ, ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ)
کہانی سنگریہہ, اکمل شہزاد گھمن (اسلام آباد، راجدھانی کھیتر، پاکستان)
Shahmukhi, published by Fiction House, Lahore, Pakistan, ਸ਼ਾਹਮੁਖੀ, ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਕ: ਫਿਕਸ਼ਨ ਹਾਊਸ, ਲਹੌਰ, ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ
پبلشر: فکشن ہاؤس، لاہور، پاکستان
Rauleyan Vele (‘In the Time of Unrest’), ਰੌਲਿਆਂ ਵੇਲੇ, رولیاں ویلے
Novel by Balbir Parwana (Jalandhar, Punjab, India), ਨਾਵਲ, ਬਲਬੀਰ ਪਰਵਾਨਾ ਦੁਆਰਾ (ਜਲੰਧਰ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ)
ناول, بلبیر پروانہ دوارا (جالندھر، پنجاب، بھارت)
Gurmukhi, published by Lokgeet Publications, Mohali-Chandigarh, India, ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਕ: ਲੋਕਗੀਤ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਨ, ਮੋਹਾਲੀ-ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, ਭਾਰਤ
گُرمُکھی, پبلشر: لوک گیت پرکاشن، موہالی-چنڈی گڑھ، بھارت
Mandi Rahim Khan (‘Market Rahim Khan’), ਮੰਡੀ ਰਹੀਮ ਖਾਂ, منڈی رحیم خاں
Novel by Sukhwinder Singh Balian (Sangrur, Punjab, India), ਨਾਵਲ, ਸੁਖਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਲੀਆਂ ਦੁਆਰਾ (ਸੰਗਰੂਰ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ)
ناول, سکھوندر سنگھ بالیاں دوارا (سنگرور، پنجاب، بھارت)
Gurmukhi, published by People’s Forum, Bargari, Faridkot, Punjab, India, ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਕ: ਪੀਪਲਜ਼ ਫੋਰਮ, ਬਰਗਾੜੀ, ਫਰੀਦਕੋਟ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ
گُرمُکھی, پبلشر: پیپلز فورم، برگاڑی، فریدکوٹ، پنجاب، بھارت
Goyal (‘Precarious Shelter’), ਗੋਇਲ, گوئل
Novel by Mudassar Bashir (Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan), ਨਾਵਲ, ਮੁਦੱਸਰ ਬਸ਼ੀਰ ਦੁਆਰਾ (ਲਹੌਰ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ)
ناول, مدثر بشیر دوارا (لاہور، پنجاب، پاکستان)
Shahmukhi, published by Fiction House, Lahore, Pakistan, ਸ਼ਾਹਮੁਖੀ, ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਕ: ਫਿਕਸ਼ਨ ਹਾਊਸ, ਲਾਹੌਰ, ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ
پبلشر: فکشن ہاؤس، لاہور، پاکستان
Delivery Man, ਡਿਲੀਵਰੀ ਮੈਨ, ڈلوری مین
Short Stories by Bhagwant Rasulpuri (Jalandhar, Punjab, India), ਕਹਾਣੀ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਹਿ, ਭਗਵੰਤ ਰਸੂਲਪੁਰੀ ਦੁਆਰਾ (ਜਲੰਧਰ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ)
کہانی سنگریہہ, بھگونت رسول پُری دوارا (جالندھر، پنجاب، بھارت)
Gurmukhi, published by White Crow Publishers, Ranjitgarh Bandra, Mansa, Punjab, India, ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਕ: ਵਾਈਟ ਕਰੋਅ ਪਬਲਿਸ਼ਰਜ਼, ਰਣਜੀਤਗੜ੍ਹ ਬਾਂਦਰਾ, ਮਾਨਸਾ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ
گُرمُکھی, پبلشر: وائیٹ کروء پبلیشرز، رنجیت گڑھ باندرا، مانسا، پنجاب، بھارت
Faniar (‘Snake’s Hood’), ਫਨੀਅਰ, فنیئر
Short Stories by Darshan Joga (Mansa, Punjab, India), ਕਹਾਣੀ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਹਿ, ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਜੋਗਾ ਦੁਆਰਾ (ਮਾਨਸਾ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ)
کہانی سنگریہہ, درشن جوگا دوارا (مانسا، پنجاب، بھارت)
Gurmukhi, published by Chetna Prakashan, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਕ: ਚੇਤਨਾ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਨ, ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ
گُرمُکھی, پبلشر: چیتنا پرکاشن، لدھیانہ، پنجاب، بھارت
The three finalists for the 2025 Dhahan Prize will be announced at 11:00 a.m. on August 23, 2025 at Surrey Libraries’ Newton branch.
Established in 2013, the Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature has earned international recognition among Punjabi-language writers, readers, and literary critics. Celebrating excellence in fiction, the Prize attracts submissions from across the Punjabi-speaking world.
This year’s entries arrived from India, Pakistan, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia—reflecting the Prize’s broad global reach.
Books are evaluated by multiple juries composed of scholars and literary leaders with expertise in either Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi script (the respective Punjabi writing systems used in India and Pakistan). A central jury is tasked with ensuring that at least one book written in each script is represented among the finalists.
Finalists will travel to Vancouver in November 2025 to take part in a series of literary events, culminating in ceremonies where the $25,000 CAD winner will be revealed.
This year’s ceremonies will feature award-winning Canadian Punjabi novelist Gurjinder Basran as keynote speaker, along with musical performances to accompany a buffet banquet.
About The Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature:
The Prize was created as a collaboration between the Canada India Education Society (CIES) and the University of British Columbia (UBC), Department of Asian Studies.
Corporate sponsors include Harj and Darshan Grewal, Portfolio Managers at RBC Dominion Securities Inc., G.L. Smith Planning and Design and Tim Hortons, among others.
Coast Capital Savings sponsors an offshoot to the Prize, The Dhahan Youth Award.
Barj Dhahan, co-founder of CIES, along with his family and friends, are primary supporters of the Prize.
For more information: https://dhahanprize.com/about/
Contact information:
(604) 278-6721
X: https://twitter.com/DhahanPrize
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DhahanPrize
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhahanprize/
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