Eminent Punjabi poet and former president Punjabi Sahit Akademi Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill was honoured with Balraj Sahni Memorial Award by Our Space Cinema organisation during the 5th Ludhiana Short Film Festival, that started at Ishmeet Singh Music Institute, here today. This film festival was inaugurated by former vice chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh.Gupreet Singh Toor, IPS, Our Space Cinema Chairman Pardeep Singh, Manmohan Vinayak, Paramjit Sohal, Dr Yadwinder Singh, Sunil Kumar, Karan Krishan Kamal, Jasbir Singh Sohal, Pammi Habib, Prof Ravinder Bhathal, President, Punjabi Sahit Akademi Ludhiana, Dr Nirmal Jaura, Director, Youth Services, Panjab University, Prof Manjit Singh Chhabra were also present on the occasion.While speaking on the occasion, Pardeep Singh informed that Our Space Cinema stated that the Ludhiana Short Film Festival has been flourishing under the guidance of Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill for the last four years and has been instrumental in collaboration of Our Space Cinema with several national and international organisations.He said that Our Space Cinema group is single handedly becoming the custodian to the meaningful cinema in Punjab with its pragmatic approach by organizing Ludhiana Short Film Festivals since 2013. The philosophical ethos of this group is to promote good art of cinema with adherence to punjabi cultural and social values.
Memories of good old art and artists are getting buried under loads of commercial cinema, produced by profiteers. To pay the due respect and regards to great old artists and civility pioneers Our Space Cinema is going to start an award in the name of Sh. Balraj Sahni Ji, who was a true Punjabi intellectual writer cum filmmaker who built a bridge between two great arts of literature and cinema. If there is any time when Punjabi filmmakers and artists needs visionary references, it is now. Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill has not only contributed towards literature, but is also working for promoting Sports culture in different parts of the state.Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill has remained President of Punjabi Sahit Akademi Ludhiana for four years (2010-14) has 16 poetry books to his credit. Besides, he is actively associated with Prof Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation, Kila Raipur Sports Surjit Sports Association Batala (Gurdaspur), besides several others. In the year 2016, he was awarded fellowship by Punjabi University Patiala and by Punjabi Sahit Akademi in 2018. He also played an instrumental role in the development of Punjab Bhawan in Surrey (Canada).Prominent among those present on the occasion included eminent film director Harjit Singh (Doordarshan), film writer Baldev Gill (Chann Pardesi fame), Punjabi poet Biba Balwant, social worker Radhika Jaitwani, Dr Guriqbal Singh, Sehajpreet Singh Mangat, Trailochan Lochi, Manjinder Dhanoa, Harbans Singh Ghai, Jasmer Singh Dhatt, Bhajan Singh Sidhu, Dr Jaidev Singh Dhillon, Dr Malkit Singh Aulakh, Sangeeta Bhandari, Jasjit Singh Natt, Gurinderjit Singh Natt, Dr Maan Singh Toor, Rajdeep Toor, Harjit Singh Khalsa, Prabhjot Singh, besides several others.A total of 9 short films were showcased on the first day of 5th Ludhiana Short Film Festival. More such films would be showcased tomorrow.