The Punjab Government today constituted a new State Advisory Board for the selection of Punjabi Sahitya Ratna and Shiromani Awards and formation of departmental schemes. The proposal submitted by the Department of Higher Education and Languages was approved by the Chief Minister yesterday.Mr. Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Minister for Higher Education and Languages said that the formation of a new Advisory Board would bring more efficiency in the working of the Punjab languages department. He said that in the new board prominent personalities and experts from Punjabi, Hindi and Sanskrit languages as well as literary and artistic fields have been included. The Minister said that as per the advice of these experts, the Language Department would frame new schemes and programs for the development of Punjabi language, literature and arts.Mr. Rahul Bhandari issued notification in this regard today, as per the notification, the Minister for Higher Education and Languages, Punjab would be the Chairperson of the board, Administrative Secretary, Government of Punjab, Department of Higher Education and Languages Punjab-Vice Chairperson, Administrative Secretary, Government of Punjab, Cultural Affairs Department, Chandigarh - Member, Administrative Secretary, Government of Punjab, Department of Finance or their Representative - Member, Vice Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala - Member, Vice Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar - Member, President / General Secretary, Punjab Arts Council, Sector-16B, Chandigarh- Member, President / General Secretary, Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, Ludhiana-Member, Director, Punjabi Sahitya Akademi Haryana, Panchkula-Member, President / General Secretary, Punjabi Academy, New Delhi-Member, President / General Secretary, Punjabi Sahitya Sabha, Delhi - Member, President / General Secretary, Kendriya Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Regd.) - Member, President / General Secretary, Kendriya Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Sekhon) - Member, President / General Secretary, Kendriya Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi - Member, President / General Secretary, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi - Member & Director, Department of Languages, Punjab, Patiala-members / convener.
Among the non-official members appointed in the advisory board related to Punjabi literature are Dr. Surjit Patar, Dr. Aatamjeet, S. Waryaam Sandhu, Dr. Joga Singh, Dr. Nahar Singh, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Dr. Jaswinder Singh, Punjabi University, Patiala, Manmohan Bawa and Dr. Jasbeer Singh Saabar, Amritsar.Apart from these, eminent singers Mr. Paramjit Singh (Pammi Bai), Mr. Balkar Sidhu and Mr. Hardeep Singh have been nominated as members in the category of folk singers. Among the writers related to Hindi language, Mr. Anil Dhiman, R.S.D. College, Ferozepur, Dr. Chaman Lal Patiala and Dr. Mewa Singh, Professor (Retd) Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar have been made members. Among the writers related to Urdu language, Dr. Mohammad Jameel, Principal, Government College, Amargarh, Sardar Panchi and Aziz Parihar have been made members. From Sanskrit language Dr.Varinder Kumar, Department of Sanskrit, Punjabi University, Patiala, Madam Kamaldeep Kaur, Retired Professor, Mahindra College, Patiala and Dr. Pushpinder Joshi, Patiala has been nominated as members.The board also includes prominent media personalities including Dr. Swarajbeer Singh, Editor, Punjabi Tribune Mr. Herkanwaljeet Singh, Senior Journalist, Ajit, Chandigarh and Mrs. Nimrat Kaur, Managing Editor, Daily Spokesman, Chandigarh. Members from the field of Social Service, Engineering and Environment etc. has also been given representation in the board which includes Dr. Bhupinder Singh Virk, Professor, Department of Law, Punjabi University, Patiala, Ujagar Singh, DPRO (Retd) Patiala, S. Colonal Jasmer Singh Bala, Mohali, Dr. Dr. Megha Singh, Mohali, Dr. Surjeet Lee, Linguist, Patiala and Dr. Deepak Manmohan, Chandigarh.