The 4th Harbhajan Halwarvi Award and Kavi Darbar was organized by Comrade Ratan Singh Halwara Memorial Trust Halwara on Saturday at Guru Ram Das College, Pakhowal Road, Halwara (Ludhiana). The function was presided over by President, Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Ludhiana Prof Ravinder Bhattal. The Trust was established by the family of Dalbir Singh Halwarvi, a NRI living in Australia. The event was dedicated to the farmers’ movement and struggle. Welcoming the chief guest, writers and eminent personalities of the area in the function, the President of the Trust Prof. Gurbhajan Singh Gill said that the event would lay foundation in developing Halwara as a cultural hub at the national level.
In the event, Arvinder Kaur Kakra and playwright late Hansa Singh Beas were felicitated with Harbhajan Halwarvi Award. Dr. Nirmal jaura, Secretary of the Trust was asked to speak first on the topic of Punjab's agricultural crisis, endless struggle. Former Professor and Head, Department of Economics and Sociology at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Dr. Sukhpal Singh said that all the three farm Bills would prove disaster for the economy of the country as agriculture was a state subject but the union government had passed the laws in the lieu of trade and commerce by crossing all the legal boundaries. He said that the farmer produces crops and markets them, not trades. He told that the establishment of public and private markets will leave the farmers at the mercy of private players. Dr. Singh also said that out of 700 crore people in the world today, about 150 to 250 crore people go to bed without food while food production can provide enough food to 1100 crore people but due to lack of proper public distribution system, food is not accessible to all. On behalf of the trust, Dr. Sukhpal was honored with a robe of honour.
Trust Secretary Manjinder Dhanoa read out the appreciation letter of Harbhajan Halwarvi Award winner and progressive Punjabi writer and critic Dr. Arvinder Kaur Kakra and Dr. Gopal Singh Butter, Vice President of the Trust read out the letter of appreciation for playwright Late Hansa Singh Beas (Amritsar). Prof. Ravinder Bhattal, prof. Gurbhajan Gill, Dr. Nirmal Jaura , Principal Ranjit Singh Dhaliwal, Dr. Navtej Singh Halwarvi, Manjinder Dhanoa and S. Gurmeet Singh Delhi awarded cash prize of Rs. 21,000 each, a robe of honour and a letter of appreciation to winners.Dr. Arvinder Kaur Kakra and on the behalf of Hansa Singh family, his son Karantipal expressed his gratitude.Prominent Punjabi Poets Prof. Ravinder Bhattal, Sewa Singh Bhasho, Bhagwan Dhillon, Prabhjot Singh Sohi, Sarabjit Kaur Jas, Mukesh Alam, Daljinder rehal (Italy) Tarsem Noor, Ramandeep Kaur Virk, Rajdeep Singh Toor, Amandeep Singh tallewalia Sukhdeep Aujla participated in Kavi Darbar. Master Avtar Singh Burj Littan gave a special introduction on Halwara village, heroes, villains and literary personalities.Principal, Guru Ram Das College Dr. Ranjit Singh Dhaliwal and younger brother and historian former Professor and Head, Department of History, Punjabi University, Patiala Dr. Navtej Singh thanked all the collaborators. Prominent among present on the occasion included President of Guru Harkrishan Public School Gursharan Singh Sandhu, Principal Navneet Kaur Sandhu, Ram Gopal Raikoti and Charanjit Singh Dhillon.Gurmeet Singh Delhi and Dildar Singh Halwara oversaw the arrangement of the entire function. The event was telecast live by Malwa TV.