Renowned Punjabi Poet Surjit Singh Patar Passes Away at 79

Renowned Punjabi poet and writer, Surjit Singh Patar, aged 79, passed away at his residence in Ashapuri near Ludhiana. The poet did not wake up this morning, causing concern for his wife, Bhupinder Kaur Patar, who alerted others of his unresponsive state. Harpreet Sandhu, an advocate and author, received the news and rushed to the scene.

Dr. Patar, a prominent figure in Punjabi literature, hailed from Patar Kalan village and pursued his education at Randhir College Kapurthala, Punjabi University Patiala, and Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, where he earned his Ph.D. in literature on the transformation of Folklore in Gurunanak Vani.

Starting his career as a professor of Punjabi at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Dr. Patar made significant contributions to the field. He was honored with the Padma Shri in 2012 and made headlines when he decided to return the award in solidarity with farmers protesting against the farm laws in Delhi.

Dr. Patar’s literary works, including poems like ‘Hawa vich likhe harf’ and ‘Hanere vich sulagdi varnmala,’ resonated deeply with audiences. He also left his mark in Punjabi cinema by writing dialogues for films such as ‘Shaheed Uddham Singh’ and ‘Heaven on Earth,’ the Punjabi version of Deepa Mehta’s film.

In addition to his own creations, Dr. Patar translated works by renowned authors like Federico Garcia Lorca, Girish Karnad, Bertolt Brecht, and Pablo Neruda into Punjabi. His legacy extends to adaptations of plays by Jean Giradoux, Euripides, and Racine, as well as tele-scripts featuring prominent Punjabi poets.

Throughout his career, Dr. Patar held leadership positions in organizations like Punjab Arts Council and Punjabi Sahit Akademi Ludhiana. His accolades include the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poem ‘Hanere vich sulagdi varnmala’ in 1993, in addition to numerous national and international honors.