Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu: DD,J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, in collaboration with the Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, organized a book release ceremony at the K L Saigal Auditorium, Writers’ Club in Jammu.
The event marked the release of “Meri Peed, Mera Birahara”, a Punjabi translation of the acclaimed Kashmiri poetry collection “Panun Doad, Panen Dug” by Dr. Rafiq Masoodi.
Khalid Hussain, Sahitya Akademi Awardee, graced the occasion as the chief guest, while Harvinder Kour, Secretary, JKAACL, Dr. Arvinder Singh Amn, former Additional Secretary, JKAACL Shalendra Singh, SSP Railways, Sohail Kazmi, Senior Journalist,; Dr. Baljit Raina, President, PLS; and Dr. Rafiq Masoodi, the author and former Secretary, JKAACL were in the presidium .
Harvinder Kour, in her welcome address, expressed her gratitude to the dignitaries and guests. She highlighted the significance of Dr. Masoodi’s work, emphasizing how the poetry collection portrays the cultural and emotional landscape of Kashmir.
The Punjabi translation of the book was done by Dr. Gagandeep Singh from Delhi University. Originally published in Kashmiri in 2013, the poetry collection is dedicated to the struggles of Kashmir, capturing the poet’s emotional turmoil and reflecting the region’s rich heritage and resilience. The poems resonate with the collective sentiments of the Kashmiri people while portraying the poet’s sense of alienation and pain. An English translation titled “My Pain, My Affliction”, by eminent scholar Prof. Muhammad Aslam, was released in 2022, further establishing the work’s relevance in global literature.
During the event, two research papers were presented, discussing the qualitative value, craftsmanship, and thematic depth of the poetry. Dr. Arvinder Singh Amn commended the presenters, Prabhjot Kour and Charanjit Singh, for their insightful analysis. He noted that translating poetry is a challenging task and praised Dr. Gagandeep Singh for preserving the spirit and essence of Dr. Masoodi’s work in the Punjabi version.
In his address Khalid Hussain stated that Dr. Masoodi’s poetry transcends communal boundaries and embodies the collective sentiments of the Kashmiri people. He lauded the humanitarian perspective that runs through the verses.
Other speakers, including Sohail Kazmi, Dr. Baljit Raina, Shailender Singh, Swami Anternirav, and S. Harjit Singh Uppal, also shared their views, reflecting on the significance of the poetry collection.
Dr. Masoodi himself gave an in-depth account of his literary journey and his experiences in the field of literature and administration.
The event proceedings were conducted by Dr. Harsimran Singh, who seamlessly guided the program.DD
