Sant Singh Sekhon - Revision history

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	==Life==		==Life==
	Sekhon was born in [[Faisalabad\|Lyallpur]], [[Punjab Province (British India)\|Punjab]], [[British India]] (present-day Pakistan), and grew up in his father's village in Dakha, near [[Ludhiana]]. His father was an idealist but introverted while his mother was more practical and religious, practicing [[Sikh]] ''Singh Sabha''. There was considerable marital discord in the family which colours many of his stories. Sekhon eventually graduated with master's degrees in Economics and also in English. In the 1930s, he started writing in English, and after some initial publications including some in shared publications with [[W.H. Auden]] and [[Stephen Spender]].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.museindia.com/showauthor1.asp?id=83 \|title=~~Archived copy~~ \|access-date=2010-05-18 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027221551/http://www.museindia.com/showauthor1.asp?id=83 \|archive-date=2007-10-27 }}</ref>		Sekhon was born in [[Faisalabad\|Lyallpur]], [[Punjab Province (British India)\|Punjab]], [[British India]] (present-day Pakistan), and grew up in his father's village in Dakha, near [[Ludhiana]]. His father was an idealist but introverted while his mother was more practical and religious, practicing [[Sikh]] ''Singh Sabha''. There was considerable marital discord in the family which colours many of his stories. Sekhon eventually graduated with master's degrees in Economics and also in English. In the 1930s, he started writing in English, and after some initial publications including some in shared publications with [[W.H. Auden]] and [[Stephen Spender]].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.museindia.com/showauthor1.asp?id=83 \|title=Muse India - Sant Singh Sekhon's Profile \|access-date=2010-05-18 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027221551/http://www.museindia.com/showauthor1.asp?id=83 \|archive-date=2007-10-27 }}</ref>
	But given the greater audience in Punjabi, he shifted to Punjabi, and initially made a mark as a playwright.		But given the greater audience in Punjabi, he shifted to Punjabi, and initially made a mark as a playwright.
	Along with many South-Asian littérateurs of his generation ([[Faiz Ahmed Faiz]], [[Harivansh Rai Bachchan]], [[Buddhadev Bose]]), he taught English but wrote in an Indian language.		Along with many South-Asian littérateurs of his generation ([[Faiz Ahmed Faiz]], [[Harivansh Rai Bachchan]], [[Buddhadev Bose]]), he taught English but wrote in an Indian language.
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	Much of his writing has a strong social activism message, but the questions and dilemmas facing the characters are subtly philosophical, and his plays did not see much success on stage.<ref>{{Cite book		Much of his writing has a strong social activism message, but the questions and dilemmas facing the characters are subtly philosophical, and his plays did not see much success on stage.<ref>{{Cite book
	\|author = Datta, Amaresh		\|author = Datta, Amaresh
	\|title = The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature, v.2,		\|title = The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature, v.2
	\|publisher = [[Sahitya Akademi]]		\|publisher = [[Sahitya Akademi]]
	\|year = 2006		\|year = 2006
	\|isbn = 81-260-1194-7}} article on Punjabi Drama		\|isbn = 81-260-1194-7}} article on Punjabi Drama
	</ref> Subsequently, he also wrote a good bit of poetry, and also several full-length plays, mostly featuring modern themes, particularly man-woman relationships.<ref>http://www.sikhnet.com/news/honoring-professor-sant-singh-sekhon</ref> The historical play ''Waris'' is both a love-story with the poet Waris Shah, set against the rise of Sikh power. The more contemporary ''Mittarpiara'' (beloved friend), develops on the notion of a group of Sikhs and other Indians developing a friendship with [[Lenin]] to liberate India from the British. In total, his drama corpus runs into ten		</ref> Subsequently, he also wrote a good bit of poetry, and also several full-length plays, mostly featuring modern themes, particularly man-woman relationships.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.sikhnet.com/news/honoring-professor-sant-singh-sekhon\|title = Honoring Professor Sant Singh Sekhon\|date = 21 September 2009}}</ref> The historical play ''Waris'' is both a love-story with the poet Waris Shah, set against the rise of Sikh power. The more contemporary ''Mittarpiara'' (beloved friend), develops on the notion of a group of Sikhs and other Indians developing a friendship with [[Lenin]] to liberate India from the British. In total, his drama corpus runs into ten
	full-length plays and four one-act play collections.		full-length plays and four one-act play collections.

	He also wrote five short story collections, of which ''Tija Pahar'' was very well received.		He also wrote five short story collections, of which ''Tija Pahar'' was very well received.
	Many of his stories have been translated into several languages.<ref>http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/books/bhattacharya-2006-contemporary-indian-short-vII.html#sant</ref>		Many of his stories have been translated into several languages.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/books/bhattacharya-2006-contemporary-indian-short-vII.html#sant\|title = Book Excerptise: Contemporary Indian short stories v.II by Bhabani Bhattacharya (Ed.)}}</ref>
	In addition, he also		In addition, he also
	wrote two novels and five books of literary criticism, as well as several		wrote two novels and five books of literary criticism, as well as several
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	==References==		==References==
	<references/>		<references/>

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Sekhon, Sant Singh}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Sekhon, Sant Singh}}

imported>Charan Gill at 16:17, 30 March 2021

2021-03-30T16:17:30Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox writer 
| name = Sant Singh Sekhon
| image = Mohan Singh Sant Singh Sekhon - Jalandhar, India - December, 1969 - Photo by Ravinder Ravi (1).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = [[Mohan Singh (poet)]] (left), Sant Singh Sekhon (right)
| birth_date = 1908
| birth_place = [[Faisalabad|Lyallpur]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]] (present-day Pakistan)
| death_date = 1997
| death_place =
| occupation = writer, scholar
| movement =
| notableworks =
}}
'''Sant Singh Sekhon''' (1908–1997) was an Indian playwright and fiction writer associated with [[Punjabi literature]]. He is part of the generation of [[Indian literature|Indian authors]] who mark the transition of India into an [[Partition of India|independent]] nation, scarred by the tragedies of [[partition of India|partition]].

==Life==
Sekhon was born in [[Faisalabad|Lyallpur]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]] (present-day Pakistan), and grew up in his father's village in Dakha, near [[Ludhiana]]. His father was an idealist but introverted while his mother was more practical and religious, practicing [[Sikh]] ''Singh Sabha''. There was considerable marital discord in the family which colours many of his stories. Sekhon eventually graduated with master's degrees in Economics and also in English. In the 1930s, he started writing in English, and after some initial publications including some in shared publications with [[W.H. Auden]] and [[Stephen Spender]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.museindia.com/showauthor1.asp?id=83 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-05-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027221551/http://www.museindia.com/showauthor1.asp?id=83 |archive-date=2007-10-27 }}</ref>
But given the greater audience in Punjabi, he shifted to Punjabi, and initially made a mark as a playwright.
Along with many South-Asian littérateurs of his generation ([[Faiz Ahmed Faiz]], [[Harivansh Rai Bachchan]], [[Buddhadev Bose]]), he taught English but wrote in an Indian language.

==Literary career==
His first collection of one-act plays, ''Chhe Ghar'' (Six homes, 1941) was a critical success, particularly the play ''Bhavi'', which unfolds a tragic cross-relationship between a king and his son with a daughter-mother.

Like his contemporary [[Mulk Raj Anand]], Sekhon was influenced by the [[Progressive Writers' Movement]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/13.1.2_Jain.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-05-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620191839/http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/13.1.2_Jain.pdf |archive-date=2010-06-20 }}</ref> He was a strong believer in [[Marxism]], and also joined the [[Communist party of India]], though he let his membership lapse. He contested elections four times, thrice for the Punjab legislature and once for Parliament, but never won.

Much of his writing has a strong social activism message, but the questions and dilemmas facing the characters are subtly philosophical, and his plays did not see much success on stage.<ref>{{Cite book
|author = Datta, Amaresh
|title = The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature, v.2,
|publisher = [[Sahitya Akademi]]
|year = 2006
|isbn = 81-260-1194-7}} article on Punjabi Drama
</ref> Subsequently, he also wrote a good bit of poetry, and also several full-length plays, mostly featuring modern themes, particularly man-woman relationships.<ref>http://www.sikhnet.com/news/honoring-professor-sant-singh-sekhon</ref> The historical play ''Waris'' is both a love-story with the poet Waris Shah, set against the rise of Sikh power. The more contemporary ''Mittarpiara'' (beloved friend), develops on the notion of a group of Sikhs and other Indians developing a friendship with [[Lenin]] to liberate India from the British. In total, his drama corpus runs into ten
full-length plays and four one-act play collections.

He also wrote five short story collections, of which ''Tija Pahar'' was very well received.
Many of his stories have been translated into several languages.<ref>http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/books/bhattacharya-2006-contemporary-indian-short-vII.html#sant</ref>
In addition, he also
wrote two novels and five books of literary criticism, as well as several
histories and translations.
His scholarly works include
''Sahityarth'', a theory of literature, and the pioneering work, ''Punjabi boli da itihas'' (History of the Punjabi language).

In 1972, he won the [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] for ''Mittarpiara''.
He was also awarded the [[Padma Shri]], one of India's highest civilian awards, in 1987.

He was a Professor of Eminence at the Punjabi University in Patiala; after
his death, a chair was set up at the university in his name.

==Works==
One-act plays:
* ''Chhe Ghar'' (Six Homes, 1941): one-act plays - popular in Punjabi theatre.
* ''Tapia Kyon Khapia'' (Why the Ascetic Got Confused, 1950),
* ''Natsunehe'' (Dramatic Messages, 1954)
* ''Sundrepad'' (Beautiful Feet, 1956)
* ''Wiaholi'' (Bride) : verse play
* ''Baba bohar'' (Old Oak) : verse play

Full-length plays:
* ''Kalakar'' (Artist, 1945)
* ''Nal-Damayanti'' (Nala and Damayanti myth, 1960)
* ''Narki'' (Denizens of Hell, 1953) [originally written as _Eve at Bay_ in English]

Historical plays (theme of Sikh history):
* ''Moian Sar Na Kai'' (The Dead Knew It Not, 1954)
* ''Bera Bandh Na Sakio'' (Fleet They Could Not Harness, 1954)
* ''Waris'' (Inheritors, 1955)
* ''Banda Bahadur'' (1985)
* ''Vada Ghalughara'' (Holocaust 1986)
* ''Mittarpiara'' (Beloved Friend, 1971)

Novels
* ''Lahu Mitti'' (Blood and Earth).

==References==
<references/>

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sekhon, Sant Singh}}
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Punjabi-language writers]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education]]
[[Category:1908 births]]
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]