'JNANPITH' WINNER PUNJABI WRITER AMRITA PRITAM!

Today is 13th death anniversary of prominent Punjabi Poet & Novelist Amrita Pritam!

Young romantic poet..Amrita Pritam!

Began as romantic poet.. 
Amrita Pritam's first anthology of poems 'Amrit Lehran' was published in 1936 at the age of sixteen! 

She soon shifted to 'Progressive Writers Association' which reflected in her writing 'Lok Peed' in 1944. Her poem 'Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu' was ode to great Sufi poet Waris Shah! 

Amrita Pritam's autobiography 'Rasidi Ticket'!

In a career of six decades she wrote over 100 books..in which includes her famous autobiography 'Rasidi Ticket'! Most of her writings translated into several Indian & foreign languages..And she equally loved on both sides of the India-Pakistan border! 

In 1982 Amrita Pritam received 'Bharatiya Jnanpith' for 'Kagaz Te Canvas'! And after 'Padmashree' (1969) she received 'Padmabhushan' 
& 'Sahitya Academi Award' in 2004.

Film 'Pinjar' (2003) on Amrita Pritam's novel!

Her writings also adopted for drama and cinema. Renowned director M. S. Sathyu paid theatrical tribute 'Ek Thi Amrita' and in 2003 Chandraprakash Dwivedi made film 'Pinjar' on her novel. On the backdrop of partition it focused on the communities problems of both the sides!..Urmila Matondkar Sanjay Suri & Manoj Bajpayee played the lead roles in it! This film won 'National Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration'!

Sahir Ludhiyanvi & Amrita Pritam..Romantic poem!

She also received.. 'International Vaptsarov Award' from Republic of Bulgaria in 1979 and 'Degree of Officer dens, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres' by French Government in 1987. 
She was nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha during 1986–92. 
And at the end she was awarded by Pakistan's Punjabi Academy too!

I still remember meeting Amrita Pritamji in Delhi during our 'B.C.J.' tour in 1988. 
In this I asked about (her romantic story with) Urdu Poet Sahir Ludhiyanvi!

Homage to this great sensitive writer-poet!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
  ['Chitrasrushti']