GNDU remembers scholar, writer Dr Karnail Singh Thind

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, December 28

Former Registrar of Guru Nanak Dev University and Head of the School of Punjabi Studies (retd) Dr Karnail Singh Thind was paid rich tributes at the school.

Dr Thind was a renowned scholar of Punjabi Lokyan Adhiyan and Pakistani Punjabi Sahitya Adhiyan. He had held important posts like Head of Punjabi Studies Department of Khalsa College, Head of School of Punjabi Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, Registrar of Guru Nanak Dev University, Head of Punjab State University Text Book Board.

Dr Manjinder Singh, Head of the Department, said prof Thind demise is being mourned by the literary fraternity across the state. He shared views with teachers and research students on Dr. Thind’s invaluable contribution in the field of Punjabi language, literature, culture and folklore. “He was a committed researcher and a devoted teacher with humanitarian concerns. He is one of the foremost pioneers in the field of Punjabi literary thought,” said Dr Singh.

He was born in Lyallpur, in Pakistan and did his higher studies from Khalsa College, Amritsar in 1953. He then became a lecturer of Punjabi at Khalsa College in 1955. He did his PhD in 1971 from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Punjabi folklore and culture were his field of specialisation and his three original books related to this field were ‘Lokyan and Medieval Punjabi Literature’, ‘Punjab’s Folk Heritage Part-1’ and ‘Punjab’s Folk Heritage Part-2’. ‘Lokyan Adhiyan’ and “Sabhyachar Darpan’ are his edited books. Similarly, one of his important books on historical evaluation of Pakistani Punjabi literature is ‘A Brief Survey of Pakistani Punjabi Literature’. This book is one of the earliest written books on the history of Pakistani Punjabi literature. In recognition of his glorious contribution, he has been honoured from time to time by governmental and non-governmental organisations at the state, national and international levels. He has received Fellowships from International Punjabi Sahitya Sabha, London, Senior Fellowships from the Department of Culture, Government of India, Baba Farid Sahit Award for his historical work in the study of Pakistani Punjabi literature.