Kangra’s literary gem honoured

Renowned litterateur and educationist Chandrarekha Dhadwal, a resident of Dharamsala, has been honoured with the prestigious Himachal Gaurav Award by the Government of Himachal Pradesh. The award was presented by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during the state-level Independence Day celebrations held at Sarkaghat.

Describing it a historic moment for having been recognised by the state government for her humble contribution, Dhadwal told The Tribune, “When I look back at this long journey — extending help to colleagues and providing platform to the students — it undoubtedly sounds an extremely satisfying experience.”

Dhadwal’s contribution to literature and education spans over four decades, with a teaching career of more than 30 years. She has written extensively across genres — poetry, ghazals, short stories, novels and folk literature — making her a prominent voice in contemporary Hindi and Himachali literature.

The Himachal Gaurav Award stands as a fitting tribute to a lifetime of literary excellence and cultural service as Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa said, “She has been a constant inspiration for every literature loving Himachali.”

Dhadwal’s published works include the poetry collection Zaroorat Bhar Suvidha (2018), novels such as Samay Mere Anuroop Hua (2019) and Aag (2022), and story collections Seevane Updati Hui (2019), Roshni Ke Baabjood (2023), and Pachchis Kahaniyan (2025). She has also authored notable works in Himachali, including Akkhar-Akkhar Jugnu and Akkharan De Diye.

Dhadwal’s deep engagement with folk traditions is evident through her Lokbhaav Swaranjali series, documenting and interpreting folk songs of Kangra, Una and Hamirpur districts. She has been the recipient of several accolades like Chandradhar Guleri Bhasha Setu Samman (2022) and Himachal Kala Sahitya Samman (2019).