The New Breed: Sahitya Award Winning Punjabi Short Stories

THE NEW BREED, a collection of short stories in Punjabi published originally as Naven Lok won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1967. The stories are a tribute to the people of a new, emerging generation that is bold, yet rooted in the past. They are vignettes that portray common people grappling with new edifices of power and governance, while treading new waters as far as social mores are concerned. Both the anxiety and the exhilaration of the onset of a modern age are conveyed. Several stories deal with the contours of the new woman emerging from the shadows to take her place in the workplace with her male counterpart, or playing a more assertive role within the household.
Seen from the perspective of the 21st century, some of these stories. may seem somewhat dated. However, they capture the essence of the nineteen sixties so tellingly that it was imperative to bring out a translation to savour a taste of those times. 'Retro' being in fashion. these stories usher in a nostalgia for those bygone days when life seemed simple, even while recognizing the tremendous social changes that were impacting lives in that era.

Kulwant Singh Virk (1921-1987) was an eminent Punjabi short story writer. He joined the army in 1942 and later edited journals like Advance (English) and Jagriti (Punjabi) for sometime. Recipient of many awards which includes Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967 for his short story collection Naven Lok (New folks). He was also recognized by the Literary Forum of Canada in 1984 and acclaimed for his contribution to literature by the Punjab Sahitya Academy and Punjab Arts Council Award.
Hina Nandrajog is an Associate Professor at Vivekananda College, Delhi University. She is an avid translator who translates from Punjabi and Hindi to English. She received the Katha Prize for Translation twice and also a Consolation Prize from the Sahitya Akademi for translation.