Progressive Writers Association organizes conference

Newly formed Progressive Writers Association members posing for a group photograph on Sunday.
Newly formed Progressive Writers Association members posing for a group photograph on Sunday.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 4: One day conference was conducted today by Progressive Writers Association, J&K, at K L Saigal Hall, Jammu wherein Sukhdev Singh Sirsa, well known Punjabi poet from Punjab and Member of National Secretariat, was the chief guest.
Surjit Judge, renowned Punjabi writer from Punjab & General Secretary PWA, Punjab, Mohan Singh, renowned Dogri writer & Member of Central Committee and Prof Shivdev Singh Susheel were in the presidium.
Mohan Singh presented introductory note of the conference and threw light on brief introduction of the Progressive Writers Association, Jammu Chapter and its performance during the past.
Various issues of hardships, oddities, approaches and latest developments and trends coming up in the literary field and difficult time of freedom of expression and countering it etc were raised during the conference by Prof Shivdev Manhas, Khalid Hussain, Mohan Singh, Surjit Judge and Sukhdev Singh Sirsa. The main emphasis was given on the need and role of awakening the people about the mal- practices prevailing in the present situation in the political and social systems and to promote the sense of brotherhood among people.
In his address, Sukhdev Singh Sirsa said that he was concerned about the Writers Association, J&K which has been dysfunctional since 2002. It was his desire to revive it to its glory period. He expressed that this has happened today after a big gap of time. He added that the PWA supports the promotion of all the local languages and dialects spoken and practiced in any region.
On the occasion, a new body of the Progressive Writers Association, J&K, was formed with Mohan Singh as its Patron, M K Santoshi as Chairman, Khalid Hussain as President, Dr Baljeet Raina, Prof Shivdev Singh Susheel and Autar Mota as Vice- Presidents, Swami Antarnirav as General Secretary, Dr Kamaldeep Singh, Dr Randhir Kaur and Kunwar Shakti Singh as Secretaries and Ashwani Pradhan as Cashier.
Prof Shivdev Singh Susheel conducted proceedings of the programme.
On the occasion, a two- minutes silence was also observed to pay tributes to the departed souls of Pt Vidya Ratan Aasi, Urdu Ghazal writer; Joginder Chhatarpal, Dogri short story writer and Avinash Sharma, a theatre personality from Jammu.