On March 17th we commemorated the 35th martyrdom anniversary of Jaimal Singh Padda, who laid his life down in combating Sikh religious fundamentalism, and
Prem Gorkhi was as empathetic in real life as in his writings
The renowned writer of short stories in Punjabi believed in an intimate relationship with his fellow travellers. He used to encourage young writers to write with commitment and thorough involvement and would caution them against joining the mad rush for publication, writes Ronki Ram
Prem Gorkhi (15 June 1947 – 25 April 2021) wrote for the socially excluded and lowest of the low, those who often remained outside the canvas of the mainstream writers.
Born Prem Nimana, into a humble Dalit home in a village called Ladhowali in Punjab’s Kapurthala district, he was one of the six children of Arjun Das and Rakhi. Gorkhi fought against all odds to acquire an education and excel in the Punjabi literary world.