19 th BALRAJ SAHNI MEMORIAL THEATRE FESTIVAL AT JALANDHAR

19th Balraj Sahni Memorial Theatre Festial was organised by Pragati Kala Kendra (affiliated with IPTA-Punjab), in collaboration with IPTA-Punjab on 25th december,2012 at the courtyard of Government High School, Landran under the able guidance of Sodhi Rana and MakhanKaranti, main organisers and directors of the festival. Aramjit Singh Sandhu, political secretary to Chief parliamentary secretary, Punjab inagurated the festival whereas KarnailSingh Ikkoloha, National President, Indian National Party inagurated the exhibition of paintings by various artists including Kulpreet Rana, Ranjit Kaur Jammu,Pushkin Kainth, Renu Bala,Richha Chibb, Sunita Kumari & Ashima Sharma. The ceremony of lightening the candle was performed by eminent social worker and writer Nirmal singh Sangha. Presidium of the festival was comprised of renowned story-writer mohan Lal Philauria, Dr. Ram Murti, Nirmal SinghSangha, Jai Singh Phillaur, Jathedar Shingara Singh, singer Roop Lal. Famous theatrist Suman Lata of Punjab Kala Sangam, Phagwara was honoured by giving her 19th Balraj Sahnimemorial award whereas ghazal-writer Jaswinder Mehram was honoured with 5th ShaukatDhadvarvi memorial award.

Team of Chandigarh School of Drama(affiliated with IPTA-Chandigarh) presented a play named 'Ikko Mitti de Putt' and another play titled 'Tamasha Hindustan' directed by Ikkatar Singh.Theseplays depicted communal harmony and national integration and various problems like corruption, poverty and unemployment being faced by the people of the country. Punjabi folk dance giddha based on pregressive sonnets(boliyan) performed by the little girls of Karantipublic school, Palakdeem impressed the audience. The audience was also spell bound by the fascinating performance of an opera depicting the life and struggle of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar for the awakening and upliftment of downtrodden strata of the society titled 'Bheem the great' , a play named 'Samajhdar lok' and a few action songs. Varios items were presented by the artists of Pragati Kala Kendra,landran and Govt. Senior secondary school, Lasara under the direction of Sodhi Rana and Makhan Karanti. A play titled 'Samaj' by the team of S.D.Publicschool,directed by Simranjit Kaur was also applauded.

The festival was specially attended by known personalities associated with theatre and literature like Rabbinder Singh Rabbi from Morinda, Baljinder Singh Darapuri fromChandigarh,Inderjit Roopowalia from Kapurthala, D.R. Bazmi, Gurdial, Des Raj Umrapura, ArifGobindpuri,Comrade Lachhman Dass Maur Sahib, Jasveer Morron, Master Balwant Singh andJathedar Ajaib Singh Chairman. The couples, who had got married without taking dowry namely Gurnaveen Kaur/Harbhajan Lal from Landran and Ravindra Devi/Rajesh Kumar Puariwere specially honoured on the occasion. The artists of Pragati Kala Kendra, Landranincluding Sunil Yodha, Manpreet Cheema, Gurdeep Garhi, Munish Masani, Kuljit Toora,Gagandeep Lasara, Munish Kaler, Pawandeep Puari, Boota Mohammad, Amrita Rani,Simranjit Kaur, Seema Rani, Sonia and Rajni Lasara not only enacted in the theatrical presentations but also contributed a lot in organising the festival. Despite the severe cold whether of winter, the presence of audience was creditable which made the festival a successful and memorial event.

(Report by Balkar sidhu, Senior Vice-President, IPTA-Punjab ).