Singh, Sujan was born in 1909 at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur and died on 21st April 1983 in Amritsar, Punjab. He spent his early childhood in Bengal with his father who was a contractor there. After the death of his father when he was just 11 years old, he had to face the hard strains of economic stringency. After graduation, he started his career; as a storekeeper at the Lyold Bank. Later he moved from one job to another, working as teacher, headmaster and lecturer in Punjabi.
After doing his M.A. in Punjabi, he worked in different educational institutions and retired as Principal, Guru Nanak College, Gurdaspur. He is primarily known as a short story writer, although he has written light essays also. His short stories have the impress of his hard struggle in life, and give a vivid picture of the sufferings of the downtrodden and the middle classes. Some of his writings focus on the social and psychological problems of women. A writer of socialistic leanings, he is also an expert in the psycho- analytic delineation of characters.
His works include: Short story: Dukh sukh (1943), Dukh sukh ton pichhon (1946), Narkan de devte (1951), Sabh rang (1949), Nawan rang (1952), Manukh te pashu (1954), Sawal jawab (1950), Kalgia dian anian (1966); Light essays: Khumban da shikar (1970), Jamunji tusi bare hi rah. The award winning title Shahar Te Gran is his latest collection of short stories. With its exquisite language, piognant symbolism and social relevance the work has valuably added to the store of contemporary Punjabi literature.
References :
1. Amarjit Singh, Punjabi sahit da itihas ”Qissa kal, Amritsar, 1981.
2. Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature, 6 Vols., Delhi, 1995.
3. Sekhon, S.S. and K.S. Duggal, A History of Punjabi Literature, Delhi, 1992.
4. Singh, N.K., Encyclopaedia of Indian Biography, Delhi, 2000.
Sujan Singh stands out as a pioneering voice in modern Punjabi literature whose work redefined the short story format and enriched the cultural tapestry of the language. Born on July 29, 1909, in Dera Baba Nanak, his personal history—marked by early hardships and subsequent academic perseverance—seeped into his writing, giving his stories an authentic and progressive quality. Over the course of his career, Sujan Singh not only chronicled the lives of the marginalized and the middle class with vivid realism and psychoanalytic depth but also reshaped the narrative style of Punjabi fiction, garnering comparisons to classical short stories of world literature .
A dedicated educator as well as a writer, Singh worked as a bank clerk, teacher, headmaster, and eventually a college lecturer and principal at Guru Nanak College, Gurdaspur. His academic roles allowed him to influence generations of young writers while actively participating in progressive literary organizations. He held leadership positions such as the presidency of the Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha and served as the senior vice president of the Punjabi Sahitya Academy in Ludhiana. Through these platforms, he infused a sense of social consciousness into Punjabi literature, championing voices from the downtrodden and frequently reflecting his own socialistic leanings in his work .
Singh’s literary oeuvre includes several acclaimed story collections—Dukh Sukh (1939), Dukh Sukh Ton Pichhon (1944), Dedh Aadmi, Manukh Te Pashu (1954), Kalgi Dian Annian (1969), and Shehar Te Garaan (1985), for which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award. His narratives not only delineated the struggles of everyday life but also offered incisive commentary on society, often employing a subtle wit and deep empathy for his characters. In addition to short stories, he edited and contributed essays and historical narratives centered on Sikh Gurus and scriptures, thereby broadening the thematic spectrum of Punjabi prose .
Sujan Singh’s legacy is multifaceted—he was both an architect of modern Punjabi storytelling and a devoted advocate for social reform through literature. His innovative narrative techniques, commitment to portraying the human condition in all its complexities, and active role in nurturing literary discourse have left an indelible mark on Punjabi literature. His contributions continue to influence contemporary writers, ensuring that his progressivism and artistic vision remain relevant to this day.
