CHANDIGARH: The Third Chandigarh Language Congress concluded today at the Mulkraj Anand Auditorium, Panjab University (PU), with a vibrant celebration of linguistic and cultural diversity. Organised around the central theme “Language, Literature and Cultural Plurality, ” the second and final day featured a plenary session on translation, “Meet the Author” dialogues, and a multilingual poetry recital.
The concluding day showcased a rich confluence of languages, literature, and cultural plurality. The plenary session featured a panel discussion on translation, moderated by Prof. Pankaj Malvyia (Russian). Distinguished panellists—PU Dean of University Instructions, Prof. Yojna Rawat (Hindi), Prof. Gurupdesh Singh (English), Dr. Jaswinder Kaur Bindra (Punjabi), and Amarjeet Garewal (eminent writer and thinker)—delved into the complex terrain of translation. The conversation ranged from what is worth translating, to cultural nuances, the agency of readers, and the impossibility of exact equivalence. The panellists also shared evocative samples of their translated works, enriching the audience’s understanding of multilingual creativity.
In the “Meet the Author” segment, Prof. Meenu Gupta engaged in a lively dialogue with Prof. Manju Jaidka, while Prof. Yojna Rawat conversed with renowned Hindi writer H.R. Harnot. Prof. Yograj Angrish interacted with Punjabi poet Jaswant Zafar, author of Asi Nanak De Ki Lagde, and Dr. Ali Abbas conversed with Urdu writer Prof. Sohab Inayat. The sessions explored diverse literary preoccupations, including ecological awareness, women’s struggles, spiritual ethos, ideological critique, and the evolving role of critics and writers in the age of mass communication.
The third session, “Kavita Path, ” a multilingual poetry recital, mesmerised the audience with soul-stirring performances by poets from Sanskrit, Punjabi, Hindi, English, and Urdu. Poets like Vijaya Singh, Dr. Archana, Swaranjit Savi, Dr. Manmohan, Jagdish Semwal, Nasir Naqvi, Shams Tabreji (moderator), Suresh Ripudaman, R. Chetan Krant, and Arun Dev offered poetic reflections spanning everyday realities to cosmic consciousness, marking a celebration of poetic plurality.
As the day progressed towards the valedictory session, the Congress emerged as a vibrant testament to the power of language and literature in fostering dialogue, diversity, and critical imagination in a multilingual world.