SEKHON, SANT SINGH (1908 – )

Sekhon, Sant Singh (1908 -) was born at Lyallpur, Pakistan. He did his B.A. (Hons) in English from Mission College, Lahore, in 1928 and M.A. (Economics) from Khalsa College, Amritsar, in 1930, and later did M.A. in English privately. He started as a lecturer in English in 1931, and then taught economics and Punjabi at Khalsa College, Amritsar. He edited an English weekly, Northern Review, published from Lahore in 1938. His first play, Woman at Bay, was also in English.

In the beginning, in the company of Krishan Chander and Rajinder Singh Bedi, he started writing short stories in Urdu, but after some time decided to express himself in his mother tongue. In 1940, he accepted a job with Shalimar Paints on a fabulous salary, but as it proved unsuitable to his taste, he reverted to his earlier profession of teaching at Khalsa College, Amritsar. Later, he moved to the political arena and contested a seat in Parliament with the support of the Communist Party, but did not succeed. Khalsa College, Gurusar \’Sidhar (Ludhiana) appointed him as Head of the English Department the same year.

In 1957, he was again defeated in Parliamentary elections. The same year took him to Russia. He was appointed Principal, Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib (Sirhind), but leaving the job in 1965, he went to Jandiala as Principal. He also worked as Principal, Khalsa College, Patiala, for a very short period. His main works include: Plays: Kalakar (The artist, 1946), Naarki (Of hell, 1952), Waris (The inheritor, 1955), Bhudan (The land gift), Beda bandh no. sakyo (Couldn\’t do anything), Moian sar na kai (The Dead know nothing, 1958), Damyanti (1960), Sialan di nadhi (The damsel of the Sials, 1968); One-act plays: Chhe ghar (Six houses, 1941), Mere das ekangi (My ten one-act plays, 1950), Tapia kyon khapya (Why angry, 0 sage, 1950), Nat sunehe (Dramatic messages, 1950), Sunder pad (The feet beautiful, 1956), Baba bohd (The banyan, 1964); Stories: Samachar (The tidings, 1943), Baran Sidhan (God-gifted, 1946), Teeja pahar (The dying day, 1953); Adhi vat (Half-way, 1954), Naun nidhan (The blessing, 1956), Barandari (Garden with twelve gates, 1956); Novels: Lahu mitti (Blood and earth, 1949), Baba asman (Father sky, 1973), Mittar piara (Dear Friend, 1974); Poetry: Kav dut (Poetic messages, 1955); Criticism: Parsidh Punjabi kavi (Famous Punjabi poets), Sahityarth (1957); Bhai Vir Singh te unhan da yug (Bhai Vir Singh and his times, 1962), Punjabi kav shiromani (Great Punjabi poets, 1964), Punjabi boli da itihas (History of Punjabi language); Essays: Pragati pandh (The path of progress, 1977); General knowledge: Manukhi samaj de baran pada (Twelve stages of human society, 1968).

References :

1. Dharm Paul Singal, Natakar Sant Singh Sekhon.
2. Pritam Saini, Sant Singh Sekhon di natak kola,Ludhiana, 1971.
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.