Patiala, June 24 - The Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today appointed two eminent personalities from the field of language and art with an aim to better promote Punjabi language and art. The Government has appointed Jaswant Singh Zafar, an eminent poet, painter, photographer and environmentalist, as Director, Language Department, Punjab and Swarnjit Singh Savi, a renowned poet, painter, sculptor and publisher, as Chairman, Punjab Arts Council.
Jaswant Singh Zafar was born on 17 December 1965 in village Sanghe Khalsa, Nurmahal (Jalandhar). He completed his 10th from Government School Koom Kalan. After studying in a government college from 1981 to 1984, he obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana in 1989. He worked for a long time in Punjab State Electricity Board. Jaswant Singh Zafar's popular books include Budha Dariya, Do Sahan Vichkar, Asin Nanak De Ki Lagde Haan, Sikh Jo Khoj Lahe (Nibandh Collection) Ih Banda Ki Hunda and Menu Ihu Lagiya. Renowned poet late Dr. Surjit Patar once said about Jaswant Singh Zafar "Zafar is a benevolent person with a keen observation. He writes poetry as if he were a poet, using new ways to articulate his words, beautifully summarizing."
Swarnjit Singh Savi, Sahitya Akademi Award winner in 2023, who has been appointed as the Chairman of Punjab Arts Council, has written more than 12 books of poetry in the lap of Punjabi literature, including Avidhya, Dard Piyaade Da, Dairiyaan Di Kabar Chon, Dehi Naad, Kala Hashiya Te Suha Gulab, Kameshwari, Desire (English), Aa Sharm, Maa and Main Aaya Bas. Savi has also translated the works of Uzbek poet Uttamoy Kholdorova into Punjabi.