RICHMOND HILL, NY (TIP): A group of litterateurs, media persons and community leaders attended a book release event organized by Balwinder Singh Bajwa as part of Punjab Day celebrations on November 5 at Richie Rich Banquet in Richmond Hill, New York.

The book titled “ MITTI NU PHAROL JOGIA” by Ashok Bansal of Mansa in Punjab, India features his research on poets and lyricists who gave memorable songs but have remained obscure. The author spent years trying to gather information about their life and work. While the work by the author deserves to be looked into and enjoyed, it also is a subject to inspire further research to unearth more Punjabi literary artists who have probably been lying buried under the sand of the time, and need to be unearthed, as Ashok Bansal has done in respect of some in his incredible book “MITTI NU FAROL JOGIA”. I was impressed with the passion of Ashok Bansal for the mother tongue Punjabi. He very rightly emphasized the unifying power of a language which binds people of diverse faiths and beliefs together, rather than being an instrument of divisions. Love of one’s mother tongue should be as spontaneous and natural as love for one’s mother.

I wish and recommend more literary events of the nature organized by Bajwa ji to bring Punjabi loving people together to express their admiration, respect and love of their mother tongue.

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar who claims proudly her Punjabi roots made an appearance and shared her thoughts . Incidentally, she does not understand Punjabi.