Pakistan to Honor late singer Sidhu Moose Wala

Late singer Sidhu Moose Wala with Warsi Shah International Award

A Pakistan-based organisation for the Punjabi literary community called the “Punjabi Virsa” decided to honour three Indian personalities including late singer Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moose Wala, poet Dr Surjit Singh Patar and writer Harjinder Pal alias Jinder with the ‘Waris Shah international Award’ at a ceremony held on Sunday. Sidhu Moosewala is the first singer to be selected for this prestigious award.  

The works of Waris Shah, the legendary Sufi poet are famous in both India and Pakistan. Waris Shah is best known for “Heer Ranjha” his classic romantic saga which was a masterpiece even after 250 years. Waris Shah wrote 630 stanzas of the text in 1766, the storyline had a young woman from undivided Punjab as the protagonist, who stood and died for her one true love, Ranjha.

Multiple events were held in both the countries to commemorate Shah’s 300^th birth anniversary. Waris Shah was born in 1722, in Jandiala Sher Khan of Sheikhpura (now in Pakistan). 

Ilyas Ghumman, who is a noted Pakistan-based Punjabi writer and the president of the Waris Shah International Award committee spoke to the Indian Express over the phone. Ghumman said that after Amrita Pritam, a legendary Indian poetess, was awarded with the honor in 2000, this is the second time the award is being given to Indian personalities. He said, “Sidhu Moose Wala will be given the award posthumously”. He added, “We had started this award in 2000 primarily for Punjabi writers and litterateurs whose works promote Punjabi culture and language but Moose Wala is the first singer to be selected for the honor”.