Shiv Kumar Batalvi
Shiv Kumar Batalvi (1936–1973) was born in a Saraswat Brahmin family in village Bara Pind Lohtian, Shakargarh Tehsil, Sialkot District (Punjab province, Pakistan). His father Pandit Krishan Gopal was a village tehsildar and his mother Shanti Devi, a housewife. In 1947, his family moved to Batala Gurdaspur district where his father worked as a patwari and young Shiv received his primary education. He is known for his romantic poetry. His poetry recitations, and singing his own verse, made him and his work very popular amongst the masses. He became the youngest recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award in 1967 for his epic verse play Loona. His poetical works are Peeran Da Paraga (1960), Lajwanti (1961), Aate Dian Chirian (1962), Mainu Vida Karo (1963), Birha Toon Sultan (1964, a selection), Dardmandan Deean Aaheen (1964), Loonan (1965), Main Te Main (1970), and Aarti (1971). We present Complete Punjabi Poetry of Shiv Kumar Batalvi in Gurmukhi Script.
