Jalandhar writer Jinder wins Sahitya Akademi Award for women-centric literary work ‘Safety Kit’

“The particular story ‘Safety Kit’ revolves around protagonist Jassi who goes to England for studies but has an inherent fear in her heart that she will be raped. Due to women safety issues in India where she was born and brought up, Jasbir alias Jass carries same fear and mindset in England where she feels scared in moving on streets or visiting pubs fearing she might get raped. Then she meets Samantha, a woman who makes her realise that life can’t be lived by constantly living in fear. She takes her to a pub and encourages her to enjoy each moment of her life instead of carrying a phobia. Basically, she makes Jass realise that she should not stop living her life due to fear of others,” Jinder said.

The writer said that since he visited several countries including the UK and Canada multiple times, he was encouraged to write on bold issues related to women. “After seeing how different the lives of women in India and other countries are, I was encouraged to write on the psyche that women develop in India due to safety issues. In developed countries, women are free and feel safer whereas in India, women live in restricted environments as their families also stop them from moving out due to safety issues.”

Jinder has also penned his autobiography “Ikk si Jinder”, along with other notable story collections including “Tussi Nahi Samajh Sakde”, “Nahi, Main Nahi”, “Zakham”, “Tehzeeb”, “Aawazan”, “Kacche Pakke Nakshe”, “Qatal” which have been reprinted and translated into several Indian and international languages.

He has also made significant contributions as a translator and editor. He has translated “Tamas” by Bhisham Sahni, “Wapsi” and “Raat” by Abdullah Hussain, and “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway into Punjabi, thereby bridging linguistic and cultural divides.

For nearly three decades, he has served as the editor of the literary quarterly “Shabad”, where he has encouraged emerging writers and fostered critical dialogue within Punjabi literature.

Jinder also has several works in Shahmukhi Punjabi script (read in West Punjab, Pakistan) to his credit. Among other works in Partition, he has penned a travelogue “Chal Jinder Islamabad Chaliye” and edited volumes including “1947: The Tales of Wounds”, “The Story of Displacement of 1947”, “How Far is Lahore”, “Where is my Mother”, and “The Black Night of 1947”, among others.

Many of his stories have been translated into English, Urdu, Marathi, Nepali, Shahmukhi, Sindhi, and Bengali among other languages, and included in syllabi of universities such as Punjabi University, Patiala; GNDU Amritsar; Delhi University etc.

Earlier he won Dhahan Prize for “Safety Kit” in 2024 and Sahitya Akademi Translation Award in 2017.