Punjab: Seventy-year-old Chetan Singh has a deep respect and admiration for books. Retiring as director of Punjab’s language department in 2015, Singh’s journey in the department began in 1987 when he joined as a research assistant. Over the years, he served as district language officer in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Ropar. Right from the start, Singh chose a different path. Instead of spending his entire day within the four walls of the office, he took the initiative of holding ‘book fairs’ across the region. “I wanted to create a culture of books everywhere,” Singh told The Tribune. “At that time, there were no proper phones, modes of transport or staff, but I made sure to approach everyone who could help me achieve this goal.” He recalls a moment from his time in Tanda area of Hoshiarpur. He said, “I was giving speeches and had brought along a huge collection of books. All the books were sold out immediately as the session ended. That day, I felt very satisfied and fulfilled.”
For his outstanding work in promoting books, Singh was awarded a letter of appreciation by the then governor in 1994. He was later promoted to the post of deputy director in 1995, followed by joint director, additional director and finally director, a post he held until his retirement in 2015. Beyond administrative roles, Singh also served as the editor of several influential publications, including Linguistic and Cultural Survey Bajwara and Dhobaha, Guru Teerth Cycle Yatra by Bhai Dhanna Singh Chahal, Sahibzadeya De Shaheedi Prasanga and Puratan Sikh Lekhak. His editorial work on Guru Teerth Cycle Yatra, published in 2016, received widespread acclaim. Emphasising the importance of protecting cultural and historical texts, Singh said, “I wanted to preserve Sikh literature, which is rare to find.” Chetan Singh’s love for books dates back to his childhood. “My father, who was in the army, used to read books to us and that’s how I developed a love for literature. Kitabe Sadia Di Saynaap, Darshan Shastra Ka Sangrah Hai,” he said, which means “books are a collection of knowledge and philosophy.” He believes it is the responsibility of both teachers and the government to ensure that books become an integral part of everyone’s life.
