(2 August 1957 – 17 January 2023)
By Ajmer Rode
VANCOUVER – Punjabi storyteller, colorist, poet, film artist, social activist and our colleague Amanpal Sara residing in Canada who worked with us in Vancouver Sath and Watan has passed away on January 17, 2023. He was 65 years old at this time of his passing.
In his literary life of nearly three decades, Amanpal published three story collections-Sard Rishte (1993), Twenty Note (2000), Diamond Ring (2006)- and a poetry collection-Son of Two Mothers (1999).
Amanpal was born on August 2, 1957 in Hoshiarpur. In the year 1976 he got B from Government College Hoshiarpur. S C. I. C. C. Done and made it to Canada. After living in Canada for three years, he moved back to India in 1979. Then returned to Canada in 1980 and married Sukhjinder Kaur Shergill. Two sons were born in Amanpal and Sukhjinder’s house – Azad Pal and Suraj Pal.
In 1984 he came to Vancouver Sat and performed with us. Amanpal acted in many of the plays played by the Vancouver Sath and played an active role in the production of these plays. Amanpal acted in the following plays of Vancouver Sath: Picket Line (English & Punjabi), Ghosts of the Legs, Parks at Mansions, Poison Crop, Maluka’s World School, Niki Gull Nahi, Tut wala Kuh and A Crop of Puajin. The plays were played in various cities and provinces across Canada.
In 1989, we started to produce the literary magazine. Sadhu and I watching the editorial work of the country and Amanpal takes charge of conducting the administrative tasks of the country. Amanpal worked with the country till 1995.
Working in the country Amanpal started writing stories, which were first published in the country. Later Amanpal’s stories started to be published in other established Punjabi magazines. Amanpal’s story “Marriage Note” was published in the July-September 1996 issue of Sirjana. On the cover of Sirjana, Sirjana editor Raghbir Singh wrote introducing this story, “Identity of Canadian writer Amanpal Sara as an able storyteller: Story Twenty Note”. This brief comment by Sirjana’s editor was the announcement that our Amanpal has now become an established Punjabi storyteller.
Working in the homeland, Amanpal had translated Lala Hardial’s famous article “Comparative Religion” into Punjabi under the name of “Comparative Dharma”.
As a member of the Vancouver Sath, Amanpal not only worked in the Sath’s theater and homeland, but also contributed valuable to other projects the Sath did. For example, Amanpal had worked a lot in the project of releasing Sadhu Singh Dhami’s novel Maluka in Canada in 1989. Similarly, Amanpal was also a member of the team of the magazine ‘Ankur’ published by Vancouver Sath.
Without company and homeland Amanpal actively participated in literary activities in the Vancouver area. During his literary journey he was an active member of the Punjabi Writers Forum, a 50-year-old organization of Vancouver-area writers.
Amanpal also made films without dramas. Her first film was Uhla, starring Rama Wij. After that in 2001 he made a movie called ‘Guldasta’.
One and a half decades ago Amanpal was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The illness slowly began to affect her ability to write and engage in literary activities. He couldn’t write anything in the last few years.
This brief look at Amanpal’s literary and theatrical life at the time of his departure from this world shows that his Punjabi literature, especially in Canadian Punjabi literature. He has made an important contribution to flourishing the Punjabi theater in Canada. Salute to this literary work done by him. Her memory will always remain in our hearts.
