Amarjit Chandan

In 1957 they moved to their ancestral town Nakodar in Punjab, India at the age of eight. He pursued higher studies at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Before Chandan joined the Maoist-Naxalite movement in East Punjab in 1971, he worked as a sub-editor in ''Nawan Zamana'' (New Age) daily newspaper published by the Punjabi communist party and later under Baba Gurmukh Singh of Lalton in Desh Bhagat Yadgar Jalandhar editing Yadgar's journal ''Desh Bhagat Yadan''. He also edited a special issue of ''Bharat Sewak'' on Indian national freedom fighters and actively assisted with the publications of Yuvak Kender.

In 1957 they moved to their ancestral town Nakodar in Punjab, India at the age of eight. He pursued higher studies at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Before Chandan joined the Maoist-Naxalite movement in East Punjab in 1971, he worked as a sub-editor in ''Nawan Zamana'' (New Age) daily newspaper published by the Punjabi communist party and later under Baba Gurmukh Singh of Lalton in Desh Bhagat Yadgar Jalandhar editing Yadgar's journal ''Desh Bhagat Yadan''. He also edited a special issue of ''Bharat Sewak'' on Indian national freedom fighters and actively assisted with the publications of Yuvak Kender.

He joined the [[Naxalite|Maoist movement]] in Punjab in 1969 and started ''Dastavez'' (The Document), the first ever revolutionary underground [[literary magazine]] in Punjabi. It proved to be the trend setter of militant or Jujhar phase in the history of [[Punjabi literature]]. It introduced Lal Singh Dil, Pash, Sant Ram Udasi, Darshan Khatkar, Harbhajan Halvarvi and others. Because of ''Dastavez'', he was proclaimed an offender during the Naxalite movement and carried a cash reward on his head.{{Cite web|url=http://sikhchic.com/people/a_poet_for_all_seasons_amarjit_singh_chandan|title=sikhchic.com {{!}} Article Detail|website=sikhchic.com|access-date=2019-11-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/spectrum/society/she-wrote-their-destiny/648856.html|title=She wrote their destiny|last=Bharti|first=Vishav|date=9 September 2018|work=The Tribune|access-date=8 November 2019}} Later on he edited ''Lokyudh'' (People's War) and ''Baghawat'' (Revolt) political and literary magazines published by the CPI(ML) Punjab.

He joined the [[Naxalite|Maoist movement]] in Punjab in 1969 and started ''Dastavez'' (The Document), the first ever revolutionary underground [[literary magazine]] in Punjabi. It proved to be the trend setter of militant or Jujhar phase in the history of [[Punjabi literature]]. It introduced [[Lal Singh Dil]], Pash, Sant Ram Udasi, Darshan Khatkar, Harbhajan Halvarvi and others. Because of ''Dastavez'', he was proclaimed an offender during the Naxalite movement and carried a cash reward on his head.{{Cite web|url=http://sikhchic.com/people/a_poet_for_all_seasons_amarjit_singh_chandan|title=sikhchic.com {{!}} Article Detail|website=sikhchic.com|access-date=2019-11-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/spectrum/society/she-wrote-their-destiny/648856.html|title=She wrote their destiny|last=Bharti|first=Vishav|date=9 September 2018|work=The Tribune|access-date=8 November 2019}} Later on he edited ''Lokyudh'' (People's War) and ''Baghawat'' (Revolt) political and literary magazines published by the CPI(ML) Punjab.

In August 1971, he was arrested in Amritsar and was tried on false charges of carrying bombs and bank robbery. He was given three years sentence and he underwent solitary confinement in Jalandhar and Amritsar jails.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/amarjit-chandan-psn606gm30v|title=Amarjit Chandan|last=Scott|first=Interview by Caroline|date=2005-04-17|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2019-11-05|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}

In August 1971, he was arrested in Amritsar and was tried on false charges of carrying bombs and bank robbery. He was given three years sentence and he underwent solitary confinement in Jalandhar and Amritsar jails.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/amarjit-chandan-psn606gm30v|title=Amarjit Chandan|last=Scott|first=Interview by Caroline|date=2005-04-17|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2019-11-05|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}

Chandan’s short poem both in Punjabi and English engraved in 40-foot granite by Eric Peever is installed in a square in Slough High Street, UK.

Chandan’s short poem both in Punjabi and English engraved in 40-foot granite by Eric Peever is installed in a square in Slough High Street, UK.

He was one of ten British poets selected by Andrew Motion, the Poet Laureate, on [[BBC Radio 3]] on National Poetry Day, 2001. He has participated in the Alderburgh, Ledbury, King’s Lynn, Winchester, Ó Bhéal poetry festivals and Poetry Parnassus in London in 2012. He represented the Punjab/UK in the International Literary Festival, Didim, Turkey in July 2006, Ljubljana (Slovenia) International Poetry Festival in 2015, Al-Marbed International Poetry Festival Basra Iraq in February 2017, Karachi Literary Festival in February 2018 and 6th Ó Bhéal Winter Warmer Poetry Festival, Cork City, Ireland (Nov 22nd - 25th 2018). He also participated in the Bradford Literature Festival (2016 and 2017) speaking on ‘WW1 and the Punjab’ and Partition respectively.

He was one of ten British poets selected by [[Andrew Motion]], the Poet Laureate, on [[BBC Radio 3]] on National Poetry Day, 2001. He has participated in the Alderburgh, Ledbury, King’s Lynn, Winchester, Ó Bhéal poetry festivals and Poetry Parnassus in London in 2012. He represented the Punjab/UK in the International Literary Festival, Didim, Turkey in July 2006, Ljubljana (Slovenia) International Poetry Festival in 2015, Al-Marbed International Poetry Festival Basra Iraq in February 2017, Karachi Literary Festival in February 2018 and 6th Ó Bhéal Winter Warmer Poetry Festival, Cork City, Ireland (Nov 22nd - 25th 2018). He also participated in the Bradford Literature Festival (2016 and 2017) speaking on ‘WW1 and the Punjab’ and Partition respectively.

During World War 1 Centenary commemorations Chandan read his essay on Punjabi Folk Songs on WW1 at several events. In Edinburgh Art Festival Bani Abidi, Berlin-based acclaimed Pakistani artist, did a sound-sculpture ''Memorial to Lost Words'' on his poem on a Punjabi soldier’s letter written home set to music and sung by Ali Aftab Saeed. Chandan also wrote songs for musical ''The Troth'' (Dir. Gary Clarke, The Akademi, 2018. Based on Chandradhar Sharma Guleri’s classic Punjabi-Hindi story ''Uss ne kahaa tha'' was staged in London, New Delhi and other Indian cities.

During World War 1 Centenary commemorations Chandan read his essay on Punjabi Folk Songs on WW1 at several events. In [[Edinburgh Art Festival]] Bani Abidi, Berlin-based acclaimed Pakistani artist, did a sound-sculpture ''Memorial to Lost Words'' on his poem on a Punjabi soldier’s letter written home set to music and sung by Ali Aftab Saeed. Chandan also wrote songs for musical ''The Troth'' (Dir. Gary Clarke, The Akademi, 2018. Based on Chandradhar Sharma Guleri’s classic Punjabi-Hindi story ''Uss ne kahaa tha'' was staged in London, New Delhi and other Indian cities.

He worked on a British Library Sound Archive Project ''Between Two Worlds: Non-Anglophone Poets in England: Readings and Histories'' recording more than 30 poets.

He worked on a British Library Sound Archive Project ''Between Two Worlds: Non-Anglophone Poets in England: Readings and Histories'' recording more than 30 poets.