Gurdial Singh (Translated by R.N. Menon and Harish Kumar Vijra)

Gurdial Singh (1933-2016) was an acclaimed Indian writer and novelist who wrote in Punjabi, recognized for his profound depictions of the lives of marginalized and oppressed people, particularly in the Malwa region of Punjab. He began his literary career in 1957, and his first major novel, `Marhi Da Deeva' (1964), established him as a significant novelist, earning critical praise as a modern classic in Punjabi literature. Singh's extensive bibliography includes over ten novels, ten collections of short stories, plays, and children's books. His novel `Anhe Ghore Da Daan' was also adapted into a film. For his monumental contributions to literature, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1998 and the Jnanpith Award in 1999. His Punjabi novel `Marhi Da Deeva' is presented here in a Russian translation titled `The Last Flicker', rendered by R.N. Menon and Harish Kumar Vijra.