Kulwant Kaur Chann

Her story

Kulwant Kaur Chann is a Punjabi writer, singer and social worker who lives in France. She writes ghazals, songs, poems, mini-stories and longer stories, and sings her own songs. She has been writing since 1990.

A daughter of Punjab, she comes from Vaddi Miyani in Hoshiarpur district. Through marriage she is also a daughter-in-law of Jammu, in R.S. Pura. She writes under the pen name Kulwant 'Chann'.

Books

She has published four books and contributed to seven shared anthologies. Four or five more books are in preparation.

The Punjabi mother tongue

Since 1998 she has run Gurmat camps that teach children the Punjabi mother tongue. They began in France and have since been held in Australia, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Jammu, Kashmir, Punjab, the USA, Canada, Nepal and Singapore.

She founded International Punjabi Sursangam France and, as its president, organises Kavi Darbars (poetry gatherings). They bring good writers together and honour the people who keep the Punjabi language alive.

Social work

She is a social worker as well as an artist, and gives her time to people in need, listening to their sorrows and their joys. In India, she led the women's wing (Mahila Wing) of SAHYOG, a local association that organises eye camps for people who cannot afford treatment and arranges the marriages of orphaned girls.

She is the coordinator of ABRS France. ABRS was founded in India by the late Dr. Didi Nirmala Deshpandey and carries a message of peace and brotherhood around the world.

Positions

• Founder and President, International Punjabi Sursangam France (IPS)
• President, Women's Wing, Ontario Friends Club (OFC), Canada
• President for France, Mahila Kavya Manch
• President for France, Sai Mian Mir Institute, Canada
• European President, World Punjabi Sabha, Canada
• Coordinator for France, Gandhi Global Family, Jammu and Kashmir
• Coordinator, ABRS France
• Chairperson of the France unit, Punjabi Youth Club Organization International (NGO)
• Stage Secretary, Punjabi Sahitya Sabha France
• Project lead for Europe, Punjab Bhawan, Surrey (Canada)

Television, radio and press

She has appeared in television documentaries and interviews, including 'Singing Punjab' on Doordarshan Jammu and a documentary on her work by JK TV, as well as on Venus TV and Akal TV in London and Ek Bani TV in Jammu and Kashmir. With Sikh TV in London she presents Kavi Darbars three times a month, and Sangat TV London has broadcast her poetry programmes and her Gurmat camps live.

She has sung on radio stations around the world, including in France, and is often invited as chief guest to online Kavi Darbars, such as those of Radio Swarganga and International Punjabi Sanjh in Australia, where she also moderates.

Newspapers and magazines that have published her work

• Ajit (Jalandhar)
• Malwa
• Spokesman
• Punjab Des Pardes
• Desh Pradesh Times
• Desh Pradesh (England)
• Jagran (Hindi)
• Media Punjab (Germany)
• Samey Di Awaz (Germany)
• Nimma Mohra (Dogri, Jammu)
• Channa Munara (online)
• Pungarde Harf (online)
• Top News
• Jujhar Times
• Buland Awaz
• Pehredar
• Hakk Di Awaz
• World Peace Mission News
• Fateh Express
• Sach Times
• Sanjhi Khabar
• Gold Star

Honours

She has received some thirty honours from India, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Europe. Among them:

• 2006Mahatma Gandhi Award for Peace and International Understanding (Gandhi Medal), presented by S.P. Varma, General Secretary of ABRS, on 19 July 2006
• 2008Nehru Peace Award, All India Creative Society (15 November 2008)
• 2012Rabindranath Tagore Award (150th birth anniversary), Gandhi Global Family, Jammu and Kashmir
• 2012Shaheed Jeet Singh Gold Medal
• 2021Selected among the ten women role models of the world, VMedia TV, Delhi
• Dr Bhai Vir Singh Award, Amritsar

See all honours

• 1993Certificate of Social Service for an eye operation camp, Old Care Society, Jammu and Kashmir
• 1997Honour from the Dogri newspaper Nimma Mohra, Jammu, with Dr Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister
• 2003–2015Several awards as singer, writer and social worker from Media Punjab, Germany
• 2008Special guest letter, London Immigration and Europe Staff, Paris (14 June 2008)
• 2008Honoured as singer, social worker and writer by Naseem Khan, Director, Doordarshan Kendra Jammu
• 2009Certificate of Merit for social service and songs, presented by Zahida Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Kathua, at a Dogri, Punjabi and Kashmiri poets' gathering and song competition
• 2010'Daughter of Punjabi Culture' award, London
• 2010Honourable mention in a live programme, Venus TV, London
• 2010Letter of honour, Punjab Radio UK
• 2012Letter of appreciation for her writing, Shiromani Punjabi Likhari Sabha (15 July 2012)
• 2012Soft Arts Certificate (9 December 2012)
• 2015Letter of honour for her poetry, Karnail Singh Sohal Memorial Trust, England (1 March 2015)
• 2015Folk poet Sant Ram Udasi memorial honour ('Biba Kulwant Kaur'), Ludhiana
• 2022First prize, poetry competition, Radio Swarganga (7 February 2022)
• 2023Honoured as 'Mahan Kavitri, Shayra and Social Worker' by Rawta Radio, Adelaide, Australia
• 2023'Adarsh Maa' award, OFC, Canada
• 'Punjabi Maa-Boli Da Maan', Vishav Punjabi Sabha, Canada
• 'Punjab Di Dhi Maan', Punjab Bhawan, Surrey, Canada
• 'Best Woman, Honour of Punjab' award, Council of Heritage and International Peace, Canada
• First prize (₹5,000) in a song competition, Jagat Punjabi Sabha, Canada, presented by its chairman Ajaib Singh Chatha
• Best Moderator, International Punjabi Sanjh, 'Shahidan De Naam', Australia
• Certificate of Merit, Dr Kala Singh Bedi Sadbhavana Manch, New Delhi
• Certificate of honour, Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Panchkula, and Lok-Chetna Manch Haryana
• Songs published in the International Book of Records; talent certificate and medal from the Pankaj Vig Foundation