Dr. Surinder Dhanjal is a well-known Punjabi poet who has been teaching in the Department of Computing Science, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada since 1989 .

Surinder Dhanjal (Poet, Critic, Journalist, Computer Scientist and Electrical Engineer) has published several books of Punjabi Poetry. His poetry is a unique combination of revolutionary, scientific, parvasee and modern sensibility. His poems have been translated in English, Hindi and Urdu. He has given poetry readings on Radio, TV, and stage in Canada, USA, UK, and India. Dhanjal left India in 1972 after completing his electric engineering from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College. On reaching Canada, he took to computers and is now teaching them apart from researching on them.

He was the founding Editor of literary and cultural magazine of Punjabi language WATNO DUR published in Canada from July 1973 to April 1986. He is the founding General Secretary of many organizations including Punjab Cultural Association Vancouver (November 1972), Punjabi Literary Association (currently known as Writers' Forum) Vancouver (1973), and a theatre organization Watno Dur Art Foundation Vancouver (1974). He directed the first Punjabi play of Canada in Vancouver on Dec 16, 1972, and directed the first local Punjabi play of Alberta in Grande Prairie in 1983.

He is the founding Convenor of PASH MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL TRUST dedicated to the memory of revolutionary Punjabi Poet PASH (Avtar Singh Sandhu) assassinated by Khalistanis on March 23, 1988. After teaching Computing Science at the University of Alberta Edmonton from 1985 to 1989, he has been teaching Computing Science in the Thompson Rivers University (formerly University College of the Cariboo) Kamloops since August 1989. His research papers have been published in international conferences held in Italy, Greece, USA and Canada.

He lives in Kamloops with his wife Balbir and daughter Samta.

EMAIL: surinderdhanjal2000@yahoo.ca

SURINDER DHANJAL: BIO-DATA

1. PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Father: Rala Singh Dhanjal

Mother: Nand Kaur Dhanjal

Place of birth: CHAK BHAIKA (Tehsil Barnala, Distt. Sangrur/now: Teh. Raikot, Distt. Ludhiana)

2. EDUCATION:

• Ph. D. (Punjabi); Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India; 2005 • M. Sc. (Computation); McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada; 1988

• M.A.Sc. (Electrical Engineering); University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada; 1980

• B. Sc. Engg. (Electrical Engineering); Panjab University, Chandigarh, India; 1971

• Honours in Punjabi (Gyani); Received Medal for standing First in the Panjab University; 1970

3. BOOKS PUBLISHED:

• Surja(n) De Humsafar ; May 1972; Poetry

• Tinn Kon (co-authored by two Canadian Punjabi Poets); April 1979; Poetry (was prescribed as a textbook for M.A. students at Delhi University for four years)

• Zakhma(n) Dee Fasal ; April 1985; Poetry

• Pash Dee Yaad Vich: Dus Kavitava(n) ; March 1991; Poetry

• Natak, Rungmunch, Atamjeet Atey Kamloops Deea(n) Machhia(n) ; 1998; Criticism

• Pash Ta(n) Sooraj Si (Co-editor); September 2007; Poetry

4. ORGANIZATIONS:

• Founder General Secretary ; Punjab Cultural Association, Vancouver; November 1972

• Founder General Secretary ; Punjabi Literary Association, Vancouver; July 1973 (This organization is now known as Punjabi Lekhak Munch, Vancouver)

• Founder General Secretary ; Watno Dur Art Foundation, Vancouver; March 1974

• Executive Member ; Senate of the University of Windsor; 1978-79

• General Secretary; Indo-Canadian Students’ Organization, University of Windsor; 1978-79

• Founder Convenor ; Pash Memorial International Trust; March 1988-now

• Member ; Human Rights Committee, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops; 1993-now

• Member ; The Writers’ Union of Canada; 1997-now

• Member ; Ghadar Heritage Foundation, California, USA; 1998-now

• Member ; Cultural Wing, Desh Bhagat Yadgar Committee, Punjab, India; 2004-now

• Coordinator ; International Advisory Board, Phulwari Institute of Arts & Technology, Lohian Khas, Punjab, India; 2005-now

5. LITERARY JOURNALISM:

Founder Editor; Watno Dur; published more than 100 issues between July 1973 & April 1986

6. THEATRE:

the first Punjabi play of Canada “Teeji Pass” ; 16 December 1972

• Enacted in “Chamkaur Dee Garhi” & “Kanak Dee Balli”; director: Harpal Tiwana; 1973-74

• Directed the first local Punjabi play of Alberta, Canada “Inquilab Zindabaad” ; 1983

7. COMPUTING SCIENCE & ENGINEERING:

• Worked as a Mine Surveyor (1974-75), Design Engineering Manager (1981-83), Plant Process Control Engineer (1983-84) in Canada

• Has been teaching Computing Science at various Canadian Universities as follows: - Taught at the University of Alberta, Edmonton; 1985-89 - Teaching at the Thompson Rivers University (TRU), Kamloops, BC; 1989-now

• Chaired Western Canadian Conference on Computing Education (WCCCE), TRU; 2007

• Chair, WCCCE Steering Committee; 2007-now

• Published research papers on Computing Science, Electrical Engineering & Information Technology in the international conferences held in Italy, Greece, USA, India & Canada Surinder Dhanjal/23 March 2010.

8. AWARDS:

*Iqbal Arpan Memorial Award from Arpan Likhari Sabha Calgary, Canada , 4 June 2011.

*Surinder Hem Jyoti Award from Punjab Lok Sabhiachark Munch & Punjabi Sahitya Academy, India, 22 July 2007.

*Sant Ram Udasi Memorial Award, India, 18 December 2004.

*Haryana Punjabi Lekhak Sabha & Pargatisheel Lekhak Sungh (Progressive Writers Association) Award,India, 1 Aug 1999.

*Medal for standing first in the HONOURS IN PUNJABI examination of Punjab University, India, 1970.

EMAIL: surinderdhanjal2000@yahoo.ca