The Department of Asian Studies and the Asian Library at the University of British Columbia are pleased to announce the 2018 essay competition in Punjabi for Punjabi language students, in association with the Harjit Kaur Sidhu Memorial Program at UBC. Students who were enrolled in a Punjabi language class or classes at a university, college, or at the pre-collegiate level in B.C. during the last three years (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18) can participate in this competition.

Topic: Write about your favorite book. Why do you like it and what do you learn from it? (Note: It is not necessary that this be a Punjabi book. You can write about a book in any language)

Students can enter in this competition in either one of the following TWO categories, depending upon their level in Punjabi. (Proof of level of most recently taken class is required, or your teacher can submit for you.) Although the topic is the same at the two levels, essays will be judged in accordance with students’ levels according to the two categories.

Beginners: For those students who have completed or who are enrolled in the first-year level of Punjabi at a university or college or grade 8 to 11 in a high school in B.C. Students at this level should write a 400 – 500 word essay on the above topic.

Advanced: For those students who have completed or who are enrolled in a second year or higher level Punjabi course at a university, college, or in grade 12 in a high school in B.C. Students at this level should write a 800 – 1000 word essay on the above topic.

One winner will be selected from each category and will be given an award of $200.00; one runnerup will be selected in each category, who receive an award of $50.00. These awards will be presented at a Harjit Kaur Sidhu Memorial Program event at Surrey City hall on the evening of March 4.

Those students who are currently enrolled in Punjabi classes can submit their essays to their teachers (who are then responsible for submitting them by the deadline); other students can forward their essays to the address given below. All submissions must be received on or before February 16. No exceptions will be made.

Please submit essays to: Punjabi Competition, Asian Studies Dept.; 1871 West Mall, UBC, Asian Centre V6T 1Z2. For further information, contact: Anne.Murphy@ubc.ca or sarbjit.randhawa@ubc.ca.