Akmal Shahzad, Amber Hosseini Shortlisted for 2026 Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature
ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Aug, 2026) Two Pakistani writers have been shortlisted for the 2026 Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature, one of the leading international awards for Punjabi fiction.
Leading Punjabi writer and broadcaster Akmal Shahzad Ghumman has been shortlisted for his Shahmukhi novel Parchhawan. He was previously short-listed for this award consecutively in 2025 and 2026, according to a press release on Thursday.
The other Pakistani finalist is Amber Hosseini, who has been shortlisted for her Shahmukhi novel Nawaan Pind.
It is pertinent to mention that this is the first time in the history of the award that two Pakistani writers have been selected as finalists.
The third finalist is Indian writer Rajpreet Kaur Benipal for her Gurmukhi short-story collection Qabran Vich Ugge Phull.
The three finalists were selected from fifty-eight eligible submissions received from Pakistan, India, Canada, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. They will compete for a combined prize purse of fifty-one thousand Canadian dollars. The winner will receive twenty-five thousand Canadian dollars, while the two finalists will each receive ten thousand dollars. An additional six thousand Canadian Dollars will be allocated for the transliteration of the three award-winning books into Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi, aiding their reach among Punjabi readers worldwide.
The winner will be announced at an award ceremony in Canada on 18th November this year.
Prize founder Barj S. Dhahan stated that the finalists represent the creativity and diversity of Punjabi fiction, showcasing the strength of a literary tradition that continues to connect readers globally.
Established in 2013, the Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature is recognized as one of the world’s leading honours for Punjabi fiction in both Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi scripts. The prize is awarded by the Canada-India Education Society in partnership with the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia.
