The world’s largest Punjabi dictionary compiled by the Punjab Institute of Language, Arts & Culture (PILAC) is all set to hit the markets soon after its formal launch by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in a few days. Compiled in a period of over two years, the seven-volume dictionary can be considered as the mother of all Punjabi dictionaries in the world due to its content and variety of words used. “The compilation of the dictionary was a daunting task for me as you cannot see such a rigorous research work in the Punjabi dictionaries in the whole subcontinent,” PILAC Director General (DG) Dr Sughra Sadaf said, while talking exclusively to Daily Times, she said that the dictionary would have all the diversification of words used by our Punjabi poets both classical and modern including Bulleh Shah, Baba Farid, Waris Shah, Khawaja Ghulam Farid, Shah Hussain, Baba Guru Nanak and Sultan Bahu. It is a Punjabi to Punjabi dictionary but we are also planning to compile another one that would be from Punjabi to English for our young generation that wants to read our Punjabi legends, she said. She further added that a team of 10 well-known researchers was hired by PILAC for this uphill task and now our future generations would be grateful to PILAC for achieving such a milestone in two years. “We have written to the CM for its formal launch and a huge inauguration ceremony would be held very soon where people from different walks of life including academicians, intellectuals, poets and artists would participate,” Dr Sughra Sadaf said, who holds a PhD in Philosophy while 12 books on poetry are also to her credit in both Urdu and Punjabi languages. PILAC DG says the compilation of the dictionary was a daunting task as you cannot see such a rigorous research work in the Punjabi dictionaries in the entire subcontinent Talking about the initiatives she took in PILAC during the last two years, she said that the Pride of Punjab Award is a great achievement. It is an award that is given to distinguished personalities in 10 different fields including prose, poetry, visual arts, culture, film, music and drama with a cash prize of Rs 0.3 million. She further added that over 50 books of Punjabi were translated into other languages in the last two years that also include the translations of Punjabi Sufi poets in English to facilitate our younger generation that isn’t much familiar with the old Punjabi language. A special Lok Studio has been established in PILAC to record and preserve the dying genres of our folk music of Punjab that is undoubtedly our rich culture, she said. She was of the opinion that a language laboratory has also been established in PILAC where people get an opportunity to learn different languages including the Chinese with a nominal fee. According to the DG, the PILAC organised conferences and a mela on the birth and death anniversaries of Sufi poets in order to pay them a rich tribute. A culture mela was organised recently in which over 150 Punjabi singers participated. “There’s a dire need that the relationship between India and Pakistan must be normalised as we have very commonalities especially in both the parts of Punjab-Indian Punjab and Pakistani Punjab. The opening of Kartapur corridor is a good gesture by Pakistan and India should also reciprocate the peace venture accordingly,” she concluded. Published in Daily Times, February 12th 2019.