In 1978 I organised a study tour of the Panjab to look at the folk Arts and Crafts of the region, I had to arbitrarily decide, for the same of efficiency or organisation and economy of time, the international team lead by Ms Maryla Podarewska-Jakubowka, and the help of the then Education Minister of the Panjab, we toured only East Panjab. But when we published the report, it was felt job half-done, as the major part of the Panjab (Pakistan) was not included in it.

Later in 1990 I initiated a an exchange program of artists, teachers and students between Shropshire County Council and the Panjab. Regrettably again for the sake economy of time and resources, this exchange happened only with the Indian side of the Panjab.

In this process of selection of artists, another interesting thing happened. As there is only one Art School in Chandigarh, that caters both Panjab and Haryana. I was keen to give young aspiring artists to travel to the West part of the exchange.I knew a young talented photographer from Bathinda district of the Panjab, though came from a Hindu family, and spoke Panjabi as his mother tongue. I was very glad to extend an invitation to him. At the same time one of his class-fellow who came from may be only fifty miles from the photographer, but born in a village which was part of the Haryana by then. But this artist chooses to speak Hindi in his all conversation with me and in general. Though this is artist whose work I liked but I could not extend an invitation to him to join the project. As I had set up the main criteria for the selection that artist must consider onself as Panjabi.

Now I am working with Dr. Pritam Singh on another project, a publication WISDOM PANJAB, he kindly pointed to me that quoting J S Grewal, a historian, that identity of Panjabiyat developed when Panjabi became a medium of expression/writing around 11/12th century. Its the language that given an identity to a nation.We have seen in recent history, when the last person who spoke Cornish (from Cornwall an area forms south-west part of England), died, the Cornish nation died.

I like to keep things simple, for me anyone who speaks Panjabi and proud to stand up as a Panjabi, is a Panjabi.

During my recent visit to the US, a Panjabi living in Dallas, told that a Bihari, who came to his father in Panjab for work, who learnt to speak Panjabi fluently and then became a Sikh, now an active member of the family, and takes part in all family affairs and rituals. I would have no problem of accepting his as a Panjabi. This is a matter of the spirit and mind, not genetic.

On the other hand, someone born in a Panjabi village, moves out, changes his name, stops speaking Panjabi even at home, and does feel proud to consider himself/herself a Panjabi, I shall delete from my list of Panjabis.

There are other matters in this debate, which I have no qualification to comment, I shall leave it to the more learned people.

Harjinder’s point about the solidarity between East and West Punjab takes care of the misunderstanding that lies behind Pukhraj’s point about Punjabi nationalism fitting the frame of Sikh nationalism. Pukhraj is right, however, about not using the language of genes. Our framing of the question of Punjabiyat is about historically evolving Punjabi culture and national identity. And in this historically evolving Punjabi culture and national idenity, the central role of the socially marginalised sections of Punjabi society, the Dalits, is crucial to impart a progressive character to the idea of Punjabiyat. On that point, raising the question of placing of Dalit identity in the discussion on Punjabiyat, Pukhraj has drawn our attention to an important issue. In terms of commitment to Punjabi language, the Punjabi dalits whether in East Punjab, West Punjab or the diaspora are the most committed segment of Punjabi society. More work needs to be done, however, to document the vital role of Punjabi dalits in trasmitting the importance of Punjabi language and culture to their new generations in particular and Punjabi society in general.