Dr. Dalip Kaur Tiwana (A Documentary film by Amar Gholia)

Dr. Dalip Kaur Tiwana is a foremost novelist and short-story writer of contemporary Punjabi literature. She has won awards, both regional and national, and is a widely translated author. She retired as Professor of Punjabi, and Dean, Faculty of Languages, from Punjabi University, Patiala.
Dalip Kaur Tiwana was born on 4 May 1935 in village Rabbon in the Ludhiana district of Punjab in a well-to-do land-owning family. She was educated at Patiala, where her uncle, Sardar Sahib Tara Singh Sidhu was Inspector General of Prisons. She had a distinguished academic career. She got first class first in M.A., and was the first woman in the region to get the PhD degree from the Panjab University, Chandigarh.

In 1963, She joined the Punjabi University, Patiala as a Lecturer and then went on to become Professor and Head of the Department of Punjabi, and Dean, Faculty of Languages. She was a brilliant teacher and researcher and made a significant contribution to literary and critical studies in Punjabi. She was also a UGC National Lecturer for a year.

She is married to sociologist and Poet Prof Bhupinder Singh and has a son Dr Simranjit Singh, who is an Assistant Professor of Electronics and Communication at Punjabi University. Dr Tiwana lives with her family on the campus of Punjabi University, Patiala, where she is life fellow and writer-in-residence.

On 14 October 2015, she returned Padma Shri award against increasing intolerance in the country.She received this award in 2004 for her contribution to literature and education.

Collection
Novels: 1.Agni Prikhya 2.Eho Hamara Jiwna 3.Waat Hamari 4.Teeli da Nishaan 5.Sooraj te Samandar 6.Doosri Seeta 7.Within Without 8.Sarkandyaan de Des 9.Dhupp Chhaan te Rukh 10.Sabh Des Paraya 11.Hey Ram 12.Lambi Udaari 13.Peele Pattyaan di daastan 14.Hastaakhar 15.Pairchaal 16.Rin Pittraan da 17.Air wair mildayaan 18.Langh gaye dariya 19.Jimi puchhay asmaan 20.Katha kuknoos di 21.Duni suhava baagh 22.Katha kaho urvashi 23.Bhaujal 24.Oh taan pari si 25.Moh maaya 26.Janam juye haarya 27.Khada pukare pattani 28.Paunaan di jind meri 29.Khitij ton paar 30.Teen lok se nyari 31.Tumri katha kahi na jaye 32.Vichre sabho vaari vaari 33.Takhat hazara door kude Stories: 1.Merian saariyaan kahaniyaan 2.Kise di dhee 3.Saadhna 4.Yaatra 5.Ik kudi 6.Tera Kamra mera kamra 7.Panjaan vich parmeshar 8.Fullan dian kahaniyaan 9.Panchhiyaan dian kahaniyaan 10.Baabaniyaan kahaniyaan 11.Putt saputt karen 12.Paidaan 13.Kaale likh na lekh 14.Athhe pehar Biography: Dr Mohan singh Diwana Autobiography: 1.Nange Pairaan da safar 2.Poochte ho to suno 3.Tere mere sarokaar 4.Jeeun joge 5.Turdyaan turdyaan

English Translations: 1.Such is her fate (Punjabi University) 2.A journey on bare feet (Orient Longman) 3.Twilight+Mark of the nosepin (NBT, Delhi) 4.Gone are the rivers (Macmillan) 5. The tale of the phoenix (Unistar, Chandigarh) 6.Who am I (Diamond Pocket Books, Delhi) 7.Tell the tale Urvashi (Orient Blackswan; forthcoming).

The characters in Tiwana's novels and short-stories are the downtrodden and the innocent rural folk with suppressed desires and passions. Tragedy and irony mark the main elements of her fiction. Complex inner duality of the female psyche is the chief theme of Tiwana. Besides her achievement in fiction, Tiwana has written two books on literary criticism too.

Awards :
Academic
Honored with UGC National Lecturership.
Literary
Govt. of Punjab Award for Sadhana as the best book of short stories, 1960–61.
Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971 for novel Eho hamara jivan (This our life, 1969)[5]
Ministry of Education and Social Welfare Award for Punjaan Vich Parmeshar in 1975
Nanak Singh Puruskar (Languages Department, Govt. of Punjab) for the novel Peele Patian Di Dastan
Gurmukh Singh Musafir Award (Languages Department, Govt. of Punjab)for the autobiography Nange Pairan Da Safar in 1982
Canadian International Association of Punjabi Authors and Artists Award, 1985.
Shiromani Sahitkar Award, Languages Department, Govt. of Punjab, 1987.
Pramaan Pattar from Punjab Govt. 1989.
Dhaliwal Award from Punjabi Sahit Academy, Ludhiana, 1991.
Best Novelist of the Decade (1980–90), Punjabi Academy, Delhi, 1993.
Nanjanagudu Thirumalamba Award for the novel Katha Kuknus Di, Karnataka, 1994
Vagdevi Award for the novel Duni Suhava Bagh from Bhartiya Bhasha Parishad, Calcutta, 1998
Honored with Mata Sahib Kaur Award during the tercentenary celebrations of the Birth of the Khalsa for outstanding contribution in the field of language, art and literature at Anandpur Sahib on 11 April 1999.
Kartar Singh Dhaliwal Award (Lifetime achievement) from Punjabi Sahit Academy, Ludhiana,2000
Saraswati Samman in 2001 for novel Katha Kaho Urvashi[6]
Padma Shri Award in 2004 for Literature & Education[7]
Panj Pani Award from Jalandhar Doordarshan, 2005.
Punjabi Sahit Rattan Award from Govt. of Punjab, 2008.
Honorary D.Litt. from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 2011.