Govt to help preserve Bhisham Sahni's Rawalpindi house

The government today said it will offer all possible help to preserve the Rawalpindi house of noted Hindi writer Bhisham Sahni and a year-long programme will be organised to mark his birth centenary.
"We will do whatever possible on our part to preserve the house of the famous writer in Rawalpindi," Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said here at a function to mark the birth centenary of Sahni organised by Sahitya Akademi.
Sahni, a writer, playwright and actor was born on August 8, 1915 at Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
"He was a great writer and we are proud of him. The memory and works of such persons are precious for us and we will preserve this heritage," Sharma said.

He said first the government will collect information about the condition of the Sahni's house and then steps will be taken to offer assistance in preserving the place.
A Padma Bhushan awardee, Sahni's most famous novel and television screenplay was Tamas (darkness), a powerful and passionate account of the partition of India.

Recalling Sahni's works, Sharma said his simplicity and powerful writings will always be a treasure for the country.
He said the ministry will organise a year-long programme across the country to celebrate the centenary.
Youth should be involved in such programmes so that ideas and thoughts of these persons would be known to them, he said.

Parkshit Sahni, an actor and nephew of Sahni, was also present on the occasion and thanked the Modi government for organising the event.