CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh released the first volume of the "Encyclopaedia of the Sikh Literature", the English version of "Gurushabad Ratankar Mahan Kosh" by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha here Thursday at a simple but an impressive ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Capt. Singh congratulated the team of the Punjabi University who undertook this gigantic task to translate this Mahan Kosh in English, originally prepared in 1926 and published in 1930 -    twelfth in the history of encyclopaedias of the world.  "A vast reservoir of profound and varied knowledge this Mahan Kosh has not been best used, particularly by the people in India and abroad, not well versed in Punjabi language", said Capt. Singh.  

In his address Vice Chancellor Punjabi University S.S.Boparai said that about two years back, that University took the initiative to translate this Mahan Kosh into English language, which was supported by Major A.P. Singh, grandson of Bhai Kahan Singh, various linguistic experts and 24 translators.   Visualized as Encyclopaedia of Sikh Literature by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha, this comprises of expositions with illustrations of 64,263 terms relating to Gurmat and Gurbani. Not only this, terms relating to ancient Hindu scriptures, masterpieces of Sanskrit literature, the Indian systems of prosody, music and medicine are explained with the same command.

Dr. Dhanwant Kaur, head, Punjabi Language Development, Punjabi University, also coordinator of this project, while briefing about this translation process said that Late Maj. Gurmukh Singh, who translated almost all the words of first three alphabets of Punjabi language, has contributed a lot in the successful completion of this first volume.   Dr.Kaur expects the completion of the work on second volume by the end of year 2007 and has the target of completing all the four volumes of this Mahan Kosh by end of year 2010.

The editorial board, which comprises of, Dr. Prem Singh from Delhi University, Dr. Gurkirpal Singh Sekhon, retired English professor from Punjabi University and Dr. Tejwant Gill, retired English professor, Punjabi university had been working round the clock to complete this project.  

 The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Advisor BIS Chahal and Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar and Major A.P.Singh, grandson of Bhai Khan Singh.