# Punjabi novel Khora shortlisted for 2026 Dhahan Prize 2026-08-18T05:11:27+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Dr Dharampal Sahil, a retired school principal from Hoshiarpur, has been shortlisted for the 2026 Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature for his novel 'Khora' (Erosion). The prize, founded in Vancouver in 2013, is among the top international honours for Punjabi fiction. Sahil is one of six writers competing for combined prize money of 51,000 Canadian dollars. 'Khora' explores environmental loss and migration in Punjab's Kandi belt near Himachal Pradesh. Times Now News reports that Sahil drew on changes he witnessed locally, including mining and deforestation that have eroded livelihoods, settlements and cultural traditions. The book is published by Chetna Parkashan and is Sahil's seventh Punjabi novel. The Dhahan Prize shortlist brings international visibility to the Kandi region's distinct geography and culture, which Sahil says is often overlooked compared to regions like Malwa, Doaba and Majha. The winner will be announced in 2026. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Dhahan Prize, Dharampal Sahil, Hoshiarpur Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/punjabi-novel-khora-shortlisted-for-2026-dhahan-prize/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/punjabi-novel-khora-shortlisted-for-2026-dhahan-prize/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/