Karnail Singh Somal is a well known Punjabi prose-writer.

Biography

He was born in village Kalaur, District Fatehgarh Sahib (erstwhile in Distt. Patiala), Punjab, on 28 September 1940, as per school record. However, as per his mother, he was born in the early morning of Maghi, first day of the month of Magh. His father's name is Prem Singh and mother's name is Surjeet Kaur.

Education

He got his early education in his village Govt. Lower Middle school and National Middle school. He matriculated from Govt. High School Bassi Pathana in 1958. As he could not continue his education further, he got a petty job. However, his yearning for education led him to pursue his studies privately. He did his M.A. in Punjabi(standing third in the university) and M.A. in Hindi. Later on he got his Ph.D. from Punjab University. The topic of his thesis was "A Study Of Free Verse In Punjabi (up to 1950)".

Service

As he had done O.T. and B.Ed., so he started working as a school teacher. Thereafter, he joined Punjab School Education Board as Language Expert. About two years later he was selected as Assistant Director in Punjabi Teaching And Research Section of the Board. There his main contribution was in writing and editing Punjabi text-books. He retired from that post in September 1998.

Personal life

He married Salinder Kaur in 1966. They are blessed with two daughters- Manpreet Kaur (1969) and Jagpreet Kaur(1973).

Works

He has been writing for leading Punjabi newspapers for more than 35 years. He wrote literary essays, contributed to various Punjabi newspapers and journals. He wrote stories and poems for children. He did research work on Bhai Ditt Singh Giani.

Prose Books

No.	Title in Punjabi	Title in English	Meaning	Year
1.	ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਉਤਸਵ ਹੈ	Zindagi Utsav Hai	Life is a Celebration	1998
2.	ਜੀਵਨ ਜੁਗਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਤਲਾਸ਼	Jeevan Jugtan Di Talash	Search for Life Strategies	2001
3.	ਜਿਉਣਾ ਆਪਣੀ ਮੌਜ ਵਿਚ	Jiuna Apni Mauj Vich	Living in One's own Joy	2004
4.	ਨਿੱਤ ਚੜਦੈ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦਾ ਸੂਰਜ	Nitt Chardhai Naven Saal Da Sooraj	Every Day is a New Year's Day	2004
5.	ਫੁਰਸਤ ਦੇ ਪਲ	Fursat De Pal	Leisure Moments	2007
6.	ਕਲਾਮਈ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਤਾਂਘ	Kalamaee Jiwan Di Taangh	Longing for An Artistic Life	2009
7.	ਸਾਡੇ ਅੰਬਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਤਾਰੇ	Saade Ambaraan De Taare	Stars in the Sky of Our Life	2011

Research

Since very young age, the author was inspired by Bhai Ditt Singh Giani, Singh Sabha fame scholar, who was also born in village Kalaur. After a lot of research, the author wrote a book on this legendary writer, speaker, reformer, journalist and editor. The name of the book is "ਭਾਈ ਦਿੱਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਿਆਨੀ - ਜੀਵਨ ਰਚਨਾ ਤੇ ਸ਼ਖਸੀਅਤ (Bhai Ditt Singh Giani-Jeevan, Rachna Te Shaksiat )" ( 2003). Its revised edition was Published by Singh Brothers Amritsar in 2005.

Children's Literature

He writes for children regularly. He started writing for his grand-daughters living in Canada and used to email stories and poems to them. He has penned more than two dozen books. He writes for the magazines published by the Punjab School Education Board - ਪੰਖੜੀਆਂ, ਪਰਾਈਮਰੀ ਸਿਖਿਆ (Pankhrian, Primary Sikhia). Besides he wrote four books for school students, two grammar books and two essay books.

No.	Title in Punjabi	Title in English	Meaning	Year
1.	ਹਿਰਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਡਾਰ	Hirnaan di Daar	Herd of Deer	2006
2.	ਕੀੜੀ ਦਾ ਆਟਾ ਡੁਲ ਗਿਆ	Kiri Da Aata Dull Gaya	The Ant Spilled Her Flour	2006
3.	ਜਦੋਂ ਦਾਦਾ ਜੀ ਭੂਤ ਬਣ ਗਏ	Jadon Daada Ji Bhoot Ban Gaye	When Grandfather Turned into a Ghost	2006
4.	ਸੁਨਹਿਰੀ ਹਿਰਨ	Sunehri Hiran	The Golden Deer	2007
5.	ਸ਼ੇਰ ਉਪਕਾਰ ਨਾ ਭੁਲਿਆ	Sher upkaar na bhuleya	The Lion didn't Forget The Favour	2007
6.	ਲੇਲਾ ਨਾਨਕੇ ਗਿਆ	Lela Naanke Gaya	The Kid Goat Went To GrandParents	2007
7.	ਅਕ੍ਲਮੰਦ ਲੰਗੂਰ	Akalmand Langoor	The Wise Monkey	2007
8.	ਚੂਹੇ ਤੇ ਬਿੱਲੀ ਦੀ ਦੌੜ	Choohe Te Billi Di Daur	The Race between Mouse And Cat	2007
9.	ਸੋਨੇ ਦਾ ਆਂਡਾ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਮੁਰਗੀ	Sone da Aanda Den Vaali Murgi	The Hen Who Laid Golden Eggs	2007
10.	ਬਿੱਲੀ ਦੇ ਬ੍ਲੂੰਘੜੇ	Billi De Balunghre	The Cat's Kitten	2007
11.	ਘੋੜੇ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਆਂ	Ghore nu Nian	Justice To The Horse	2007
12.	ਵੇ ਤੋਤਿਆ ਮਨਮੋਤਿਆ	Ve Toteya Manmoteya	O Parrot!!	2007
13.	ਸਿਆਣਾ ਕਬੂਤਰ	Siana Kabootar	The Wise Pigeon	2007
14.	ਚਿੜੀ ਤੇ ਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਖਿਚੜੀ ਰਿੰਨੀ	Chiri te Kaan ne Khichri Rinni	The Sparrow and The Crow Cooked Rice	2007
15.	ਕਿੰਨੀ ਸੋਹਣੀ ਵੇਖ ਸਵੇਰ	Kinni Sohni Vekh Saver	Look! How Beautiful Is The Morning	2007
16.	ਵਾਹ ਬਈ ਕਮਾਲ	Wah Bhai Kamaal	Wow Incredible	2008
17.	ਇਸ ਘੋੜੇ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਾਗਾਂ ਫੜੋ	Is Ghore Diyaan Wagaan Faro	Hold This Horse's Bridle	2008
18.	ਸੋਹਣੇ ਸ਼ੌਕ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਲ ਕੋਈ ਨਾ	Sohne Shauk da Mull Koi Na	A Good Hobby Is Priceless	2008
19.	ਸੁਣੋ ਕਹਾਣੀ (ਨਵੇਂ ਦਿਸਹਦੇ )	Suno Kahani	Hear This Tale	2009
20.	ਸਿਖ੍ਹੀ ਸੰਥਾਵਲੀ ਭਾਗ 1	Sikhi Santhavali Bhag 1	Vignettes of Sikh Faith Part 1	2009
21.	ਸਿਖ੍ਹੀ ਸੰਥਾਵਲੀ ਭਾਗ 2	Sikhi Santhavali Bhag 2	Vignettes of Sikh Faith Part 2	2009
22.	ਸਿਖ੍ਹੀ ਸੰਥਾਵਲੀ ਭਾਗ 3	Sikhi Santhavali Bhag 3	Vignettes of Sikh Faith Part 3	2009
23.	ਸਿਖ੍ਹੀ ਸੰਥਾਵਲੀ ਭਾਗ 4	Sikhi Santhavali Bhag 4	Vignettes of Sikh Faith Part 4	2009

For Students

No.	Title in Punjabi	Title in English	Meaning	Year
1	ਨਿਵੇਕਲੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਲੇਖ ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਸ਼੍ਰੇਣੀਆਂ ਲਈ	Nivekle Punjabi Lekh Senior Shreniyaan Layi	Anew Punjabi Essays for Senior Classes	2005
2	ਨਿਵੇਕਲੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਲੇਖ ਐਲੀਮੇਨ੍ਟ੍ਰੀ ਸ਼੍ਰੇਣੀਆਂ ਲਈ	Nivekle Punjabi Lekh Elementary Shreniyaan Layi	Anew Punjabi Essays for Elementary Classes	2008
3	ਰੌਚਕ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿਆਕਰਨ ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਸ਼੍ਰੇਣੀਆਂ ਲਈ	Rauchak Punjabi Viakaran Senior Shreniyaan Layi	Interesting Punjabi Grammar For Senior Classes	2005
4	ਰੌਚਕ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿਆਕਰਨ ਐਲੀਮੇਨ੍ਟ੍ਰੀ ਸ਼੍ਰੇਣੀਆਂ ਲਈ	Rauchak Punjabi Viakaran Elementary Shreniyaan Layi	Interesting Punjabi Grammar For Elementary Classes	2008

External links