Dr. Lakhwinder Singh Johl is a well-known poet, writer, and editor of modern Punjabi literature. He was born in village Jandiala Samraey, district Jalandhar, to S. Gurdip Singh and mother Rajinder Kaur. He completed his higher education up to the Ph.D. level and has worked in various professional positions. From 1991 to 2015, Lakhwinder Singh Johl served at Doordarshan Kendra, Jalandhar, as a Programme Executive. Prior to this, he worked as a Production Assistant at Doordarshan, Sub-Editor at the daily Ajit and Nava Zamana, and also played the role of anchor in various Doordarshan programmes. In these roles, he actively contributed to the planning, preparation, and broadcasting of numerous programmes related to the Punjabi language, literature, and culture.
Lakhwinder Singh Johl has made a significant contribution to Punjabi literature. His poetry collections include Bahut Der Ho Gayi, Manoveg, Ik Supna Ik Samvad, Black Hole, Shabdan Di Sansad, Bahis Ton Bekhabar, Lahoo De Lafz, Athroo Di Atamkatha, Paani Hoye Vichar, and others. His poetry deeply expresses human experience, social realities, existential questions, and inner conflicts. In addition to poetry, he has also written literary criticism, poetic essays, and word-portraits. His works have been published in Hindi and English as well. Along with creative writing, he has also undertaken translation work from other languages.
A distinctive feature of Dr. Lakhwinder Singh Johl is that he views literature and media as interconnected fields. His identity is not limited to that of a poet or an executive; rather, he is recognized as a conscious cultural activist who has remained continuously engaged in the service of Punjabi literature and culture. At present, he is serving as the President of the Punjabi Writers’ Cooperative Society Limited. Earlier, he has also served as the President of the Punjabi Sahit Academy, Ludhiana. Lakhwinder Johl has held and continues to hold various positions such as Secretary, Chairman, President, Editor, and Chief Editor in different institutions. Besides this, he has also produced a large number of documentary films.
For his contributions to Punjabi literature and culture, he has received numerous awards and honours, including the Shiromani Award from the Department of Languages, Punjab; the Guru Nanak Dev Ji Achievers Award from the Government of Punjab; the Doordarshan National Award; the Public Service Broadcasting National Award; and the Shiv Kumar Batalvi and Bulleh Shah Awards.