Sahir Ludhianvi Remembered at His Alma Mater; Alumni Regret Ludhiana’s Failure to Honour Its Literary Icon

Ludhiana, October 25, 2026: On the 46th death anniversary of Sahir Ludhianvi, alumni of Government College, Ludhiana, gathered at their alma mater on Sunday to pay heartfelt tributes to the legendary poet whose progressive writings and immortal film songs continue to touch hearts across generations. In the serenity of a candle-lit gathering, floral tributes were offered before the commemorative plaque installed in the college in honor of its illustrious alumnus. Sahir, born in Ludhiana on March 8, 1921, studied at the college in the early 1940s after matriculating from the local Malwa School. He subsequently rose to become one of the most influential voices in modern Urdu poetry and Hindi cinema, giving lyrical expression to love, human suffering, social inequality and the yearning for peace.
Recalling his association with the institution, alumni Ravinder Vatsyan, P. D. Gupta, Brij Bhushan Goyal and Baldev Baghi shared memories of Sahir's visit during the college's Golden Jubilee celebrations in November 1970. Col. Jaswinder Garcha, K. B. Singh and several other alumni were also present. Principal Gursharanjit Singh Sandhu ( Also alumnus ) thanked alumni for remembering the iconic Sahir.  Alumni ,while appreciating the college's recognition of its distinguished alumnus through the naming of its main auditorium as Sahir Auditorium and its botanical park as Gulistan-e-Sahir, the alumni expressed regret that Ludhiana had yet to establish a lasting cultural institution worthy of its celebrated son. All the alumni echoed in one voice that by choosing Ludhianvi as his poetic surname, Sahir gave his native city a place of honor in the literary consciousness of the country. His legacy reminds Ludhiana that its identity extends beyond commerce and industry to the world of literature, ideas and artistic excellence.
“Sahir's humanistic values needed to be studied, researched and communicated to younger generations. His poetry and songs questioned war, prostitution, political corruption and social injustice while advocating peace, national integration, human dignity and hope for the youth.Ludhiana remembers Sahir with pride, but remembrance must lead to meaningful cultural action. The city needs a common cultural centre dedicated to him, where writers, scholars, students and citizens can gather to celebrate his work, examine his ideas and carry his progressive thought to future generations,"  said Goyal Org Sec of Alumni Association of the college .
In his message, noted Punjabi poet Gurbhajan Gill highlighted Sahir's outstanding contribution to Hindi film music. He observed that Sahir transformed the very approach to writing film songs by establishing that lyrics need not remain mere rhyming lines fitted to a tune; they could possess literary depth, poetic beauty and intellectual substance. His songs thus brought the dignity of poetry to popular cinema and secured a lasting place in India's cultural heritage. Prof PK Sharma said Sahir never let life's setbacks to discourage him and this reflected in his poetry too . 
The alumni and citizens renewed their demand for the restoration of the earlier decision by the Municipal Corporation to rename College Road as Sahir Marg, a tribute reportedly undertaken after the poet's death. They also called for the installation of a suitable bust of Sahir in Rose Garden, the naming of the library there after him as Sahir Library, and the revival of the cultural centre project announced by the state government in the 1990s. The gathering underlined a shared sentiment: Sahir deserves more than an annual tribute. His words continue to challenge injustice, question hypocrisy and affirm the common humanity that binds people together. Ludhiana, the city he immortalized through his name, must ensure that his literary legacy becomes an enduring part of its public and cultural life.