Chandigarh: In a culturally rich and intellectually invigorating event held at Punjab Kala Bhawan, an iconic architectural landmark designed by the author himself, five new books by Dr SS Bhatti, former Principal of Chandigarh College of Architecture, were released to an admiring audience of scholars, artists, and art lovers.
The Chief Guest, Sardar Swarnjit Singh Savi, Chairman, Punjab Arts Council, released Recovery of India, a thought-provoking socio-political treatise envisioning the revival of Indian nationhood. “Dr Bhatti is not only an architect of buildings but of the human spirit,” Mr Savi said. “His vision penetrates through superficial layers of politics, reaching the very soul of civilisational values.” He praised the book as a landmark in contemporary thought, a blueprint for rebuilding India from within.
Col Tilak Raj, former Chief Postmaster General of Punjab and Chandigarh Circle, released Pen-Prints on the Sands of Time, a poetic diary of spiritual insight and personal reflection. Having penned the Forewords for both this volume and Recovery of India, Col Raj observed: “These are books of enduring relevance and timeless appeal. Dr Bhatti’s writing unites aesthetic grace with intellectual depth. His insights are not only original but transformative. These books will make a prized addition to personal and public libraries.”
Ar Surinder Bahga, Principal Architect of Saakaar Foundation, released My Art, a unique compilation of drawings, paintings, and graphics created across decades. He applauded the book as a luminous journey through the multifaceted creative personality of an architect who has never been content with any single medium. “Dr Bhatti’s visual art is an extension of his philosophical and poetic mind,” he noted.
Prof Swati Behl Uppal, Principal of the University Institute of Architecture, Chandigarh University, released Covid-19 Creativity: Stray Musings, a literary meditation on resilience, written during the height of global uncertainty. “This book captures not only the angst of the pandemic but also the triumph of the human spirit,” she said. “Dr Bhatti uses language as balm, philosophy as compass.”
Pal Ajnabi, a noted Punjabi poet, released Meri Chup Hi Kavita Kehndi, an anthology of Punjabi poetry by Dr Bhatti. “In this work, silence itself becomes speech,” he said. “His Punjabi poems blend metaphysical depth with earthy idiom, an achievement rarely seen.”
Ms Navsangeet Bahga, Director, White Falcon Publishing Solutions Ltd., shared insights into the long and fulfilling publishing association with Dr Bhatti. Having published more than 30 of his books across genres and languages, she curated an exhibition of his publications for the occasion. “Working with Dr Bhatti is to witness history being written with every book,” she stated.
In his Vote of Thanks, Dr SS Bhatti offered a deeply personal and philosophical reflection on the Art of Writing and the Creation of Significant Literature. He emphasised that his writing prowess was forged through an unceasing refinement of sensibility—his innate receptivity to truth, beauty, and life itself. “I trained myself to remain in a creatively active mode—where originality, diversity, and abundance become a way of being,” he remarked. “My quest has never been for fame but for fullness of expression.”
Dr Bhatti also added with a note of humility and humour that he may well be “the architect with the largest number of authored publications in the world”, a claim no one disputed in the auditorium. He presented a copy of his book Recovery of India to HS Sohal and of Punjabi Poetry to Jaswinder Raja for their beautiful illustrations contributed to the publications.
The programme was aesthetically compered by Sardar B S Malik, Secretary of Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Regd.), Chandigarh, whose anchoring added grace and gravitas to the event.
The event was jointly organised by Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Regd.), and Saakaar Foundation, under the auspices of Punjab Arts Council, Chandigarh. It concluded with a resounding (standing) ovation for Dr SS Bhatti—Architect, Artist, Poet, Philosopher, Educationist—a true renaissance figure whose legacy continues to deepen and inspire across generations.