Dr.Tohid Ahmad Chattha

Basic Information

Brief Statement of research work

I am a Historian whose research focuses on public history, cultural history, peoples history, and Indigenous histories. My recent work explores the social history dimensions of Hir by Waris Shah, examining the celebrated folk epic as a source for understanding social and cultural past of Punjab. I am also investigating the intersections of traditional textiles and architecture in Punjab within the broader context of the Harappan Civilization. My scholarly interests further extend to the Punjabi language, its historical development, and linguistic and cultural movements through a postcolonial lens. I am the founder and editor of Kuknas Magazine, a pioneering initiative dedicated to translating world literature into Punjabi and making global intellectual and literary traditions accessible to Punjabi readers. Since 2016, I have served as the founder and chief organizer of the annual Lyallpur Punjabi Literary Festival, widely recognized as the largest Punjabi literary festival. I am also engaged in developing a comprehensive digital archive of history of Punjab in the Punjabi language, aimed at preserving and promoting the rich historical heritage of region for future generations. Currently, I teach courses on the History of Punjab, Colonial Punjab, World Civilizations, and Archival Studies. My research has been published in both English and Punjabi through various scholarly journals and publications. In 2023, I presented my research on the folk epic Hir at the 136th Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association in Philadelphia, USA. I have also been invited to participate in the upcoming Annual Conference of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS-in-Asia), to be held at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan.