Late: Gurcharan Gill Mansoor

On Sunday Dec 3, 2023, Gazal Manch Surrey and Vancouver Vichaar Manch hosted a gathering to remember and honor a well-known poet late Gurcharan Singh Mansoor. Historically, when poets pass on, the gatherings are generally somber and subdued. This event was unique as the family is of progressive thought, therefore, with collaboration with the family it was a celebration of life event for Gurcharan Singh Mansoor.

Novelist Jarnail Singh Sekha shared his professional and personal connection of 50 years with Gurcharan Singh Mansoor. Poet and Novelist Rajwant Raj recalled the vocal support of Mansoor Sahib for him and he is disappointed that we the poetry community has lost a personality who was not shy to appreciate each poet unconditionally.  

Ghazal poet Dashmesh Gill Firoze shared his experiences about his father Mansoor Sahib and he shared how proud his father was of him and his poetry. A well-known media personality & grand-daughter of Mansoor Sahib, Taranum, she recounted how her grand-father lectured her when she would mis-pronounce Punjabi terminology on the radio. Mansoor Sahib’s daughter stated that her father was a feminist long before the word feminist was created as he supported the women of the family to afford equal opportunities. The women of the family clearly displayed being proud to be descendants of Gurcharan Singh Mansoor.

Each poet shared their experiences with and about Mansoor Sahib with light humor, there was laughter in the room and sighs too. Mansoor Sahib will be greatly missed in our ghazal events and we will miss his open very vocal appreciation of the art of ghazal.