Munish Sood
Mandi , May 3
In a significant academic recognition for Himachal Pradesh, noted writer Pawan Chauhan from Mahadev village in Sundernagar subdivision has had his travel memoir included in the undergraduate curriculum of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.
The development places Chauhan among a select group of contemporary Hindi authors being studied at the university level.
The memoir, based on his arduous and spiritually immersive journey to Kinner Kailash, has been incorporated into the BA second-year (third semester) syllabus under the Hindi textbook “Sahitya Vividhā.
” From the 2025 academic session, students across 475 affiliated colleges of the university are studying the text, marking a wide academic outreach of his work.
The textbook has been prepared in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and features an eminent roster of Hindi literary figures, including Vinod Kumar Shukla, Gopaldas Saxena ‘Neeraj’, Harishankar Parsai, Ramvriksha Benipuri, Gajanan Madhav Muktibodh, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi, and Uday Prakash. Chauhan’s inclusion alongside such distinguished names underlines the literary merit and relevance of his work.
Expanding Academic Footprint
Chauhan’s travel memoir has already found place in university curricula in Kerala and Nagpur, where it is being taught in undergraduate programmes. His growing academic presence reflects a wider acceptance of his writings in contemporary Hindi studies.
Beyond universities, his stories, poems, travelogues, and essays are part of school curricula in Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra, as well as in CBSE and ICSE-affiliated institutions across India—bringing his work to a diverse student base.
Versatile Literary Contribution
A prolific and versatile writer, Chauhan has been actively contributing to multiple genres, including fiction, poetry, children’s literature, and travel writing. His books “Himachal Ka Bal Sahitya” and “Jadon Se Judaav” are regarded as pioneering contributions in their respective domains in the state.
His writings have been translated into several Indian languages, including Nepali. Notably, a research study on his children’s literature titled “Critical Analysis of Pawan Chauhan’s Children’s Stories” was undertaken at the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala—indicating growing academic interest in his work.
Chauhan has also contributed to national media, writing a regular tourism column “Tour” for the Sunday magazine Umang of the Hindi daily Rashtriya Sahara, and has guest-edited special issues focused on children’s literature.
Teacher, Mentor and Innovator
Currently serving as a Hindi lecturer at Government School Chhamyar, Chauhan continues to play a pivotal role in nurturing young literary talent. His students’ writings are regularly published in reputed journals and magazines across the country.
He is also credited with introducing the innovative concept of wall magazines in Himachal Pradesh schools—an initiative aimed at encouraging creativity and strengthening reading and writing habits among students.
Recognition and Honours
Among his notable accolades, Chauhan’s poem “Phegdé Ka Ped” received the First Pratilipi Editorial Choice Poetry Award in 2017, along with several honours in the field of children’s literature.
With this latest inclusion in a major university curriculum, Pawan Chauhan’s literary journey marks another milestone—bringing recognition not only to his work but also to Himachal Pradesh’s growing presence in the national literary landscape.
