‘Pata Karo Ji’ to feature in Class 1 textbook ‘Bal Bharati’ from 2025-26 session
Munish Sood
MANDI: In a moment of pride for Himachal Pradesh, noted writer and poet Pawan Chauhan from Mahadev village in Mandi district has achieved another literary milestone. His popular children’s poem “Pata Karo Ji” has been included in the Maharashtra state school curriculum.
The poem will be taught in Class 1 Hindi textbook titled ‘Bal Bharati’ from the academic session 2025-26, reaching millions of students across government and private schools in the state.
Published by the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research, Pune, the poem has been selected in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020, the National Curriculum Framework (Foundational Stage) 2023 and the State Foundational Teaching Curriculum 2024. Designed to be both entertaining and educational, the poem connects children with their natural surroundings and cultural roots through rhythmic verses.
This is not the first time Pawan Chauhan’s work has found a place in Maharashtra’s curriculum. Earlier, his children’s story “Alag Andaaz Mein Holi” was included in the Class 7 Hindi syllabus of the state.
Voice for children’s literature
Pawan Chauhan has been an active contributor to Hindi literature, particularly in the field of children’s stories, poetry and feature writing.
His literary works have already been included in numerous school and university syllabi across India, including:
• Himachal Pradesh Board Class 5 textbook
• Lead School’s Class 5 Hindi book ‘Sampoorna Hindi Samarth’
• CBSE-affiliated ‘Saraswati Sargam’ for Class 7
• Class 2 textbook ‘Nav Unmesh’
• Viva Education’s curriculum for Classes 3 to 8, featuring stories, dialogues, travelogues and plays
• Travelogues in B.Com curriculum at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and in the BA syllabus at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Maharashtra
His works have also been translated into multiple Indian languages. A dissertation on Pawan Chauhan’s children’s literature was conducted at Central University of Himachal Pradesh, highlighting his contribution to the genre.
Published works and editorial contributions
Pawan Chauhan has authored several acclaimed books such as:
• ‘Kinare Ki Chattan’ (poetry collection)
• ‘Woh Bilkul Chup Thi’ (Short Stories – National Book Trust)
• ‘Bholu Bhalu Sudhar Gaya’ (children’s stories)
• ‘Himachal Ka Bal Sahitya’ (research work)
• ‘Jadon Se Judav’ (cultural heritage)
• ‘Poonch Kata Chuha’ (publication division, Government of India)
• ‘Tourists’ Paradise: Himachal Pradesh’ (Travel Guide)
• ‘Bindli Aur Laddu’, ‘21 Best Stories for Children from Himachal’ (Edited)
• ‘Kislay’ (Anthology of Young Himachali Writers)
His upcoming release, ‘Tarkib Khel Ki’, a children’s story collection, is currently under publication. Notably, books like ‘Himachal Ka Bal Sahitya’ and ‘Jadon Se Judav’ are considered the first of their kind in the region.
Chauhan has also served as a guest editor for special editions on children’s literature and was a regular columnist for the Sunday magazine ‘Umang’ of the National Sahara newspaper, where he wrote a travel column titled ‘Tour’.
Honours and recognition
Pawan Chauhan has received numerous accolades for his contributions to Hindi and children’s literature, including:
• Pratilipi Editorial Choice Award (2017) for the poem “Phegde Ka Ped”
• Hindi Sahitya Bhushan (Sahitya Mandal, Shrinathdwara, Rajasthan)
• Shabd-Manch Award (Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh)
• Himtaru State Award for Children’s Literature (2017, Kullu)
• Dharm Prakash Sahitya Mani Samman (2018, Shimla)
• Bal Sahitya Srijan Samman (2019, Rajasthan)
Chauhan, a teacher by profession, continues to inspire young minds through his storytelling and tireless advocacy for children’s literature in regional and national forums.
