Punjabi Academy 
INTRODUCTION
Delhi, after independence, has emerged as a cosmopolitan city with diverse cultures and languages. It has always been the endeavour of the Delhi Administration to provide all possible facilities for the development and promotion of different languages and the projection of the composite culture of Delhi. With a view to promoting and reviving this consciousness, the Delhi Administration established the Punjabi Academy in September,1981. Therefore, Delhi has been aptly described as 'Mini Bharat".
After the partition of the country, the cultural scene of Delhi underwent a radical change. The hard-working Punjabis, displaced from Pakistan, have made a world of difference in the development of Delhi. The city has become more energetic, more inventive and more spirited than even before. According to the census of 1991, after Hindi, the 2nd highest-speaking population is Punjabi.
The overall development of any language and culture is directly related to the language and policy of the Government of that State/Union Territory. Therefore, the efforts made by the government to promote the Punjabi language can not be ignored.
Objective
The broad objectives for which the Punjabi Academy has been set up are to promote the Punjabi lingual culture as follows-
- Promotion of Punjabi Language Culture
- Promotion/Propagation of Punjabi Literary Activities
- Punjabi Language Development Programme
- Publication of Books/Journals
- Research work and other programmes for promotion and Development of Punjabi Language
- Encouragement to Punjabi Writers/Artists/Journalists and other Lingual Cultural Promoters.
To achieve the above objects and to encourage and publish original works of literary and academic merit and also books for children in Punjabi; to help deserving authors of Punjabi in publishing their works; to give monthly financial assistance to old and needy authors of Punjabi and their dependents who are in indigent circumstances; to provide facilities including financial assistance for advanced study to Punjabi scholars for specific period to invite eminent scholars and other persons of eminence to deliver lectures; to organise seminars, conferences, celebrations of birth anniversaries of prominent poets/writers; get together of academicians for discussing problems connected with Punjabi language and literature.
The Punjabi Academy was established by the erstwhile Delhi Administration, now Govt. of NCT of Delhi, as an autonomous organisation in the year 1981-82 for the propagation, promotion and development of Punjabi language, literature and culture as an integral part of the composite culture of the Union Territory of Delhi. Ever since its inception, the Academy has been playing a catalytic role in the proliferation of Punjabi literary and cultural activities in the sphere of music, folk dances, seminars, symposia, short stories, poetry, novels, literary criticism, drama etc. Our goal is to achieve all-round development of the Punjabi language, literature and culture in the Union Territory of Delhi. During the last two decades, the Academy has assumed a significant role and status of premier organisation in the field of Punjabi language, literature and culture.
To plan the schemes and activities of the Punjabi Academy. The Chairperson of the Academy (Hon'ble Minister, Art, Culture & Languages, Delhi) nominates 25 members to its Governing Council for two years. The members of the Governing Council include renowned litterateurs, authors, poets, journalists and cultural activists. All the schemes and budget of the Academy are approved by the Governing Council. Sub-committees are also constituted to ensure that the selection of beneficiaries is transparent.