Dr. Manmohan is an established poet, novelist, critic, linguist, translator, and editor in the world of Punjabi literature. He was born on 14 July 1963 in Amritsar. He belonged to the 1988 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS) and retired in July 2023 from the position of Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. During his tenure, he served in various significant positions under the Government of India. At present, he is serving as Professor of Eminence at Guru Nanak Dev University. He is also the Chairman of Sahitya Akademi Chandigarh. In addition, he has been a member of the executive body of Punjab Arts Council. Alongside his literary engagements, he has remained dedicated to the service of the nation. In 2025, he was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Security Council by the Government of India.
Dr. Manmohan has attained a high level of education. In 1994, he earned his Ph.D. degree on the topic “Myth Transformation in Dasam Granth: A Semiotic Study of Form and Meaning.” He began his literary career during his student life. His first poetry collection, Agle Chaurāhe Tak, was published in 1982. After that, he authored twelve poetry collections, namely Man Mahial, Mere Mein Chandni, Sur Sanket, Namit, Ath, Neelkanth, Dooje Shabdan Vich, Baikhari, Koham (Hindi), Zeel, and Kalp Birakh Di Adhuri Pari Katha. Besides poetry, he wrote his first novel Nirvan, which has been translated into Hindi, English, and Rajasthani. In addition, two more novels of his, Sahaj Gufa Meh Aasanan and Manu Pankhi Bhaio, have been published. Sixteen of his books related to research, reflection, and philosophy have been published, and in the field of translation, he has published around nine books. Alongside being an original author, Dr. Manmohan has also played an active role as an editor and has edited approximately six books in this domain.
For his contributions to literature, Dr. Manmohan has received numerous honors from various institutions. Prominent among them are the Poetry Award, Criticism Award, and Prose Award from Punjabi Academy Delhi; the Best Poet Award from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; recognition from Sahitya Akademi; the Award of Recognition from Sahitya Akademi Chandigarh; and the Shiromani Sahitkar Award from the Government of Punjab. Apart from literary honors, he has also been decorated with the Indian Police Medal, the President’s Police Medal, the Internal Security Police Medal, and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service. Dr. Manmohan continues to contribute actively to literature and to the service of the nation.