<P> Punjabi Sufi poetry also influenced other Punjabi literary traditions particularly the Punjabi Qissa, a genre of romantic tragedy which also derived inspiration from Indic, Persian and Quranic sources . The Qissa of Heer Ranjha by Waris Shah (1706--1798) is among the most popular of Punjabi qisse . Other popular stories include Sohni Mahiwal by Fazal Shah, Mirza Sahiba by Hafiz Barkhudar (1658--1707), Sassi Punnun by Hashim Shah (1735?--1843?), and Qissa Puran Bhagat by Qadaryar (1802--1892). </P> <P> Heroic ballads known as Vaar enjoy a rich oral tradition in Punjabi . Prominent examples of heroic or epic poetry include Guru Gobind Singh's in Chandi di Var (1666--1708). The semi-historical Nadir Shah Di Vaar by Najabat describes the invasion of India by Nadir Shah in 1739 . The Jangnama, or' War Chronicle,' was introduced into Punjabi literature during the Mughal period; the Punjabi Jangnama of Shah Mohammad (1780--1862) recounts the First Anglo - Sikh War of 1845--46 . </P> <P> The Victorian novel, Elizabethan drama, free verse and Modernism entered Punjabi literature through the introduction of British education during the Raj . The first Punjabi printing press (using Gurmukhi font) was established through a Christian mission at Ludhiana in 1835, and the first Punjabi dictionary was published by Reverend J. Newton in 1854 . </P> <P> The Punjabi novel developed through Nanak Singh (1897--1971) and Vir Singh . Starting off as a pamphleteer and as part of the Singh Sabha Movement, Vir Singh wrote historical romance through such novels as Sundari, Satwant Kaur and Baba Naudh Singh, whereas Nanak Singh helped link the novel to the storytelling traditions of Qissa and oral tradition as well as to questions of social reform . </P>

Who is known as father of punjabi novel