Urdu World: News & Views
Habib Tanvir: Doyen of Indian theatre dead
Obituary
Habib Tanvir who dominated the Indian theatre scene for nearly half-a-century is no more. He died in Bhopal at the age of 86.
Tanvir’s role in keeping Indian theatre close to the masses is second to none. Agra Bazar and Charandas Chor are universally acclaimed as among the most popular plays in post-independent [...]
Tribute to Kavish Badri: A unique Ghazal
Renowed Urdu poet Kavish Badri died in his native town, Ambur, in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu recently. One of the masters of Urdu poetry, Kavish Badri was among the most prominent Urdu writers in South India.
One of his ghazals with a unique ‘radeef’ is being posted here. It’s just a glimpse to the [...]
Ghulam Nabi Azad criticised for oath in English, Urdu speakers upset
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has faced criticism from Urdu speakers for taking oath in English.
Azad, a former Union Minister and an ex-Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, was expected to take the oath in Urdu, the official language of the state which he belongs to.
Besides, Indian Muslims predominantly speak Urdu and are [...]
Indian Muslims, Urdu and Communalism
Renowned filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has appealed to the citizens to join hands to restore Urdu to its rightful place in India.
Recalling that his mother Shireen was a Shia Muslim who was married to a secular Hindu Brahmin, she had to hide her religion because she didn’t want her children to suffer and face communalism or [...]
Demise of Urdu poets Rafat Sarosh, Fiza Ibn Faizi and other eminent writers
Recently two important Urdu poets, Rafat Sarosh and Fiza Ibn Faizi passed away.
Sarosh, who was born on April 8, 1924, in Nagina town in Bijnore district of Uttar Pradesh. He had spent long years of his professional life with the All India Radio (AIR).
He was 84. Sarosh’s auto-biographical work is considered an important literary [...]
Urdu Poetry: 200 Ghazals and Nazms
Urdu poetry transcends geographical boundaries and is understood and loved by millions who can’t read a word written in Urdu script. I am happy that my other blog now has a collection of 200 selected ghazals and Nazms, each in Urdu, Hindi and Roman English scripts, for the benefit of readers. Read.
Due to the linguistic [...]
Noor: A standard Urdu monthly for children
For almost six decades, Noor, has been the leading children’s magazine in the country and has helped keeping Urdu alive among the young ones in India.
The Noor digest is published from Rampur (Uttar Pradesh) and is a must in every household where Urdu is spoken. Along with Umang and Payam-e-Talim, Noor is among the few [...]
Renowned Urdu poet Saghar Khayyami passes away
One of the most popular humorist poets of Urdu, Saghar Khayyami passed away in Mumbai. He was admitted to the Nanavati Hospital after suffering cardiac arrest.
Khayyami, whose real name was Rashidul Hasan, was 70. The body has been flown to Lucknow for the last rites. Saghar Khayyami’s demise has left the Urdu world in [...]
Demise of Urdu poets: Ramz, Ghulam Rizvi Gardish
Eminent Urdu poet Mohammad Ahmad Ramz died in Ghaziabad on April 2. He was the foremost modernist poet.
Ramz was born in Sitapur in 1932. He emerged as a leading poet at the peak of moderist movement, especially in the 70s. Earlier known as Ramz Sitapuri, his collection of poetry ‘Savaad-e-Rang’ got popularity.
His couplet: SaaNsoN [...]
Naiyer Masud: Foremost short-story writer of our times
One of the foremost Indian writers, Naiyer Masood, is known for his masterful portrayal of the Lucknow of yore. But Masood dislikes nostalgia.
A flagbearer of post-modernist tradition in Urdu, his short-stories reflect the decline of Lucknow, once the epitome of culture and civility in India. But the stories no way lament the loss [...]
Saraswati Samman to Naiyer Masud, Iqbal Award to Majeed
Renowned Urdu litterateur Naiyer Masud has been selected for this year’s Saraswati Samman, which is given by KK Birla Foundation, annually to an Indian author in any of the languages of the country.
Masud is one of the greatest Urdu short-story writers and has become a legend in his lifetime. A translation of his short-stories, which [...]
Delhi Urdu Academy awards announced
The Delhi Urdu Academy has announced its annual awards for the year 2008. The All India Bahadur Shah Zafar Award (Rs 1.11 lakh) goes to Professor Syed Mohammad Aqeel Rizvi.
The prestigious Pt Brijmohan Dattatreya Award will be conferred on Anand Mohan Zutshi Gulzar Dehalvi. The award carries Rs 51,000 cash and memento. Mahfoozur Rahman and [...]
Fikr Taunsvi: A great satirist
Until a few decades back, Fikr Taunsvi’s ‘Pyaaz ke Chhilke’ was one of the most popular columns and the readers would wait for the newspaper every day just to read his piece and later discuss it.
Ramlal Bhatia, who wrote under the pseudonym Fikr Taunswi, also wrote ‘Teer-o-Nashtar’ for Biswin Sadi. Unfortunately not enough [...]
Urdu Awards to Waris Alvi, Mansha Yad
Renowned Urdu critic from India Waris Alvi and litterateur Mansha Yad from Pakistan have been selected for the 12th Alami Urdu Adab Award given by Majlis-e-Farogh-e-Urdu Adab (Doha, Qatar).
Alvi is one of the most oustanding modernist critics in Urdu. He is known for his straightforward criticism. The jury comprising Prof Gopi Chand Narang, Mazhar Imam, [...]
Two more Urdu monthly digests stop publication
The closure of two more monthly Urdu digests has not been noticed in mainstream Urdu press, as they were magazines that catered to popular interest.
The two Urdu digests, “Sadha Rang’ and ‘Talash’ ceased publication. Earlier, Chahar Rang, Hazar Rang, Aalami Digest, Aatish-e-Gul and Nikhat-e-Gul disappered from the market due to decline in readership.
Now Huma remains [...]
Jolt to Urdu-lovers in Mumbai: Closure of Maktaba Jamia
Urdu lovers are shocked with the news that the Maktaba Jamia’s Mumbai branch will be finally closed on November 30. For six decades Maktab that had a vast treasure of books, was a centre for Urdu-lovers and had become an institution under Shahid Ali Khan.
Reacting to the decision, Nida Fazli said that Government should take [...]
Unique Mushaira: Non-Muslim Urdu poets enchant audience at historic Sholapur mushaira
A unique Mushaira was organised in Sholapur in Maharashtra recently where only the non-Muslim poets of Urdu recited their poetry.
Mahendra ‘Ashk’ presided over the Mushaira and gave an introductory speech about Urdu language, literature and the tradition of Mushairas. Shyama Singh Saba, a poetess, recited the Naat.
She read out a few ghazals also [...]
BBC Urdu promoting ‘Your Edition’ at Lucknow, Bhopal and Hyderabad
The BBC Urdu team visited three cities in India recently to promote its website. At all the three places the response was overwhelming. It was a good initiative despite lack of adequate preparedness at local level before organising the event.
Still, people came in large numbers in all the cities. Many were not familiar with [...]
Faruqi’s Urdu novel ‘Kai Chand the Sar-e-Aasman’
Hardly any novel in Urdu has generated so much heat in recent years as renowned litterateur Shamsur Rahman Faruqi’s ‘Kaii Chaand thay Sar-e-Aasmaan’, which is probably the first literary work in Urdu published by Penguin.
Faruqi’s literary standing is such that Urdu world naturally expected a magnum opus from him. The fact that he [...]
Another master poet bids adieu
The demise of Urdu poet Rashid Kausar Faruqi has been reported quite late. In fact, it went unnoticed. Faruqi was 74. He was essentially a poet of ghazal.
Rashid Kausar Faruqi was born in Biswan (Sitapur) on October 29, 1933. He spent long years of his life in various Cities outside his homestate. However, he passed [...]
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