Dawaam by Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi
Brief Introduction
Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi (Urdu: احمد ندیم قاسمی) born Ahmad Shah Awan (Urdu: احمد شاہ اعوان) on 20 November 1916 – died 10 July 2006, was an Urdu
language Pakistani poet, journalist, literary critic, dramatist and short story
author. He wrote 50 books on topics such as poetry, fiction, criticism,
journalism and art, and was a major figure in contemporary Urdu literature. His
poetry was distinguished by its humanism, and his Urdu afsana (short story)
work is considered by some second only to Munshi Prem Chand in its depiction of
rural culture. He was also editor and publisher of the literary magazine Funoon
for almost half a century. He received awards such as the Pride of Performance
in 1968 and Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1980 for his literary work.
Background
Qasmi was born in the village of
Anga in Khushab District, British India. He graduated from a high school in
Campbellpur in 1931, (now renamed Attock city in Pakistan), around the time
when he wrote his first poem He studied at government college Attock. Later he
studied at Sadiq Egerton College in Bahawalpur. He graduated from the
University of the Punjab, Lahore in 1935. He had a brother, Peerzada Mohammad
Bakhsh Qasmi, and a sister. He became an active member of the Progressive
Writers Movement as a secretary and was consequently arrested many times during
the 1950s and 1970s. He died on 10 July 2006 of complications from asthma at
Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore.
Literary career
Qasmi edited several prominent
literary journals, including Phool, Tehzeeb-i-Niswaan, Adab-i-Lateef, Savera,
Naqoosh, and his own journal, Funoon. He also worked as the editor of the Urdu
daily Imroze. Qasimi contributed weekly columns to national newspapers like
Rawan Dawan and Daily Jang for several decades. His poetry has included both traditional
ghazals and modern nazms. Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi was also committed to mentoring
and grooming others.
In 1948, he was selected as the
secretary-general of the Anjuman-e-Taraqqi Pasand Musannifeen (Progressive
Writers Movement) for Punjab. In 1949, he was elected the secretary-general of
the organisation for Pakistan. In 1962, Qasmi published his own literary
magazine Fanoon, with the support of writers and poets including Khadija
Mastoor, Hajra Masroor, Ahmed Faraz, Amjad Islam Amjad, Ata ul Haq Qasmi, and
Munnu Bhai . Qasmi was the mentor of the poet Parveen Shakir. In 1974, he was
appointed secretary-general of Majlis-Taraqee-Adab, a literary body established
by the government of West Pakistan in 1958.
In December 2011, Professor Fateh
Muhammad Malik and noted columnist Ata ul Haq Qasmi arranged a seminar on the
life and achievements of Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi at the International Islamic
University, Islamabad. His literary work has been appreciated and admired by
Urdu writers, poets, and critics, although there is also criticism of his
literary work and of his personality. Fateh Muhammad Malik is a long-time
friend of Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi. In his book about the life and personality of
Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi called 'Nadeem Shanasi', he gives the impression that it is
evident from Qasmi's letters to him that Qasmi had a buried disliking for Faiz
and perhaps considered himself a poet greater than Faiz. "The letters also
reveal that Qasmi had a narcissistic personality and an inflated ego when it
came to his contemporaries. He consciously or unconsciously tried to belittle
Faiz, though without much effect."
Some people in literary circles of
Pakistan also think that there were some envy and rivalry among Ahmad Nadeem
Qasmi, Wazir Agha and Munir Niazi.
No comments:
Post a Comment