B i o g r a p h y
ABBAS TABISH
A contemporary Pakistani poet known around the world specially in Pakistan and India. He is the winner of the prestigious Pride of Performance award. He is also an Assistant Professor at the Government College, Lahore.
MANZAR BHOPALI
Syed Ali Raza was born on 29 December 1959 in Bhopal, where he passed his childhood. He has a Master’s Degree in Urdu and began his poetic journey from Bhopal. A disciple of Raza Rampuri, he writes under the pen name, Manzar and is a very famous poet in mushairas. He has won many awards and has participated in the international mushaira of Karachi a number of times. Yeh Sadi Hamari Hai, Zindagi, Lahu Rang Mausam, Laawa, Manzar Ek Bulandi Par, and Udaas Kyu Hu are the collections of his works.
ASHFAQ HUSSAIN
Ashfaq Hussain moved to Canada from Karachi where he writes under the pen name, Ashaque. He was born on 1st January 1951 in Karachi. He did his elementary education from Jacob Line Government High School. Later, remaining a student of Karachi Government College Nazimabad, National College and Islamia College he finished his M.A from Karachi University. He had been an employ of Government College Korangi, and Karachiarts counsel. In 1980 he bid a good bye to his land and reached Canada where he inaugurated the Urdu International that had been published from 1982 to 1985. He wrote critical essays aswell. Ham Ajnabi Hain, Faiz Ek Jaiza, Faiz Ke Maghribi Hawaley are the collections of his creative works.
ISHRAT AFREEN
First published at the age of 14, Ishrat Afreen is an inspiring Urdu poet, who was named one of the five most influential and trend-setting female voices in Urdu Literature.
She has been published in a multitude of literary magazines across India and Pakistan and her works have been translated in many languages including English, Japanese, Sanskrit and Hindi.
Formerly the Principal Urdu Lecturer for University of Texas, Austin's Hindi-Urdu Flagship Programme, her poetry is also prescribed in courses at several Universities ranging from the University of Lahore in Pakistan to the University of Texas at Austin. She continues to lecture, hold workshops, attend conferences and read her poetry at Mushairas across America, Europe and Asia.
ZIA MOHYEDDIN
Zia Mohyeddin is a prominent Pakistani actor, narrator and TV host who has excelled in taking the art of recitation to unprecedented heights. His recitation of Urdu poetry and prose is perfection that draws strength from his wide knowledge of the language and his extraordinary ability of voice modulation, adding a rhythmic pattern to his renderings and enthralling audiences across the world. He has been associated with Pakistani and British Television as an actor, narrator, director, producer, and broadcaster.
