Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi

SI PP

Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi

‫احمد ندیم قاسمی‬

Qasmi in May 1949

Born Ahmad Shah Awan

20 November 1916
Angah, Khushab District, British India

Died 10 July 2006 (aged 89)[1]

Lahore, Pakistan

Pen name Nadeem

Occupation Urdu poet, journalist, writer, scholar[1]

Nationality Pakistani

Citizenship Pakistan
 Education Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the Punjab
University, Lahore, Pakistan

Alma mater Govt. Sadiq Egerton College Bahawalpur

Genre Poetry, Afsana

Literary Progressive Writers Movement

movement
A member of Progressive Writers' Association[1]

Notable Pride of Performance (1968)[2]

awards
Sitara-i-Imtiaz (1980)[2]

Spouse Rabia Nadeem

Children Naheed Qasmi

Nishat Nadeem
Nauman Qasmi

Signature

Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi (Urdu: ‫ )احمد ندیم قاسمی‬born Ahmad Shah Awan (Urdu: ‫ )احمد شاہ اعوان‬on
20 November 1916 – died 10 July 2006, was an Urdu and English
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.[1][3] His poetry was distinguished by its humanism,[3] and his
Urdu afsana (short story) work is considered by some second only to Prem Chand in its depiction
of rural culture. He was also editor and publisher of the literary magazine Funoonfor 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.[4]

Personal life
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. 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 asthmaat Punjab Institute of
Cardiology in Lahore.[4]

Literary career
Qasmi edited several prominent literary journals, including Phool, Tehzeeb-i-Niswaan, Adab-i-
Lateef, Savera, Naqoosh, and his own journal, Funoon.[4] 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.
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 . Qasami was
the mentor of 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,[3] 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.[5] "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."[5]
An example of his poetry, with translation[edit]
Dawar-e hashr! mujhe teri qasam
Umr bhar mein ne ibadat ki hay
Tu mera namaa-e-amaal tau dekh
Mein ne insaan se mohabbat ki hay

O Lord of the Day of Judgment

I swear by you
I have worshipped all my life
Look at my balance sheet
I have loved mankind

Bibliography
Poetry

Chopaal (1939)[4]

 Gandasa, was also a source of inspiration for the legendary character of 1979 film Maula Jatt
 Sannata[4]
 Kapaas ka Phool[4]
 Aabley[6]
 Tuloo-O-Gharoob
 Sailab-o-Gardab
 Anchal[6]
 ghar se ghar tak
 Nila-pathar[6]
 Dawam-dar-o-deewar[6]
 Bazar-e-hayat[6]
 Aas-paas[6]
 Jhoota
 Bhoot
 Short story

 Jalal-o-Jamal[4]
 Shola-i-Gul
 Kisht-i-Wafa
 Dasht-e-wafa
 Dawam
 Muheet
 Loh-e-khaak
 Baseet
 Jamal
 Arz-o-sama

Awards and recognition[edit]

 Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1968[2][7]
 Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan in 1980[2][7]
 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Pakistan Academy of Letters[4]