Syed Mohammad Ashraf
DOHA: Majlis-e-Frogh-e-Urdu Adab, a world- renowned Qatar-based literary Urdu organization will present the 22nd Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Awards to Prof. Dr. Mazhar Mahmood Shairani, a reputed Urdu scholar from Pakistan and Syed Mohammad Ashraf, a fiction writer and Urdu scholar from India, at the City Centre Rotana Hotel on November 15.
Additionally, Special Awards will be presented to Hassan Abdul Karim Chougule, Chairman, Anjuman-e-Mohibban Urdu Hind, Doha; Saif-ur-Rehman, Incharge, Qatar Urdu Radio Service; Azim Abbas, Chairman, Karwan-e-Urdu Doha; and Kamran Rehmat, a prominent local journalist for their outstanding services for promotion of Urdu language, literature and poetry.
Launched in 1996, the Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Awards each of which comprises of a gold medal and cash award of PKR150,000 are given annually to two Urdu writers/scholars, one from India and the other from Pakistan, for their life-time achievements in creative fiction, research and critical works.
The 22nd Aalmi Awards were decided by two independent juries, headed in India by Prof. Dr. Gopi Chand Narang, Padma Bhushan Award winner and former Chairman, Sahitya Academy of India, with Prof. Muhammad Shafey Kidwai, Rashid Anwer Rashid and Zaheer Ahmed.
The Pakistan Jury was headed by Prof. Dr. Khurshid Rizvi and its other members were Prof. Dr. Saleem Akhter, Prof. Dr. Tehsin Firaqi and Prof. Dr. Zahid Munir Aamir.
After the awards presentation, a mushaira will be held in memory of the legendary humourous and satirical writer, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan Yousufi, who breathed his last on 20th June this year.
The Mushaira will feature top poets from India, Pakistan, UK and Kuwait. Majlis will also release a special souvenir on the occasion.
