Sajjad Zaheer
Syed Sajjad Zaheer (Urdu: سید سجاد ظہیر) (5 November 1899 – 13 September 1973) was an Urdu writer, Marxist ideologue and radical revolutionary who worked in both India and Pakistan. In the pre-independence era, he was a member of the Communist Party of India. Upon independence and partition, he moved to the newly created Pakistan and became a founding member of the Communist Party of Pakistan.
Sajjad Zaheer | |
---|---|
Born | Lucknow, United Provinces, India | 5 November 1899
Died | 11 September 1973 73) Alma Ata, Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (then in USSR, now Kazakhstan) | (aged
Occupation | Marxist ideologue, writer and poet in Urdu |
Nationality | Indian, Pakistani (briefly) |
Citizenship | Indian, Pakistani (briefly) |
Genre | Ghazal, Drama |
Literary movement | Progressive Writers' Movement |
Notable works | Angaaray |
Spouse | Razia Sajjad Zaheer |
Children | 4, including Nadira Babbar |
Revolutionary writer
A collection of short stories, Angaaray (embers), which had stories by Sajjad Zaheer, Ahmed Ali, Rashid Jahan and Mahmud-uz-Zafar was published in 1932 and banned in 1933 by the British Government of India "for hurting the religious susceptibilities of a section of the community."[1] This gave rise to the All-India Progressive Writers' Movement & Association of which both Sajjad Zaheer and Ahmed Ali were co-founders.[2]
Personal life
Sajjad and his wife Razia Sajjad Zaheer had four daughters, including Naseem Bhatia, who holds a PhD in History (ancient history) from a Russian university.[3]
Published writings
- London Ki Ek Raat لندن کی ایک رات - a novel.
- Roshnai روشنائی, a collection of essays on the progressive writers movement and its objectives.
- Zikr-e-Hafiz زکرِخافظ, his research based book on the Persian poet Hafez.
- Pighla Nilamپِگھلا نیلم , his last book,a collection of his poetry.
- A translation of Shakespeare's Othello
- A translation of Candide
- A translation of Gora (novel written by Tagore)
- A translation of The Prophet (written by Khalil Gibran)
References
- "Angaaray". Penguin Books India.
- 1961-, Ali, Kamran Asdar (30 June 2015). Communism in Pakistan : politics and class activism 1947-1972. London. p. 83. ISBN 9781784532000. OCLC 913850929.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- Ruhela, Satya Pal (1998). Empowerment of the Indian Muslim Women. ISBN 9788175330634.
Further reading
- Zaheer, Sajjad (2006). The Light: The History of the Movement for Progressive Literature in the Indo-Pakistan Sub Continent. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-547155-5.
- Naresh Nadeem, 'Sajjad Zaheer: A Life of Struggle & Creativity', People's Democracy 29:51 (18 December 2005)
- Bose, Hiren K. Sajjad Zahir: The Voice of the Common Man in Chowk
- https://web.archive.org/web/20090424062127/http://jang.com.pk/thenews/feb2007-weekly/books%26people-01-02-2007/ Mughanni-I-Aatish Nafas: Sajjad Zaheer
- 6 jan-1953- New York Times Sajjad Zaheer is secretary of the Communist party in Pakistan
- 29 Apr 1951-New York Times, Pakistani Red Chief Seized
- Urdu & secularism by A.G. Noorani Frontline Volume 23 – Issue 17 :: 26 Aug. – 8 Sep 2006