Loss to Urdu world: Okhla’s inspirational cancer survivor, a talented poet, loses his final battle
When two years ago, highly-talented budding Urdu poet was diagnosed with mouth cancer his family members and friends were devastated. They thought that the end for their beloved son and friend has come.
But Syed Taifoor Ashraf was lucky as he won the first battle after operation and his life was back to normal until a year ago when he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer again, which turned out to be fatal.
It was on Wednesday night that 33-year-old Taifoor lost the battle to cancer at his home in Zakir Nagar where he was bedridden for more than two months with his family members, including his brothers, taking care of him. He was laid to rest in Batla House graveyard on Thursday after zuhar prayer.
Professor Khalid Mubashshir, who taught Taifoor Urdu at Jamia Millia Islamia, said it is a great loss to the Urdu world as Tiafoor was highly talented Urdu poet and a down-to-earth person.
Coming from a Sufi family, Tiafoor knew how to interact with people and I was well impressed by his travelogue, said the Professor, adding that he was good at Urdu prose too.
The Zakir Nagar bard was associated with Rekhta Foundation as reel editor for some eight years but left the job for higher studies. Currently, he was a second year MA student at Jamia’s Urdu Department.
“Two years ago my brother was diagnosed with mouth cancer and it was cured and everything was fine with life returning to normal. After one year of mouth cancer, he got lung cancer and he lost his battle. Two months ago his condition deteriorated and he was unable to eat. He was bedridden and in great pain. He was unable to talk,” said his cousin Syed Tufail Ashraf.
Taifoor was married four years ago. And his first daughter survived for two months as she was born with some rare deformity. Then two years ago a daughter had brought happiness in his life. But all is gone as Taifoor left us, said Ashraf.
Born in Delhi, the poet did his graduation from Jamia Millia Islamia. The family came from Basti in UP in 2003 so that youngsters in the family could get quality education as there wasn’t good schools in the village, said a family member.
Taifoor’s father is a cutting master, a fashion designer and they have been residing in the locality since 2003.
The poet has left behind a two-year-old daughter, wife, two brothers, father and mother. In our family we are 14 brothers and all are in pain with the passing away of Taifoor, said Ashraf.
