Urdu scholar, critic Shamim Hanafi wins Josh e Urdu 2021 Award
The Josh e Urdu 2021 Award was given to late Prof Shamim Hanafi at a ceremony of Bazm e Urdu Dubai at the seminar hall 2 of India International Center, New Delhi yesterday.
Renowned academic, writer, columnist and dramatist Prof Hanafi, a resident of Zakir Bagh, passed away on May 6, days after contracting Covid.
The award was given to Shamim Hanafi for his distinguish services for Urdu literature as critic, dramatist, columnist and poet. The award was received by his wife Saba Hanafi. The award was handed over to Saba Hanafi by Dr. Najma Akhtar, Vice Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, who was the special guest of the occasion.
Hanafi’s daughter Ghazala Hanafi and son-in-law Sarosh were also present on the occasion. Dr Sheikh Aqeel Ahmed – Director NCPUL, Dr Khawaja Ikramuddin -former Director, NCPUL Council for the Promotion of Urdu, Ram Sharan Joshi – senior journalist and social worker, the founder of Jashn e Bahar Trust, Kamna Prasad, Prof Shahpar Rasool, Dr Sarwar Al-Huda, Dr Khalid Mubashir, Sadiq-urRehman Kadwai, founder and secretary of Jashn e Adab Kunwar Ranjit Singh Chauhan, founder and Secretary of Nai Awaaz Aijaz Ansari, renowned Playwright Dr Saeed Alam, Razi Kadwai, Syed Mehran Shah and others were included in the attendees of the ceremony.
A team of Bazm e Urdu Dubai, including Shadab Ulfat, Sarosh Asif and Syed Masood Naqvi, came from Dubai to present the award. Rehan Khan, founder and secretary of Bazm Urdu video message shown to audience. Sarosh Asif introduced Bazm Urdu Dubai.
In his address, the special guest expressed happiness over the awarding of the award to Hanfi and lauded the efforts of Bazm Urdu and invited Bazm e Urdu Dubai to come and organise programme at Jamia.
Jamia will cooperate fully, she said.
Expressing her impressions, Saba Hanafi said today she is feeling happiness and sorrow at the same time. The award has been given to Hanafi, she is happy to receive this award and it is sad that he is not here. The ceremony ended with a tea party.
Bazm e Urdu is a Dubai based organisation registered with community development authority, Government of Dubai. Bazm e Urdu strives for the promotion and development of Urdu in the Gulf countries.
Shadab Ulfat has shared with the audience that the decision to present the award to Hanafi has been taken while he was alive. This is the first time that the “Josh Urdu Award” has been given posthumously.
Josh Urdu Award 2014 to Dr. Zubair Farooq, 2015 to Shams-ur-Rehman Farooqi, 2016 to Javed Akhtar, 2017 to Mushtaq Ahmed Yusufi, 2018 to Dr. Bashir Badar, 2019 to Dr. Professor Gopi Chand Narang and last year to 2020 Mustansir Hussain Tarar was presented.
