Poet par excellence, Jan Nisar Akhtar remembered in Bhopal
Renowned poet, late Jan Nisar Akhtar, who hailed from MP, and had a special relationship with Bhopal, was remembered on Thursday. After independence, he settled down in Bhopal and taught at Hamidia College.
Renowned poet, late Jan Nisar Akhtar, who hailed from Madhya Pradesh, and had a special relationship with Bhopal, was remembered on Thursday.
Akhtar, (1914-1976), a famous Urdu poet — who also penned memorable lyrics for Bollywood movies — was born in Gwalior. After independence, he settled down in Bhopal and taught at Hamidia College.
Akthar gave a fillip to progressive writers' movement and literary activities here, before he went to settle in Mumbai. His son Javed Akhtar also lived and studied in Bhopal.
On Thursday, poets, scholars and poetry aficionados came together at Swaraj Bhawan to recall the poet and his contribution on Akhtar's birth centenary year. Those who attended the programme include professor Afaq Ahmad, Devi Saran, Saeed Akhtar and others, who had met Akthar and spent time with him during his stay in Bhopal.
Poet Budr Wasti rendered Akhtar's ghazals at the beginning of the programme. Subsequently, Zafar Sehbai, read out his verse: 'Aaj chup kyoon ho, tum to kehte the/Zindagi harf-e-inquilab hai', in memory of the famed poet.
Zia Farooqi, a poet and litterateur, read out his paper on Akhtar. It especially, focused on Akhtar's intense romanticism, along with revolutionary thoughts in his poetry.
"A leading light of progressive writers' movement, Akhtar, wrote about his hope for a new dawn, about injustice in society, but romanticism permeates most of his ghazals," he said. The literary group, Halqa-e-Arbab-e-Adab, organised the event.