Jawayd Anwar[a] (18 April 1959 – 25 November 2011) was a Pakistani poet and litterateur, considered a leading figure of modern-day Urdu poetry.

Jawayd Anwar
Jawayd Anwar
Anwar in 2011
Born(1959-04-18)18 April 1959
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Died25 November 2011(2011-11-25) (aged 52)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Occupation
  • Poet
  • doctor
  • psychiatrist
Alma mater
Period1991–2011
Genre
Notable worksBarzakh Kay Phul
Children4

Biography

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Jawayd Anwar was born on 18 April 1959 in the Islampura area of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.[1] The eldest member of a Bhatti Muhajir family that emigrated from eastern Punjab of British India, Anwar spent most of his childhood in Shahinabad, Sargodha.[1] His father, Anwar Ali, belonged to Amritsar and worked professionally as an engineer whereas Jawayd's mother, Nasir Akhtar, was a native of Jalandhar.[1]

Anwar attended Government Primary School in southern Sargodha and later enrolled at the Punjab Medical College in Faisalabad and also studied at the Oriental College in Lahore.[1] After completing his MBBS, Anwar attained a doctor's degree and served at the Lahore General Hospital and later at the Allama Iqbal Medical College.[1] Anwar was also a qualified psychiatrist.[2]

While on a short return to Pakistan, Anwar spent a few days at a mushaira with poets in Islamabad and died of an unexpected heart attack in Lahore on 25 November 2011.[3] One of his last poems Agr Apnay Betay Ko Tum Nay Usama Kaha ("if you named your son Usama") became a topic of discussion for its style among intellectuals and was considered innovative in modern Urdu literature.[4][5] Members of Lahore’s literary community expressed condolences at his demise and his funeral prayers were held at the EME Mosque.[3] Days following his demise, Urdu literary critic Mansoor Afaq dedicated a short poem to Anwar titled Nazm Marr Gai Hai ("poems have died").[6]

Poetic works and legacy

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During his time in Sargodha, Anwar had become associates with several poetic figures such as the likes of Khurshid Rizvi, Ghulam-us-Saqlain Naqvi and Wazir Agha.[1] It was here from where Anwar became fond of Urdu poetry and actively began writing poems in his teenage.[1] In 2007, The Herald deemed Anwar as one of the poets "with extensive nazms" (poems).[7] At the age of 32, Anwar's first book Shehr Main Shaam ("evening in the city" was published in 1991.[1][8] Literary critic Afsar Sajid described the book as a "concise but expressive flap".[9] Anwar's other works include Barzakh Kay Phul ("flowers of the barrier"), Bheriay Soay Nahin ("the wolves didn't sleep") and Ashkon Main Dhanak ("sinking in tears").[10][11][12] Anwar also co-authored the book Qahqaqa Insan Nay Ijad Kiya ("humans invented laughter") along with Masood Qamar and Hussain Abid.[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ Urdu: جاوید انور

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h جاوید انور کی نظموں میں سیاسی اور سماجی شعور (in Urdu) - Jawayd Anwar Ki Nazmon Mein Siyasi o Samaji Shaor by Tahira Iqbal. Published in April 2024 by Riphah International University.
  2. ^ Ahmad, Abrar. "A poetic exchange". Daily Jang. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  3. ^ a b express (2011-11-27). "Urdu poetry: Funeral for Dr Javed Anwar today". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  4. ^ "'Tasteer' — a well balanced medley of short stories, poems and ghazals". Daily Times. 2018-09-11. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  5. ^ شاہد, محمد حمید (2023-09-04). "جاوید انور: ہزارے کا مہمان کیا بولتا". ہم سب (in Urdu). Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  6. ^ "منصور آفاق کی نظم ۔جاوید انور کےلئے". اردو محفل فورم (in Urdu). 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  7. ^ The Herald, Volume 38, Issues 1-3. 2007.
  8. ^ "شہر میں شام جاوید انور". University of Management and Technology. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  9. ^ Sājid, Afsar (2000). Appraisals. Beacon Books. p. 196.
  10. ^ a b "ایک ایک نظم میں تین تین شاعر". BBC News اردو (in Urdu). 2013-03-30. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  11. ^ "ادب کی دنیا". Roznama Dunya: اسپیشل فیچرز :-. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  12. ^ شاہد, محمد حمید (2023-09-04). "جاوید انور: ہزارے کا مہمان کیا بولتا". ہم سب (in Urdu). Retrieved 2024-11-16.