The 15th annual Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab awards will be presented to India’s Gulzar and Pakistan’s Syed Mohamed Kazim by Majlis Frogh-e-Urdu Adab, a Qatar-based literary forum, at an impressive function to be held at Doha Sheraton’s Al-Majlis Auditorium on October 6.“Qatar’s Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, HE Dr Hamad Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, has agreed to be the chief guest,” Majlis Chairman, Mohamed Atiq said.‘’A special feature of this year’s event is that the Ministry has extended its support and co-operation in holding it, to the Majlis,’’ Atiq added. The event will be open to all Urdu lovers, except children under 10 years. Majlis will also release a special souvenir on the occasion.Launched in 1996, the Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab award (international award for the promotion of Urdu literature), which comprises a gold shield and a cash award of Rs150,000, is given annually to two Urdu creative writers and scholars - from India and Pakistan - for their contribution towards the promotion of the Urdu language and literature. After the awards presentation, an international Mushaira (poetic symposium) will be held. This year’s Mushaira is ‘’Beyad-e-Faiz Ahmed Faiz’’, the legendary poet from Pakistan, whose centennial celebrations are being held throughout the world in 2011.The event will see about two dozen Urdu poets, writers and scholars from India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Canada gather in Doha.Renowned Urdu scholar and critic, Dr. Gopi Chand Narand, former Chairman, Sahitya Academy, India will preside over the awards function.The international Mushaira will be presided over by Gulzar, who is a renowned poet and has won an Oscar Award for the best original song, Jai Ho for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.Dr. Syed Taqi Abedi, a Canada-based Urdu poet and scholar, has written a book - ‘Faiz Fehmi - Tehqiq-o- Tanqeed - which will also be launched on the occasion.Dr. Gopi Chand Narang, Dr. Mohamed Ali Siddiqui and Dr. Pirzada Qasim will be Guests of Honour, and Mrs Nadira Babbar from India will be a Special Guest.The 2011 awards were decided by two independent juries headed by Mushtaq Ahmed Khan Yousufi, reputed satirist and humorous Urdu scholar, in Lahore, Pakistan in May and Prof. Dr Gopi Chand Narang, in New Delhi in April.The Majlis has had the honour of giving Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab awards to Pakistan’s Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Ashfaq Ahmed, Intezar Hussain, Mukhtar Masood, Bano Qudsia, Mohamed Khalid Akhter, Shaukat Siddiqui, Mustansar Hussain Tarar, Abdulla Hussain, Hajra Masroor, Asad Mohamed Khan, Mohamed Mansha Yaad,Dr. Jamil Jalibi and Masood Mufti. Indian award winners have been Aale Ahmed Saroor, Quratul Ain Haider, Jeelani Bano, Kali Das Gupta Raza, Joginder Paul, Surender Parkash, Dr. Gopi Chand Narang, Salahuddin Pervez, Prof. Nisar Ahmed Farooqui, Qazi Abdul Sattar, Dr. Mughni Tabassum, Prof. Varis Alvi, Prof. Dr. Syeda Jaffer and Rattan Singh.The guest poets from India for this year’s Mushaira are Gulzar, Mairaj Faizabadi, Manzar Bhopali, F.S. Ejaz, Dr. Kalim Qaiser, Popular Meeruti, Khushbir Singh Shaad and Shabina Adib.The guest poets from Pakistan are Prof. Dr. Pirzada Qasim, Zehra Nigah, Mohamed Aslam Kaulsari, Wasi Shah, Zahid Fakhri, Nadim Najid and Jahan Ara Tabassum.Canada- based poet Dr. Syed Taqi Abedi and Qatar-based poets - Abdul Rehman Farid Nadvi and Farzana Safdar will also participate. Other guests include Daud Ahmed from Pakistan and Syed Salahuddin from Dubai.