* Dr Hassan Manzar from Pakistan and Noorul Hasnain from India were adjudged winners by Majlis-e-Frogh-e-Urdu Adab

Qatar has long been associated with promoting and encouraging Urdu literary activities and known writers.
Annual international poetic symposiums (mushaira) and literary awards for writers and intellectuals have been a regular feature in Qatar by different expatriate communities.
Majlis-e-Frogh-e-Urdu Adab (MFUA), a prominent literary organisation of Qatar, has been offering a platform to Urdu poets and writers from across the world to share their poetic thoughts. The Majlis has been organising regular poetic sessions for 26 years and literary awards for 24 years.



Although the organisation has had to cancel its annual poetic symposium this year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and related safety restrictions, yet they recently held the 24th Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Award online. The award was conferred upon two prominent writers, one from Pakistan and the other from India. A large number of Urdu lovers from across the world and prominent Urdu writers attended the award ceremony from different countries.
The event was presided by Mohamed Atiq, chairman of MFUA, who also launched the annual magazine of the Majlis and the CD detailing last year’s mushaira. The online meeting was anchored by Obaid Tahir Qazi, MFUA general secretary. Those who spoke on the occasion included Professor Dr Khursheed Rizvi, Award Jury Pakistan chairman; Professor Dr Gopi Chand Narang, Award Jury Hindustan chairman; Dr Hassan Manzar, award winner from Pakistan; and Noorul Hasnain, award winner from Hindustan (India).
Addressing the audience, Atiq said: “Our practice has been to invite the award winners to Qatar every year but this time we could not organise the ceremony and the mushaira due to the pandemic and related restrictions. I am however happy that we are holding the ceremony online and listening to each other. We have already transferred the cash awards to the winners. We will invite the winners to Qatar next year to honour them and give them gold medals.”
The MFUA chairman further said: “We have been conferring the award for the last 24 years without a break. Only once, in 2006, we could not hold the award ceremony due to the death of Museeb-ur-Rehman, founder of the Majlis. I am thankful to the chairmen of the jury committees in both Pakistan and Hindustan for selecting the best writers for the award.”
Other speakers spoke about the contributions of MFUA towards promoting and honouring Urdu literature across the world. They also highlighted different issues related to literature and writers in general.
Dr Manzar, one of the award winners has a MBBS degree and vast experience in the medical field with working stints in different countries. As a fiction writer, he casts his stories in the realistic mode, almost never deviating from the traditional geometry of plot and structure. Even deep and knotty psychological problems have to be made evident on the surface, not to be guessed.
Manzar has authored a number of books. His collections of short stories include Rehai (1981), Nadeedi (1983), Insaan Ka Desh (1991), Soi Bhook (1997), Ek Aur Aadmi (1999), Khaak Ka Rutba (2007), Mangal Sootr, Munshi Prem Chand’s last incomplete novel, translated from Hindi (1991), Prem Chand Ghar Mein - Shiv Rani Devi, translated from Hindi (1998) and Jhijak. His children’s books include Samunder Mein Jang (2001) and Jaan Ke Dushman (2004).
He has penned a number of novels such as Al-Asifa (2006), Dhani Bakhsh Ke Bete (2008), Waba (2009), Maa Beti (2010), Ber Sheeba Ki Ladhki (2010), Waka, translation of stories from Hindi (2010), Insaan Ay Insaan (2013), Manzar Ke Khutoot Kamal Azhar Ke Naam (2011), Habs and Ay Falak Na Insaaf. A drama titled, Sadar-e-Mumlakat Ka Khudrau Phool is presently under printing. His books in English include A Requiem for the Earth: OUP, Karachi (1998) and The End of Human History: Katha, Delhi. (1999). In recognition of his literary achievements, Manzar has been honoured with Academy of Letters Award (twice ), United Bank Award, Sindh Government Shaikh Ayaz Award and Best Book Award for the novel, Ay Falak Na Insaaf at the Oxford Literature Festival, this year.
The other award winner, Hasnain’s stories mostly cover social and political topics. So far, he has published four collections of short stories, Simat’te Daire (1985), Mor Raqs Aur Tamashai (1988), Gadhi Me Utarti Sham (1999) and Faqat Bayan Tak (2012). His popular novels include; Ahankaar, Aewano ke Khwabeda Chiragh, Chand Hum Se Baten Karta Hai and Tilkal Aiyyam.
Two collections of his critical essays have been published and several of his short stories and dramas have also been included in the syllabi of various state primary and secondary boards and universities.
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