About Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi

Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi (20 November 1916 – 10 July 2006) was a Pakistani poet, journalist, literary critic, dramatist and short story author. He wrote 50 books on poetry, fiction, criticism, journalism and art. He was a major figure in contemporary Urdu literature. His poetry was distinguished by its humanism, and his Urdu afsana (short story) work is considered by some second only to Munshi Prem Chand in its depiction of rural culture. He was also the editor and publisher of the literary magazine Funoon for almost half a century.

Qasmi was born in the village of Anga in Khushab District, British India, into an Awan family. He graduated from a high school in Campbellpur in 1931, around the time when he wrote his first poem. He studied at Government College, Attock, and later at Sadiq Egerton College in Bahawalpur. He graduated from the University of Punjab, Lahore in 1935.

Qasmi began his literary career as a poet, and his first collection of poems, Aag (Fire), was published in 1936. He soon became involved in the Progressive Writers Movement, and his poetry became increasingly political and socially conscious. He was arrested and imprisoned several times for his political activities.

In the 1950s, Qasmi turned to fiction, and his first collection of short stories, Tulūʻ o g̲h̲urūb: afsane (The Rise and Fall: Stories), was published in 1953. His short stories are known for their realistic portrayal of rural life and their sympathetic depiction of the poor and the oppressed.

Qasmi was also a prolific essayist and critic. He wrote extensively on Urdu literature, and his essays are considered to be some of the most important contributions to Urdu literary criticism. He was also the editor and publisher of the literary magazine Funoon for almost half a century.

Qasmi died in Lahore in 2006. He was a major figure in contemporary Urdu literature, and his work continues to be read and admired by Urdu speakers around the world.

Here are some of his most famous works:

• Poetry: Aag (Fire), Teesri Duniya (The Third World), Dard-e-Dil (Heartache)
• Short stories: Tulūʻ o g̲h̲urūb: afsane (The Rise and Fall: Stories), Kāghazī Phool (Paper Flowers), Chāyā aur Phool (Shadows and Flowers)
• Essays: Naqsh-e-Qalam (The Stroke of the Pen), Sher aur Insān (The Lion and Man), Urdu Adab ki Tehreek (The Movement of Urdu Literature)