Iftikhar Hussain Arif, widely known as Iftikhar Arif, is a prominent Urdu poet, scholar, and literary figure from Pakistan. Born on March 21, 1944, in Lucknow, India, he pursued his early education at Madarsa-e-Nizamia Firangi Mahal, Shia School, and Government Jubilee College. He later earned a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Lucknow.
In 1965, Arif migrated to Pakistan, settling in Karachi. He began his career as a newscaster with Radio Pakistan and subsequently joined Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) as a Senior Producer and Script Editor. He gained widespread recognition for his role in the popular quiz show "Kasauti" during the 1970s.
Arif's literary contributions include several acclaimed poetry collections:
Mehr-e-Doneem (1983)
Harf-e-Baryab (1994)
Jahan-e-Maloom (2005)
Shehr-e-Ilm Ke Darwaze Par (2006)
Kitab-e-Dil-o-Dunya (2009)
His poetry has been translated into multiple languages, including English, Russian, German, Persian, and Hindi.
Throughout his career, Arif has held esteemed positions such as Chairman of the Pakistan Academy of Letters, head of the National Language Authority, and President of the ECO Cultural Institute in Tehran, Iran. His outstanding contributions to literature have been recognized with numerous awards, including the President's Pride of Performance Award, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, and Nishan-e-Imtiaz.
Iftikhar Arif continues to be a significant influence in Urdu literature, celebrated for his profound poetry and dedication to the promotion of the Urdu language.