Josh Malihabadi

Josh Malihabadi
Josh (1949)
Born	Shabbir Hasan Khan 5 December 1898 Malihabad, North-Western Provinces, British India
Died	22 February 1982(1982-02-22) (aged 83) Islamabad, Pakistan
Nationality	Indian (till 1958) Pakistani
Other names	Shayar-e-Inquilab
Education	St. Peter's College Visva-Bharati University
Occupation	Poet
Movement	Progressive Writers' Movement
Awards	Padma Bhushan, 1954 Hilal-e-Imtiaz, 2013

Josh Malihabadi (Urdu: جوش ملیح آبادی‬‎) (born as Shabbir Hasan Khan; شبیر حسن خان‬) (5 December 1894 – 22 February 1982) popularly known as Shayar-e-Inquilab(poet of revolution) is regarded as one of the finest Urdu poets of the era of British India. He is considered top in the list of Urdu literature who uses thousands of high sounding rich words in his poetry.He was a master in Urdu Language.Josh always challenged the established order and stood for liberal values.Josh was loud, brave who never compromised on principles.He wrote over 100,000 beautiful couplets and more than 1,000 rubaiyat in his lifetime. His autobiography “Yaadon ki Barat” is considered one of the best so far in Urdu as it is written in frank and candid manner. The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru held him in high esteem and hardly missed a chance to attend the mushaira at Lala Kishan Lal Kalra’s United Coffee House where Josh used to be the star attraction.^{[1] [2][3]} He was an Indian citizen until 1958, when he emigrated to Pakistan and became a pakistani citizen.

Early life

Josh was born to an Urdu-speaking Muslim family of Afridi Pashtun origin in Malihabad, United Provinces, British India. He received early education in Arabic, Persian, Urdu and English at his home.^[4] He studied at St Peter's College, Agra and passed his Senior Cambridge examination in 1914. Subsequently, he studied Arabic and Persian and, in 1918, spent six months at Tagore's university at Shantiniketan. The death of his father, Bashir Ahmed Khan, in 1916, prevented him from undertaking a college education.

His family had a long tradition of producing men of letters. Indeed, his great-grandfather, Nawab Faqeer Muhammad Khan'Goya', grandfather Nawab Muhammad Ahmad Khan, paternal uncle Ameer Ahmad Khan and father Basheer Ahmad Khan were all poets with numerous works (poetry collections, translations, and essays) to their name.^[5] Another of his relative was the journalist, scholar and Abul Kalam Azad's confident, Abdur Razzaq Malihabadi.^[6]

Career

In 1925, Josh started to supervise translation work at Osmania University in the princely state of Hyderabad. However, his stay there ended when he found himself exiled for writing a nazm against the Nizam of Hyderabad, the then ruler of the state.

Soon thereafter, he founded the magazine Kaleem (literally, "speaker" in Urdu), in which he wrote articles in favour of independence from the British Raj in India. His poem Hussain aur Inquilab (Hussain and Revolution)won him the title of Shaair-e-Inquilaab (Poet of the Revolution). Subsequently, he became more actively involved in the freedom struggle (albeit, in an intellectual capacity) and became close to some of the political leaders of that era, especially Jawaharlal Nehru (later to be the first Prime Minister of independent India). After the end of the British Raj in India in 1947, Josh became the editor of the publication Aaj-Kal.^[7]

Josh in Pakistan

Josh In Pakistan

Josh migrated to Pakistan in 1958 - despite Jawaharlal Nehru's insistence against it - over what is generally believed to be his concern regarding the future of Josh and Urdu language in India,^[8] where he thought the Hindu majority would encourage the use of Hindi rather than Urdu. After migration, Josh settled in Karachi and worked for Anjuman-i-Tarraqi-i-Urdu .^[9]

He remained in Pakistan until he died on 22 February 1982 in Islamabad. Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Syed Fakhruddin Balley both were the closest companions and friends of Josh and Sajjad Hyder Kharosh (son of Josh). Faiz Ahmad Faiz visited Islamabad during his illness and Syed Fakhruddin Balley remained entirely engaged with Hazrat Josh and Sajjad Hyder Kharosh.^[10]

Josh Malihabadi's granddaughter Tabassum Akhlaq has carried over the legacy of his poetry. The Josh Memorial Committee was formed in 1986 by Tabassum Akhlaq and she is the current chairperson. The committee organises seminars on Josh Malihabadi's personality, history and literary work. These seminars are usually held on his birthday and death anniversary (on 5 December and 22 February respectively).^[11]

In August 2012, the Government of Pakistan announced Hilal-i-Imtiaz for Josh Malihabadi. This award was presented to his granddaughter and founding chairperson of Josh Memorial Committee, Tabassum Akhlaq by the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari in a ceremony held in the Presidency on Pakistan Day 23 March 2013.

The lifelong mission of Josh can be summed up in his own words:

^[12]

Works

These include:

On the advice of film director W. Z. Ahmed, Malihabadi also wrote songs for Shalimar Pictures. One of the films is Aag Ka Darya (1966) with music by Ghulam Nabi Abdul Latif.

Honours

• Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour in 1954.^[13]
• The Title of "The Poet of the Century" was given by the "QAFLA-PERA'O" Lahore, announced by the QAFLA_SALAR Syed Fakhruddin Balley, Jawaid Ahmad Qureshi, Dr. Wazir Agha, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi and Ashfaq Ahmad, in 1992.
• Kamal-e-Sukhan Award was announced for Hazrat Josh Mallihabadi by The Old Boys Association EMERSON College, Multan in 1999.
• Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan on 23 March 2013.^[14]
• Ali Sardar Jafri captured Josh's biography in a serial named Kahkashan aired on DD National

References

External links

• Josh Malihabadi at Rekhta.com (Roman Script)
• Josh Malihabadi at Kavita Kosh (Hindi)
• Josh Malihabadi at Jakhira.com (Hindi)