Web Desk: Eighth death anniversary of Pakistani novelist, playwright and spiritualist, Bano Qudsia is being observed on Tuesday, today.
Qudsia was born in 1928 in Ferozpur, Punjab. She migrated to Lahore with her family during the tumultuous partition of the Asian subcontinent and later graduated from Kinnaird College.
Qudsia’s most treasured works include ‘Na Kabilay Zikar’, ‘Bazgasht’, ‘Amar Bail’ and ‘Dast Basta’.
The 88-year-old writer, who shot to fame with Raja Gidh, wrote extensively for Pakistani dramas and also contributed to Punjabi literature.
Published in 1981, the novel became her identity. Literary critics count Raja Gidh among the greatest novels of the Urdu language.
Her play Aadhi Baat is considered a classic while Pia Naam Ka Dia, Dast Basta, Aik Din, Mard-e-Abresham, Amar Bail and Kooch Aur Nahi are some of her masterpieces.
Qudsia’s latest novel Haasil Ghath was published in 2005 and also became famous for its plot, themes and use of diction.
She then joined Government College, Lahore to do her Master’s in Urdu Literature.
It is the same university where she met Ashfaq Ahmad, another giant of Urdu literature and later got married.
She was conferred with the Graduate Award for Best Playwright in 1986, 1988, 1989 and 1990. In 1986, she was also given the Taj Award for Best Playwright. Her most famous plays include Tamasil, Hawa ke Naam, Seharay and Khaleej.
The government acknowledged her contributions to literature and was bestowed with Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2003 and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2010. Pakistan Academy of Letters honoured the renowned author by awarding her with Kamal-e-Fun Award in 2010.
Bano Qudsia died, on February 4th 2017 in Lahore, at the age of 88.
