Poems of Josh Malihabadi

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Doyen of the progressive writer’s movement Josh Malihabadi Dominated the Urdu literary scene of the 20th century Indian sub-continent. Born on December 5, 1898 as Shabbir Hassan Khan in Malihabad near Lucknow he studied at St Peter’s College Agra and passed his senior Cambridge examination in 1914. Josh Subsequently studied Arabic and Persian and in 1918 spent six months at Ravindranath Tagor’s institution at Shantiniketan.

While working as in charge of the translation department of Jamia Osamania Hyderabad Josh wrote a poem against the oppressive Nizam and was exiled from the state Josh then worked for Shalimar film Company in Poona as song writer for about four years.

Josh was known as Shair-e-Inqilab. He also actively involved in the freedom struggle and became close to quite a few of the political leaders of that era specially Jawahar Lal Nehru. His first collection of poems was published under the title to Roo-e-Adab. The collections of his poetry include Shola-o-Shabnam, Junoon-o-Hikmat, Naqsh-o-Nigar, Fikr-o-Nishaat, Sundol-o- Shabnam Harf-o-Hikaayat and sarod-o-Kharosh Josh was editor of Aaj Kal and advisor to the all India Radio. He was honored with the padma Bhushan award in 1954 by the president of India. Josh was concerned with the state of Urdu in independent India and migrated to Pakistan in 1956 but was not well received by the authorities and pro-establishment media of Pakistan for his iconoclastic ideas and socialistic leanings. His autobiography Yadon Ki Baraat was published in 1966. he died on February 22, 1982.

The birth name of Josh Malihabadi was Shabir Hasan who was born in Malihabad a small place near Lucknow. He migrated to Pakistan in 1956 inspite of advice from Jawahar Lal Nehru the first Indian prime Minister who was a great admirer of him not to leave India. But his migration to Paksita, made him to feel lonely and deserted. While in India he was appointed the editor of a prestigious journal Aaj Kal Published under the patronage of Ministry of information & Broadcasting. He was rewarded with the distinguished honor Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India for having been a patriot and crusader of freedom movement. He was a close friend of Jawahar Lal Nehru and his poetry enthusaded hearts of Urdu knowing people in India and Pakistan. His poetry reflects his love and attachment with depressed and poor communities. Through his poetry he spread the message of social and political revolution. He wrote several collections of his poetic works. While in Pakistan he wrote his autobiography under he title Yaadon Ki Baraat which depicts his disillusionment and pains after leaving India.

Born in 1927 at Chakwal (Paksitan) graduated in engineering from the Punjab University (Pak) in 1947. He was commissioned in 1948 in the corps of electrical and Mechanical Engineering in Pakistan, Army, and retired as Brigadier in 1979. He Studies from Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham, U.K. He took his degree of Law in 1977 and master’s in international relations in 1985 from the University of Southern California. He lived in staines Middlesex, U.K. from many years. He spends his leisure time in Lahore, London and Los Angles (U.S.A)