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Intizar Hussain or Intezar Hussain (Urdu: انتظار حسین; 21 December 1925 – 2 February 2016) was a Pakistani writer of Urdu novels, short stories, poetry and nonfiction. He is widely recognised as a leading literary figure of Pakistan.

He was among the finalists of the Man Booker Prize in 2013.

Early life

Intizar Hussain was born on 21 December 1925 in Bulandshahr district, Uttar Pradesh, British India. He received a degree in Urdu literature in Meerut. As someone born in the Indian subcontinent who later migrated to Pakistan during 1947 Partition, a perennial theme in Hussain's works deals with the nostalgia linked with his life in the pre-partition era. Intizar Husain was often described as possibly the greatest living Urdu writer.

He lived in the old Anarkali Bazaar of Lahore, where he associated and socialized with the likes of Nasir Kazmi, and Muhammad Hasan Askari and together they frequented Lahore's teahouses – Pak Tea House, Nagina Bakery, Coffee House, Lords and Arab Hotel.

Lahore's literary scene was divided between two groups, Anjuman-e-Tarraqi-Pasand-Mussannifeen (Progressive Writers Movement) (a leftwing group) and the rightwing Halqa-e Arbab-e Zauq in the 1950s. Intizar Hussain decided not to be closely associated with either group and managed to stay neutral and focus on his writing career.

Literary work

He wrote short stories, novels and poetry in Urdu, and also literary columns for newspapers such as Dawn and Daily Express. The Seventh Door, Leaves and Basti are among English translations of his books.

Among the five novels he wrote – Chaand Gehan (1952), Din Aur Daastaan (1959), Basti (1980), Tazkira (1987), and Aage Samandar Hai (1995) – received global praise.

His other writings include Hindustan Se Aakhri Khat, Aagay Sumandar Hai, Shehr-e-Afsos, Jataka Tales, Janam Kahanian and Wo Jo Kho Gaye. Aagay Sumandar Hai (Sea is facing you in the front) contrasts the spiraling urban violence of contemporary Karachi with a vision of the lost Islamic realm of al-Andalus in modern Spain.

His novel Basti is based on Pakistani history.

Among his books, "Basti" and "Khali Pinjra" have been translated into Persian by Samira Gilani.

Death

On 2 February 2016, he died at National Hospital, Defence Housing Authority at Lahore after contracting pneumonia. The Indian Express newspaper termed him the "best-known Pakistani writer in the world" after Manto.

His wife, Aliya Begum, had died in 2004 and they had no children.

Influences

Hussain believed that two forces had risen in contemporary Pakistan: women and the mullahs. He also acknowledged his study and the influence of Buddhist texts and the Mahabharata.

Legacy

In 2016, Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) announced the ‘Intizar Hussain Award’ which would be given to a literary figure every year.

Awards and international recognition

• Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1986.
• Kamal-e-Fun (Lifetime Achievement) Award by the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 1998.
• In 2007, Hussain received the Pakistani civil award Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) by the President of Pakistan.
• Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (National Academy of Letters) of India awarded in 2007.
• In 2013, he was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize after Frances W. Pritchett translated his Urdu novel Basti into English.
• He received a lifetime achievement award at the Lahore Literary Festival. Newsweek Pakistan called him "Pakistan's most accomplished living author" in 2014.
• Hussain was made an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2014

• He was also the first ever winner of the prestigious Premchand Fellowship awarded by Sahitya Akademi of India in 2007.

Bibliography

• A Chronicle of the Peacocks: Stories of Partition, Exile and Lost Memories
• The Death of Sheherzad
• Basti (1979) (Town)
• Aagay Samandar Hai (Beyond is the Sea) (1995)
• Chiraghon Ka Dhuvan (Lamp Smoke) (memoir) (1999)
• Chaand Gahan (2002)
• Ajmal-I Azam (2003)
• Surakh Tamgha (2007)
• Qissa Kahanian (2011)
• Justujoo Kya Hai (autobiography) (2012)
• Apni Danist Mein (2014)

References

1. "I'm a man only of fiction" Intizar Hussain Dawn newspaper, Published 23 April 2009, Retrieved 18 November 2023
2. ^ Rumi, Raza (4 February 2016). "In memoriam: Writers like Intizar Husain never die, they live on in their words and ideas". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
3. ^ "Legendary writer Intizar Hussain passes away". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
4. ^ "Intizar Hussain, leading Urdu writer, dies aged 92". The Guardian newspaper. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
5. ^ Ahmed, Khaled (6 October 2014). "Silent Type". Newsweek Pakistan. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
6. "The ageless Intizar Hussain". Man Booker Prize. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
7. ^ "Intizar Hussain: Mourning an Urdu literary icon". BBC News. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
8. Memon, Muhammad Umar (29 April 2021). "Partition Literature: A Study of Intizar Husain". Modern Asian Studies. 14 (3): 377–410. doi:10.1017/S0026749X00006879. JSTOR 312138.
9. Raghavan, T. C. A. (20 May 2016). "Narrating the life of muhajirs in today's Pakistan". Herald Magazine (Dawn Media Group) website. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
10. ^ Intizar Hussain, Pakistan's 'greatest fiction writer', dies at 92 The Telegraph newspaper, Published 2 February 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2023
11. Raj, Ali (2 February 2016). "Intizar Hussain – the seller of dreams". The Daily Tribune. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
12. Ahmed, Khaled (31 October 2014). "An escape from ideology". The Indian Express. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
13. Pakistan's 'Greatest Fiction Writer' Dies at 92 Newsweek Pakistan website, Published 3 February 2016, Retrieved 18 November 2023
14. Imtiaz, Huma (13 February 2011). "FestivalL: The best of Urdu & other Pakistani languages". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
15. "'Intizar Hussain Award' announced". Dawn newspaper. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
16. "List of Awardees". Pakistan Academy of Letters, Government of Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
17. ^ Sahitya Akademi Fellowship awarded to Intizar Hussain in 2007 (scroll down to Premchand Fellowship) Sahitya Akademi (National Academy of Letters), Government of India website, Retrieved 18 November 2023
18. "Pakistani novelist among finalists for Man Booker International Prize". The Express Tribune. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
19. "Hommage de Fleur Pellerin, ministre de la Culture et de la Communication, à Intizar Hussain" (in French). Ministry of Culture. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
20. A Chronicle of the Peacocks: Stories of Partition, Exile and Lost Memories. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195671742. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
21. The Death of Sheherzad. HarperCollins India. 2014. ISBN 978-9351362876.
22. Basti. The New York Review of Books. 2012. ISBN 9781590175828. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
23. Hussain, Intizar. Chaand Gahan. Sang-e-meel. ISBN 978-9693506174. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
24. Hussain, Intizar (2003). Ajmal-I Azam. Sang-e-meel. ISBN 978-9693509915. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
25. Hussain, Intizar. Surakh Tamgha. ISBN 978-9694265308.
26. Hussain, Intizar (2013). Qissa Kahanian. ISBN 978-9695811788.
27. Hussain, Intizar (2014). Apni Danist Mein. Sanjh Publications. ISBN 9789693527339. Retrieved 1 February 2017.

External links

• Column archive

• 1925 births
• 2016 deaths
• People from Bulandshahr district
• Muhajir people
• Pakistani dramatists and playwrights
• Pakistani scholars
• Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz
• Pakistani Sunni Muslims
• Writers from Lahore
• Recipients of the Adamjee Literary Award
• Writers from Karachi
• Pakistani columnists
• Recipients of the Pride of Performance
• Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
• Journalists from Lahore