Doha, 28 March 2023

’ Zakia Mashhadi, reputed fiction-writer from India and Mirza Ather Baig, eminent Pakistani novelist, playwright and short story writer, have recently been declared winners  of the 27^th Aalmi Frogh e Urdu Adab Award [ i.e. International award for promotion of Urdu literature ] for the year 2023.

The annual award was instituted by Majlis e Frogh e Urdu Adab (MFUA), world- renowned in Urdu literature, Qatar-based  Urdu literary organization, in 1996.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 150,000 and an award trophy for each winner. It is given every year to a fiction writer or scholar or researcher or critic, one each from Pakistan and India, for their significant contribution towards the  promotion of Urdu language and literature.

The Awards Ceremony and Mushaira is expected to be held in  last quarter of the year 2023, dates will be announced later, Majlis Chairman Mohammad Atiq said.

Mohammad Atiq, Chairman of the Majlis, said the award winners were unanimously chosen by two independent juries, one from Pakistan and the other from India. Both juries comprised of reputed Urdu scholars.

The Pakistan Jury was headed by renowned scholar, critic , researcher and poet- Prof. Dr. Khurshid ul Hassan Rizvi, with members—Prof. Fateh Mohammad Malik, Prof. Dr. Tehsin Firaqi and Prof. Dr Zahid Munir Amir.

The Indian Jury comprised of the  new Chairman, Dr. Shafey Kidwai who took over as Chairman, following death of Prof. Dr. Gopi Chand Narang on 15^th June last year. with members  - Syed Mohammad Ashraf, Prof. Dr. Ateequllah,  Prof. Qazi Obaid ur Rehman Hashmi and Sheen Kaaf Nizam.

Announcing the award after the jury meeting on 2^nd March, 2023, Prof. Shafey Kidwai  announced that in recognition of overall services to  Urdu language and literature and in the unanimous opinion of all jury members, it had been decided to give this year’s award to –ZAKIA MASHHADI.

Zakia Mashhadi is a very well known  and prominent  fiction-writer in the sub-continent. Her 9 collections of short stories and a  novel and her 8 books after translation from Urdu to English, Hindi to Urdu and from  English  to Urdu, have been published so far. Her collections of short stories  include 'Piyare Chehre' (1984),  Tareek  Rahon ke Musafir (1993), 'Sadai Bazgasht' (2003), 'Naqsh e  Natamam' (2008), 'Yeh Jehan e Rang o Boo' (2013), 'Muntakhib Afsane' (2016), 'Ankhan Dekhi' (2016)' 'PARSA BIBI KA BAGHAR' (Novelet - 2016), 'Ballaman ki janan Mein Kaun' (2020), 'DIYA Bati ki Bela' (2022),

Her translated works include –‘'Pakhero', ’Neela Chand’, 'The last Salute', ’PARAYA GHAR’, 'Bridging Connections’, ’Aiwan  Ghazal'—Novel, and ’Understanding Human Behaviour'.

Her famous short story 'Maa' (Mther) has become a classic. She has translated Jeelani  Bano ‘s  famous novel 'Aiwan e Ghazal' into English. It has been published by National Book Trust and has been highly appreciated at global level. She has also translated her own 12 selected short stories, which have been published by National Book Trust.

Zakia Mashhadi has been honoured with numerous awards, which include Iqbal Samman , Ghalib Award for fiction (2016), Sahitya Academy Tarjuma Award (2018), Awards from Bihar University for the first three Collections of Short Stories and many highest awards from BIHAR and Uttar Pardesh Urdu academies.

Pakistan Award Jury meeting held on  15^th March, 2023 in Lahore, Prof. Dr. Khurshid  Rizvi, the Pakistan Award jury Chairman, announced the name of Mirza Athar Baig as the Award winner from Pakistan for the year 2023.

Baig was born on 7^th March, 1950  in Sharaqpur, Punjab, Pakistan. Both his parents were school teachers and encouraged him to read widely from a young age. He is now a novelist, playwright and short story writer. Some critics regard him as one of the most important contemporary writers in the Urdu language.

He is a veteran professor of post-modern and post – colonial  Philosophy at Government College University, Lahore, Baig announced his entry into fiction with Avant—Garde works that completely re-shaped the field of contemporary Urdu fiction. He is also currently associated with the Department of Philosophy at the Government College University in Lahore.

Baig’s fiction works include three  novels, a short story collection and numerous plays for television. His first novel 'GHULAM BAGH' is considered  one of the central works  of literature in the Urdu language. The novel has received critical acclaim. Five editions have been published since its initial publication in 2006.

A collection of short stories, titled 'BEH AFSANA' (ANTI-STORY) was published in 2008. His second novel 'SIFAR SE AIK TAAK' (From zero to one) was published in 2010. His third novel 'HASSAN KI SURAT-E-HAL' was published in 2014 and has received critical acclaim in Pakistan as well as international media. It was translated into English.

Baig is recipient of 'Pride of Performance' award by the Government of Pakistan.