Hajra Masroor (Urdu: ہاجرہ مسرور; Hājrah Masrūr; 17 January 1930 – 15 September 2012)[1] was a Pakistani writer who established herself with her short fiction stories, known as afsana in Urdu literature.[2][3] Her elder sister, Khadija Mastoor, was also an accomplished short-story writer and novelist.[4][5]
Hajra Masroor ہاجرہ مسرور | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 17 January 1930 Lucknow, British India |
| Died | 15 September 2012 (aged 82) Karachi, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Known for | Feminist writer Progressive Writers' Movement |
| Relatives |
|
| Awards | Pride of Performance Award in 1995 by the President of Pakistan |
Personal life
editHajra Masroor was born on 17 January 1930 in Lucknow, British India to Dr. Tahawwar Ahmad Khan, who was a British Army medical doctor, and Anwar Jahan Begum, a published writer.[6] Her father had suddenly died after a heart attack at a young age of 38.[6] She had five sisters, including Khadija Mastoor, and a younger brother, Khalid Ahmad, who also became a poet, playwright and newspaper columnist. Her family was mainly raised by her mother. She began writing from her early childhood.[1]
After independence of Pakistan in 1947, she and her sisters migrated to Pakistan, and settled in Lahore.[1][2] An Urdu writer in his book wrote that no one knew Hajra was engaged with famous Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi but once in a literary gathering Ludhianvi pronounced a word wrongly, Hajra criticised him, he got angry and engagement was broken.[citation needed] Later, she married Ahmad Ali Khan, who was the editor of daily Dawn for 28 years. They were married for 57 years before he died in 2007.[2] They have two daughters.
Career
editHajra Masroor began writing short stories from an early age. Her short stories published in the literary magazines had received high appreciation from Urdu literary circles. She edited literary magazine Naqoosh with Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi. Qasmi was also a friend of hers and her sister.[7][8] She made her place in the history of Urdu literature and Urdu fiction with bold imagination and writing of short stories in a non-traditional way. She wrote simple yet effective prose, had a down-to-earth style of writing.[2] Her early collections of short stories included Chirkey (1944), Hai Allah, and Chori Chuppay.[6] Her collected plays were published as Woh Log. She also wrote the script of Suroor Barabankvi’s film Aakhri Station.[6]
She wrote several books of short stories in which she raised the social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men. Hajra Masroor was one of the torchbearer of the Progressive Writers' Movement as well as one of the pioneers of feminism in the subcontinent.[7]
Death and legacy
editHajira Masroor died on 15 September 2012 in Karachi, Pakistan.[1]
Bibliography
editShort stories
Awards and recognition
edit- Pride of Performance Award in 1995 by the President of Pakistan[9][10]
- Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Award.[11]
| Year | Ceremony | Work | Award | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Nigar Awards | Aakhri Station | Best Scriptwriter | [1][12] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Renowned writer Hajra Masroor passes away". Dawn. Pakistan. 15 September 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Asif Noorani (15 September 2012). "Hajra Masroor – one of the last pre-independence writers of repute". Pakistan: Dawn. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ "ہاجرہ مسرور:ایک باکمال افسانہ نویس". Dunya News. 11 January 2022.
- ^ "Great story writer Khadija Mastoor's anniversary today". Samaa TV News. 26 July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014.
- ^ "خدیجہ مستور اور ہاجرہ مسرور، افسانہ نگار بہنیں". 2 September 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ a b c d abul.hasanat (15 September 2012). "Hajira Masroor, mistress of crisp prose, passes away". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d Peerzada Salman (16 September 2012). "Writer Hajira Masroor passes away". Pakistan: Dawn. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ "A Tribute: Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi". Pakistaniat.com. 16 August 2006. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ Remembering those who left us this year The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 31 December 2012, Accessed 15 November 2019
- ^ Profile and books of Hajra Masroor on goodreads.com website. Retrieved 24 June 2019
- ^ "Urdu awards ceremony, Mushaira set for Oct. 6". Gulf Times (newspaper). 11 September 2011. Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ "THE NIGAR AWARDS — 1957 - 1971". The Hotspot Online. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2023.