Asif Farrukhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Asif Aslam Farrukhi
آصف اسلم فرخی |
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Asif Farrukhi at Habib University
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| Born |
Asif Aslam Farrukhi
16 September 1959 |
| Died | 1 June 2020 (aged 60) |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Alma mater | Dow University Harvard University |
| Occupation | Writer and Physician |
| Parent(s) | Aslam Farrukhi اسلم فرخی |
| Awards | Prime Minister's award for literature by the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 1997 Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) by the President of Pakistan in 2006 |
Asif Aslam Farrukhi (Urdu: آصف اسلم فرخی; 16 September 1959 – 1 June 2020) was a famous Pakistani writer, translator, and literary critic. He worked in both Urdu and English languages.
He was also an expert in public health and knew many languages. He translated books from English into Urdu, and also from Sindhi into Urdu and English. His collections of writings by Pakistani authors, translated into English, are very important. From 2000 to 2020, he was the editor and publisher of a well-known Urdu literary magazine called Dunyazad.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Asif Aslam Farrukhi was born in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1959. His father, Dr. Aslam Farrukhi, was a professor of Urdu at Karachi University. Asif was the older of two sons.
He went to St. Patrick's High School and D.J. Sindh Government Science College. Later, he studied medicine and earned his MBBS degree from the Dow University of Health Sciences in 1984. While still a student in 1982, he published his first book of short stories. From 1988 to 1989, he earned a master's degree in public health from Harvard University in the USA.
A Life of Writing and Literature
Asif Aslam Farrukhi wrote six collections of short stories and two collections of essays in Urdu. He was also a very active translator. He translated books from Sindhi and English into Urdu. He also translated from Urdu and Sindhi into English. He put together several English books that featured writings from Pakistan.
Starting Literary Journals and Presses
In 2000, he started a literary magazine called Dunyazad. This magazine came out twice a year. His goal was to connect new Urdu writings with literature from all over the world that had been translated. He also started Scheherazade Press in 1999. This publishing house helped new Urdu writings get noticed.
Organizing Literature Festivals
From 2010 to 2018, Farrukhi helped start and organize the Karachi Literature Festival. He worked with Oxford University Press and the British Council for this event. After some disagreements, he co-founded a new event in 2019 called the Adab Literature Festival. This festival offered another place for writers and readers to meet.
Working in Public Health
From 1985 to 1993, Asif Farrukhi worked at the Aga Khan University. He was part of their Community Health Services department. He worked under the guidance of Professor John H. Bryant, who was a pioneer in public health.
From 1994 to 2014, he worked for UNICEF in Karachi as a Health and Nutrition Program Officer. His travels to different countries for his health work greatly influenced his writing.
Teaching at Habib University
In 2014, he joined the new Habib University. He became an Associate Professor of Urdu. He also became the Director of the Arzu Center for Regional Languages & Humanities. In 2016, he briefly served as the Interim Dean for the university's School of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences.
Awards and Recognition
Asif Aslam Farrukhi received several important awards for his work:
- Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) from the President of Pakistan in 2006. This is a high honor in Pakistan.
- Prime Minister's Literary Award from the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 1997.
His Passing
Asif Farrukhi passed away suddenly in Karachi on 1 June 2020. He had a cardiac arrest. He had been living with diabetes for a long time.
