Josh Malihabadi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josh Malihabadi HI PB
Josh (1949)
Born	Shabbir Hasan Khan 5 December 1898 (1898-12-05) Malihabad, North-Western Provinces, British India
Died	22 February 1982(1982-02-22) (aged 83) Islamabad, Pakistan
Occupation	Poet
Nationality	Pakistani
Education	Visva-Bharati University
Literary movement	Progressive Writers' Movement
Notable awards	Padma Bhushan (1954) by the Government of India Hilal-e-Imtiaz (2013) by the President of Pakistan
Other names	Shayar-e-Inquilab

Josh Malihabadi, whose real name was Shabbir Hasan Khan, was a very famous Pakistani poet. He was born on December 5, 1898, in Malihabad, which was then part of British India. He passed away on February 22, 1982, in Islamabad, Pakistan. People often called him Shayar-e-Inqalab, meaning "Poet of the Revolution." He is known as one of the best Urdu poets from the time when India was under British rule.

Josh was known for his modern ideas and for speaking out against old traditions. He wrote an amazing number of poems – over 100,000 couplets (two-line verses) and more than 1,000 rubaiyat (a type of four-line poem). His autobiography, Yaadon ki Barat, is famous for being very honest and open. Jawaharlal Nehru, who became India's first Prime Minister, greatly admired Josh and often went to poetry gatherings where Josh performed. Some of his works were even translated into English.

Early Life of Josh Malihabadi

Josh was born into an Urdu-speaking Muslim family in Malihabad, near Lucknow, in British India. His family had roots in the Afridi Pashtun people. He learned Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and English at home from a young age.

He went to St Peter's College in Agra and finished his Senior Cambridge exam in 1914. Later, he studied Arabic and Persian more deeply. In 1918, he spent six months at Tagore's Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan. Sadly, his father, Bashir Ahmed Khan, passed away in 1916, which stopped him from going to college.

His family had a long history of writers and poets. His great-grandfather, grandfather, paternal uncle, and father were all poets. They wrote many poetry collections, translations, and essays. Another relative, Abdur Razzaq Malihabadi, was a journalist and scholar.

Josh Malihabadi's Career Journey

In 1925, Josh started working at Osmania University in the princely state of Hyderabad. He was in charge of translation work there. However, his time in Hyderabad ended when he was forced to leave. This happened because he wrote a poem (a nazm) against the Nizam of Hyderabad, who was the ruler of the state at that time.

Soon after, he started his own magazine called Kaleem. In this magazine, he wrote articles that supported India's independence from the British Raj. His poem "Hussain aur Inquilab" (Hussain and Revolution) earned him the title of Shaair-e-Inquilaab (Poet of the Revolution). After this, he became more involved in the fight for freedom, using his writing to support the cause. He became close friends with some political leaders, especially Jawaharlal Nehru.

After India gained independence from British rule in 1947, Josh became the editor of a publication called Aaj-Kal.

Moving to Pakistan

In 1956, Josh decided to move to Pakistan. This was despite Jawaharlal Nehru trying to convince him to stay in India. It is generally believed that Josh was worried about the future of the Urdu language in India. He thought that the Hindu majority in India might encourage the use of Hindi more than Urdu. After moving, Josh settled in Karachi and worked for an organization called Anjuman-i-Tarraqi-i-Urdu, which promotes the Urdu language.

Death and Lasting Legacy

Josh Malihabadi stayed in Pakistan until he passed away on February 22, 1982, in Islamabad. Famous poets like Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Mustafa Zaidi were close friends with Josh. Faiz Ahmad Faiz visited Islamabad when Josh was ill.

Many scholars and poets have worked to keep Josh's legacy alive. Hilal Naqvi, a well-known poet and researcher, spent most of his life collecting and publishing Josh's works. Many people admired Josh, including Professor Ehtesham Hussain, Rais Amrohvi, and Mustafa Zaidi.

Josh's maternal grandson, Farrukh Jamal Malihabadi, and his granddaughter, Tabassum Akhlaq, have also continued his poetic legacy.

The Josh Literary Society of Canada (JLSC) was started in February 1983 in Calgary, Canada. This society holds events to celebrate Josh's work. In 1986, they held their first big conference called Josh – The Poet of the Century. Later, the Josh Society and Irteqa Foundation in Karachi organized a large three-day event to celebrate Josh's 100th birthday. They also held smaller events in other cities. The JLSC has published and reprinted 14 books about Josh.

The Josh Memorial Committee was formed in 1986 by Tabassum Akhlaq, who is its current chairperson. This committee organizes seminars about Josh Malihabadi's life and his literary work. These events usually happen on his birthday (December 5) and his death anniversary (February 22).

In August 2012, the Government of Pakistan announced that Josh Malihabadi would receive the Hilal-i-Imtiaz. This is Pakistan's second-highest civilian honor. His granddaughter, Tabassum Akhlaq, received this award from the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, on March 23, 2013.

Josh's life mission can be understood through his own words:

Kaam hai mera taghayyur, Naam hai mera shabaab

Mera naara: inquilab-o-inquilab-o-inquilab

My task is change, my name is youth!

My slogan: revolution, revolution and revolution!

A well-known scholar, Pervez Hoodbhoy, once said about Josh's poetry, "Poetry flowed from Josh's pen like water from a bubbling spring."

Notable Works by Josh Malihabadi

Josh Malihabadi wrote many collections of poetry. Some of his famous works include:

Josh also wrote songs for films, on the advice of film director W. Z. Ahmed. One of the films he wrote for was Aag Ka Darya (1966). Here are some songs he wrote:

Awards and Recognitions

Josh Malihabadi received several important awards and honors for his contributions to literature:

• Padma Bhushan Award (1954): This is India's third-highest civilian honor, given by the Government of India.
• "The Poet of the Century" (1992): This title was given to him by a group of prominent literary figures in Lahore, Pakistan.
• Kamal-e-Sukhan Award (1999): This award was announced for him by The Old Boys Association of EMERSON College in Multan.
• Hilal-e-Imtiaz (2013): This is Pakistan's second-highest civilian honor, awarded by the Government of Pakistan. It was presented to his granddaughter on March 23, 2013.

His life story was also captured in a TV series called Kahkashan, which aired on DD National.