evening with urdu poet Shahriyar

It was not just an evening. It was an evening with famous Urdu poet of the country Prof. Shahriyar who shared his thought with the intellectuals of Sambalpur town in a get-together organized by the literary organization ‘Anurupa’ on Saturday. Prof Shahriyar is an eminent Urdu poet who received the Gangadhar national award of poetry from Smabalpur University on its 43^rd foundation-day held on the previous day, expressing gratitude to the people of Orissa, appealed the mankind to make the world more beautiful.

‘If you do not make the world beautiful, at least you do not have a right to make it dirty’ professor of Aligarh Muslim university Prof. Shahriyar told while interacting with the people of Sambalpur during the programme ‘shahriyar’s evening held at Panthanivas conference hall. On this occasion the translated Oriya version of his book was released. The book that has been translated by Surya Mishra and Bhagirathi Mishra was circulated to the people.

‘We have translated his poetry book in Oriya language with in a short period and we got released the book through his hand on Saturday during his visit to Sambalpur to receive the Gangadhar award of poetry 2008 conferred to him by Sambalpur University on the eve of its 43^rd foundation day. We feel proud to organize a programme at Smabalpur when he accepted our proposal to release the translated version of his poetry book’, the convener of ‘Anurupa’ Surya Mishra told.

While interacting with the literary community of the town, Prof. Shahriyar informed that he was never aimed to become a poet (sayar) but situation makes it possible and he became a poet of Urdu. “My parents were in uniformed services and they wanted me to follow them. But I left the house going against their will and became a poet fighting with the situation”, Dr. Akhalaq Mohammed Khan commonly known as Shahriyar in literary circle told

‘Listen to your heart and definitely you achieve your goal if you are sincere and honest to your work. Human beings are always beautiful among all creations, but you will become more beautiful by your creation’, Prof.Shariyar told. He appealed the seniors to encourage the juniors as one can never take any one’s place. ‘There is a fear of loosing your own place incase you lift any one. but honestly speak no body can take your place’, he asserted.

The eminent poet and vice-chairman of Orissa Sahitya Academy Uma Sankar Panda presided over the function who felicitated the guest poet with a shawl. It becomes a dream for the new generation poets to have interaction with Prof.Shahriyar, but thanks to ‘Anurupa’ that brings the dream into reality.