PESHAWAR: Poets and writers have termed the literary contributions of veteran writer and broadcaster Bushra Farrukh a great source of inspiration for budding literati and a treasure trove of Urdu language and literature.

Ms Farrukh, author of several books on various topics, received Fakhr-i-Urdu Adab award for her contribution to the Urdu language and literature. She became the first women writer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to get this international award.

Dwelling on her literary career here on Sunday, Ms Farrukh told this scribe that she was given Fakhr-i-Urdu Adab award under the auspices of Bazm-i-Sukhan Mawra, based in the United States of America.

Noted Urdu poets, writers, linguists, and intellectuals drawn online from the Gulf States, the US, UK, Canada and parts of the country conferred the award on the Peshawar-based Urdu writer in recognition of her huge services to Urdu literature.

Bushra Farrukh is the author of 19 books in Urdu on a variety of topics including poetry, prose, fiction, literary criticism and research. She has been serving the cause of promoting Urdu for the last four decades alongside radio and TV anchoring.

She is the recipient of numerous awards and commendation certificates including President’s Pride of Performance. Also, she has participated in Urdu seminars, conferences and poetry recitals held in the country and abroad representing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last few decades.

“I have been heading Karwan-i-Hawa, a literary organisation comprising women poets and writers, for the last several years through which young literati are being encouraged to display their latent talent. Till now, around seven MPhil and four master-level theses have been conducted on my literary works, which is a great pride for me,” said Ms Farrukh.

She said that the online event was chaired by founding president of Sukhan Mawara US Tabassum Alvi while Fayyaz Wardag was chief guest. Poets and writers from around the globe of Urdu speaking community praised her selfless literary services.

Ms Farrukh said that senior writers from Peshawar including Prof Nasir Ali Syed, Mushtaq Shabab, Shahida Sardar and Dr Ejaz Khattak were also part of the online event. She added that several participants praised her contribution to Urdu literature through their papers and poems laden with glowing tribute and regard.

“The global award is not only recognition of my literary contribution but also a pride for my people and my country at large.

Scaling the heights of success was never an easy task but despite odds and the typical conservative environment, I made it to the top. I take great pride today to have brought a rare laurel to my KP women writers,” she said proudly.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2024