Kishwar Naheed

Kishwar Naheed is a famous Pakistani . She is also the noted feminist. She was born in 1940 in Bulandshahr, , but migrated to after partition in 1949. She witnessed all the atrocities associated with the such as violence, bloodshed, rape and abduction at her tender age. Recalling those gory moments, she says, “women and girls anywhere have their feet soaked in blood. Very little has changed over the decades. This must end.”

She got her Adeeb Fazil degree in Urdu besides learning Persian language. During the times when women education was not properly encouraged, she struggled hard to receive her education. She received her high school diploma through correspondence course. Her brother, Syed Iftikhar Zaidi, helped her continue her formal education. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in1959 and Masters in Economics in 1961 from Punjab University, Lahore. Kishwar married her friend and a poet Yousuf Kamran.

Kishwar Naheed has 12 volumes of poetry to her credit. Her is widely translated into many foreign languages all over the world. Her famous poem 'We Sinful Women' is referred to as a women’s anthem among the Pakistani feminist circles. She ,(عورتیں گنہگار ہم) has also written eight books for children which won her the most prestigious UNESCO award for children's literature. She was influenced by the Progressive Writers' Movement in South Asia and the ideals of socialism. Kishwar Naheed also has played a significant role in promoting India People’s Forum and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Writers Forum. She has participated in innumerable global literary and cultural movements. Her poetry speaks of freedom, justice and equality. Her powerful expression has won her international acclaim.

Awards:  Adamjee Literary Award in 1968  UNESCO Prize for Children’s Literature  Best Translation award by Columbia University  Mandela Prize in 1997  Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) Award in 2000  Kamal-e-Fun Award (Lifetime Achievement Award) in Literature in 2015. ____