Shabnam Shakeel

Shabnam Shakeel
Born	(1942-03-12)12 March 1942 Lahore, Pakistan
Died	2 March 2013(2013-03-02) (aged 70) Karachi
Nationality	Pakistani
Occupation(s)	Academician, poet

Shabnam Shakeel (Urdu: شبنم شکیل ALA-LC: S̱ẖabnam S̱ẖakīl IPA: [ʃəbnəm ʃəkiːl]; 12 March 1942 – 2 March 2013) was a Pakistani poet, writer, and academician. Shabnam spent her early life in Lahore, Pakistan, and received a master's degree in Urdu literature. During her career, she worked as a lecturer at several colleges in Pakistan. Her first book Tanqeedi Mazameen, was published in 1965.^[1] She won numerous awards, honours and titles for her contributions to Urdu literature including the prestigious presidents' Pride of Performance award in 2005.^[1]

Biography[edit]

Shabnam was born on 12 March 1942 in Lahore, Pakistan. Her father Syed Abid Ali Abid was a poet and academician and thus she was given the opportunity to grow up in a literary environment and was exposed to notable people such as Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum and Faiz Ahmad Faiz.^[2] She was a student at Kinnaird College and graduated from Islamia College, both in Lahore. She received a Master of Arts degree in Urdu literature from Oriental College, Lahore.^[1]

After finishing her studies, she joined Queen's Mary College, Lahore as a professor of Urdu language and literature. For the next 30 years, she worked as a teacher at different colleges in Pakistan such as Lahore College for Women University, Government Girls College, Quetta, and Federal Government College F-7/2 in Islamabad.^[1]

In 1967, she married Syed Shakeel Ahmad who was a civil servant. The couple had two sons, Waqar Hasnain Ahmad and Jehanzeb Ahmad, and one daughter Malahat Awan.^[1]

Shabnam died on 2 March 2013 in Karachi. Her Namaz-e-Janaza was offered in F-11 Graveyard in Islamabad on March 3.^[1]

Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf gave his condolences to the family in a message expressing his grief over her death.^[1]

Literary works[edit]

Her first book, Tanqeedi Mazameen was published in 1965. Some of her other published poetry collections were Shabzaad (1987), Izteraab (1994), Taqreeb Kuch Tau (2003) and Musafat Raigan Thi (2008).^[1]

Bibliography[edit]

• Tanqeedi Mazameen, 1965, Classic Publishers, Lahore
• Shabzad (Poetic Collection), 1987, Maavra Publishers Lahore^[3]
• Iztaraab (Poetic Collection), 1994, Sangemeel Publishers, Lahore
• Taqreeb Kuch Tau (Critics/penpictures of personalities), 2003, Sangemeel Publishers, Lahore
• Na Qafas Na Ashiana (Short Stories), 2004, Sangemeel Publishers, Lahore
• Musafat Raigan The (Poetic Collection), Sangemeel Publishers, Lahore^[3]
• Khawateen ki Shaaeeri (1947 to 2002) aur Muasharay par iskay asarat (sponsored by M/O Women Development)
• Hasrat Mohani Ka Taghazzul (in press)

Awards[edit]

The following is a list of awards bestowed upon Shabnam during her literary career:

• President's Pride of Performance Award, 2005^[1]
• Awards of Recognition – Hamdard Foundation, 1994
• Bolan Award (Shabzad – Poetic Collection), 1988
• Govt. of Baluchistan's Award for Country's Prominent Women
• Shabnam Shakeel ki Shakhsiat aur Shaairy (Research Paper) by Mubashira Nasreen, Urdu Department, N.U.M.L. (2000)
• Various awards by prominent social and literary organizations of Pakistan
• Life Member, Pakistan Academy of Letters
• Member PTV Censor Board Channel 3
• Member scholarships committee, Pakistan Academy of Letters
• Member Punjab Public Library Board, Lahore
• Member Jury (Award) Radio Pakistan, PTVC Perveen Shakir Trust & Academy of Letters Hijra Awards
• Bhaha-ud-Din Zakriya University Multan's research paper: Shabnam Shakeel ki shakhsiat aur funn (M.Phil.)
• Lahore University of Management Sciences has included her poetry in its management sciences BSc honors course.

References[edit]