Bashir Badr

Summary

Bashir Badr (born Syed Muhammad Bashir; 15 February 1935) is an Indian poet. He was teaching Urdu in Aligarh Muslim University.[1] He primarily writes in Urdu language particularly ghazals. He also wrote a couplet titled Dushmani Jam Kar Karo in 1972 during Shimla Agreement that revolves around the partition of India. Badr's most of unpublished literary work, including uncertain poems was lost during the 1987 Meerut communal riots, and later he moved to Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.[2]

Bashir Badr
BornSyed Muhammad Bashir
(1935-02-15) 15 February 1935 (age 89)
Faizabad, United Provinces, British India
OccupationPoet
NationalityIndian
EducationMA, PhD
Alma materAligarh Muslim University
GenreGhazal
SubjectLove, Philosophy
SpouseRahat Badr
RelativesNusrat Badr (son)
Signature
Website
www.bashirbadr.com

Early life and education edit

He was born in United Provinces of British India (in modern-day [Faizabad now Ayodhya], Uttar Pradesh, India) on 15 February 1935. After he did his early schooling, he attended the Aligarh Muslim University where he did his Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and PhD. Later, he served at the same university as a lecturer. He also served at Meerut College for over seventeen years.

After his property such as house and books was damaged in 1987 Meerut violence, he permanently moved to Bhopal.[1]

He is currently suffering from dementia and is believed to have forgot his Mushaira years as a result of dementia.

Career edit

He started writing poems at the apparent age of seven. He wrote some collection of ghazals titled Ikai, Kulliyate Bashir Badr, Aamad, Image, Aahat and Devanagari script ghazals titled Ujale Apni Yadon Ke. During his career, he wrote two books titled Azadi Ke Bad Urdu Ghazals Ka Tanqidi Mutala (Critical study of Urdu ghazal after independence) and Biswin Sadi Mein Ghazal (Ghazals in 20th century) focused on literary criticism.[1]

He has also served at the Bihar Urdu Academy as a chairman.[3]

Influence on politics edit

His couplets appears to have influence on Indian politicians,[4] and are sometimes quoted in the parliament of India by the leaders such as prime minister of India Narendra Modi and 2014's prime minister candidate of Congress Rahul Gandhi. In 1972, his couplet was quoted by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[2]

Awards edit

Badr has received the Padma Shri award in 1999[5] for contribution towards literature and Sangeet Natak Akademi. He has also received the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu for his poetry collection "Aas" in 1999.[6]

Legacy edit

Badr is one of the most quoted shayar in Indian pop-culture.

A popular radio show Ujaale Apni Yaadon Ke on Vividh Bharti derives its title from one of Badr's most popular sher.[7][8]

ujāle apnī yādoñ ke hamāre saath rahne do na jaane kis galī meñ zindagī kī shaam ho jaa.e [9]

The 2015 film Masaan contains various examples of poetry and shaayari by Basheer Badr, along with works by Akbar Allahabadi, Chakbast, Mirza Ghalib and Dushyant Kumar.[10] Explaining this as a conscious tribute, the film's lyrics writer Varun Grover explained that he wanted to show the character of Shaalu (played by Shweta Tripathi) as a person whose hobby is to read Hindi poetry and shaayari, as this is a common hobby of millennial and generation x youngsters in Northern India, especially when in love, but this aspect is rarely shown in Hindi films.[11][12][13]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Bashir Badr: A forgotten legend". 25 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b Sharma, Ashutosh (15 February 2020). "Bashir Badr: A poet who once lost everything to communal fire, except faith in humanity". National Herald.
  3. ^ "Bashir Badr - Profile & Biography".
  4. ^ "When Narendra Modi used Congress' favourite poet Bashir Badr to target the party in Parliament". India Today.
  5. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  6. ^ Bureau, ABP News (6 January 2021). "After 47 Years, Poet Bashir Badr Receives His PhD Degree From AMU". news.abplive.com.
  7. ^ "मोहम्मद रफी जन्मदिन: तुम मुझे यूं भुला न पाओगे!". Firstpost Hindi. 24 December 2016.
  8. ^ सुवीर, सीमान्त. "बिंदु की कहानी... खुद की जुबानी". hindi.webdunia.com.
  9. ^ "Bashir Badr - Sher". Rekhta.
  10. ^ Lakhani, Somya (11 September 2016). "Secret Love: How Hindi poetry has become 'cool'". The Indian Express. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Hindi Kavita - Kuch ban jaate hain - Uday Prakash: Varun Grover in Hindi Studio with Manish Gupta". Hindi Kavita. 25 October 2015.
  12. ^ Pal, Sanchari (14 September 2016). "Meet the NRI Who Returned To India To Make Millions Fall in Love with Hindi Poetry". www.thebetterindia.com. The Better India. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  13. ^ Grover, Varun. "How the magic of Dushyant Kumar's poetry inspired this Bollywood lyricist". The Indian Express. Retrieved 17 April 2019.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Bashir Badr at Rekhta