Wazir Agha

Wazir Agha وزیر آغا
Born	May 18, 1922(1922-05-18) Wazir Kot Sargodha district, British Raj
Died	September 7, 2010(2010-09-07) (aged 88) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Occupation	Urdu poet, Writer, Essayist, Critic
Nationality	Pakistani
Influenced Urdu Literature

Wazir Agha (Urdu: وزیر آغا ) was a Pakistani Urdu language writer, poet, critic and essayist. He lived in Sargodha.^[1][2][3] He ran the literary magazine "Auraq" for many decades. He introduced many theories in Urdu literature. He is most famous for his work on Urdu humour. He has also written a seminal book on modern Urdu poets, notably those who have written more poems than ghazals. He has also written poetry and his poems mostly have an element of story.

Biography

Wazir Agha was born on May 18, 1922 in the village Wazir Kot in the Sargodha district.^[4] His father was a businessman who dealt in horses from the Persian-speaking Qizilbash family. Wazir’s father obtained 750 acres (3.0 km²) of land from the British government in the Sargodha district.

Agha picked up the Persian language from his father, Punjabi from his mother and the English language from his British friends. During his school years, he developed a strong fondness for Urdu ghazals and started composing poetry on his own. He graduated from Government College, Jhang and later received his masters in Economics from Government College, Lahore. He was awarded the degree of doctorate by the University of Punjab in 1956 for his research on humor and satire in Urdu Literature.^[5].

Wazir Agha died on September 7, 2010 in Lahore. He was laid to rest in his native village near Sargodha.

Literary works

Wazir Agha was the editor of the college magazine "Chanab" in Government College, Jhang. In 1944, he came across Maulana Salahuddin Ahmad who was the editor of famous monthly Adabi Duniya. He was asked to contribute by writing essays on topics uncommon in Urdu Literature of that time, such as economics, philosophy, psychology. In 1953, his work on "In search of happiness" was compiled as a book that opened a formal paradigm of research in Urdu literature.^[6]

From 1960 to 1963, he acted as a co-editor of Adbi Duniya and from 1965 onwards, he remained editor of monthly Auraq for many decades.

Wazir Agha used European styles and forms in his work, such as ballads, sonnets and vers fibre. He also experimented with rhymes and metres.^[7] He established himself as a critic.

Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) has published a book on life and work of Dr. Wazir Agha under publishing project of "Makers of Pakistani Literature".^[8] He was also Life Fellow of PAL since 1995.

He also wrote an autobiography Shaam Ki Mundair Sey.^[9]

Bibiography

His best-known Urdu works are:

Books

• Adam Mein Tanz-o-Mazah (1958)
• Takhleequi Amal (1970)'
• Urdu Shairi Ka Mizaaj (1965)'
• Tasawuraat-e- Ishq-o- Khird – Iqbal Ki Nazar Mein (1977)
• Majeed Amjad Ki Dastaan-e-Muhabbat (1991) and Ghalib Ka Zauq-e-Tamasha (1997)

Essays

• Nazam-e-Jadeed Ki Karwatein (1963)
• Tanqeed Aur Ehtesaab (1968)
• Naye Maqaalaat (1972)
• Naye Tanaazur (1979)
• Maani Aur Tanaazur (1998)
• Tanqeed Aur Majlisi Tanqeed (1975)
• Daairey Aur Lakirein (1986)
• Tanqeed Aur Jadeed Urdu Tanqeed (1989)
• Inshaiye Kei Khad-o-Khaal (1990)
• Saakhtiat Aur Science (1991)
• Dastak Us Darwaazey Par (1994) and Imtizaji Tanqeed Ka Scienci Aur Fikri Tanaazur (2006) are best known.

See also

• List of Pakistani poets
• list of Urdu poets
• List of Pakistani writers
• List of Urdu writers

References

1. ^ http://www.wazeeragha.com/
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ URDU AUTHORS at www.urducouncil.nic.in
4. ^ http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\09\10\story_10-9-2010_pg7_16
5. ^ http://pakstudy.com/web/node/2860
6. ^ http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Islamabad/09-Sep-2010/Dr-Wazir-Agha-a-source-of-inspiration-for-writers
7. ^ http://www.forumpakistan.net/writer-wazir-agha-t28.html
8. ^ http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=51478
9. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2010/09/100910_wazir_agha_obit.shtml

Persondata
Name	Agha, Wazir
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 18, 1922
Place of birth	Wazir Kot Sargodha district, British India
Date of death	September 7, 2010
Place of death	Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan