Zahida Hina

Zahida Hina (Urdu: زاہدہ حنا) (b. 1946) is a noted Urdu columnist, essayist, short story writer, novelist and dramatist from Pakistan.

Life

Zahida was born on October 5, 1946 in the Sehsram town of Bihar, India. After the partition of India, her father, Muhammad Abul Khair, emigrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi, where Zahida was brought up and educated. She wrote her first story when she was nine years old. She graduated from University of Karachi, and her first essay was published in the monthly "Insha" in 1962. She chose journalism as a career in mid 60s. In 1970, she married the well-known poet Jon Elia. Zahida Hina was associated with the daily "Jang" from 1988 until 2005, when she moved to the "Daily Express, Pakistan". She now lives in Karachi.

Work

Zahida Hina has written more than two thousand journalistic articles. Many of her short stories have been translated into English, Bengali, Hindi and Marathi. Some of her important titles include:

* "Qaidi sans leta hai" (collection of short stories)
* "Rah main ajal hai" (collection of short stories)
* "Na junoon raha na pari rahi" (collection of short stories)
* "Dard ka Shajar" (Novel)
* "Dard-e-Ashob" (Novel)
* "Zard Paton ka ban" (TV Drama)

Awards

* "Faiz Award"
* "Literary Performance Award"
* "Saghir Siddiqui Adabi Award"
* "K. P. Award"
* "Sindh Speaker Award"
* "SAARC Literary Award"

In August 2006, she was nominated for Pakistan's highest award, the "Presidential Award" Pride of Performance, which she declined as a mark of protest against the military government in Pakistan [http://www.ibitians.com/2007/07/04/tamgha-e-husn-e-karkardagi-mazrat-aur-mauqaf/]

ee also

*Jon Elia

External links

* [http://www.ibitians.com/category/columns/zahida-hina/ Read Zahida Hina Columns at IBITIANS.com (Urdu)]
* [http://www.express.com.pk/ Daily Express Official Site]