KAIFI AZMI’S POETRY REFLECTS LOVE, REBELLION AND HUMANITY

Jaipur, 23 October: The literary legacy of renowned Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi, his social commitment and his contribution to Hindi cinema were explored at a book discussion held at Ashok Club on Friday. Organised under the ‘Sahyog’ initiative of Prabha Khaitan Foundation, the event featured senior journalist, author and editor Vinod Bharadwaj in conversation with author and journalist Anshu Harsh about his edited book, ‘Zinda Khwaab Ke Shair: Kaifi Azmi’. The book was formally released by Tusharika Singh, Anshu Harsh, Vinod Bharadwaj and Jagdeep Singh.

The discussion explored the themes of love, rebellion and humanity in Kaifi Azmi’s poetry, along with his progressive ideology and social concerns. Vinod Bharadwaj highlighted that, for Kaifi, literature was not merely a means of expressing emotions but also a medium for bringing about social change. His association with the Progressive Writers’ Movement and the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) reflected this commitment.

Bharadwaj shared that despite belonging to a zamindar family, Kaifi never abandoned his simple way of life. He consistently raised his voice for the rights of labourers, farmers and working-class people. He fulfilled his responsibilities towards both his family and society with equal dedication. Discussing the human side of Kaifi Azmi, Bharadwaj also referred to the memoirs of his wife, Shaukat Azmi.

During the session, Bharadwaj read out some of his favourite lines from the book: “Ek diya naam hai jiska umeed, jhilmilata hi chala jaata hai” He shared that these lines inspired him never to lose hope. Kaifi Azmi, too, never gave up hope in life and knew how to remain happy under all circumstances.

Sharing his experiences of writing and editing, Bharadwaj explained that writing offers creative freedom, while editing allows scope for improvement and selection but does not give an editor the liberty to alter the original work according to personal preferences.

The session concluded with an engaging Q&A. Earlier, the Welcome Address was delivered by Jagdeep Singh, while the session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Tusharika Singh.