Ehsan Sehgal

Ehsan Sehgal Poems

Ehsan Sehgal Biography

Ehsan Sehgal (Urdu: احسان سہگل, Hindi: एहसान सहगल), or Khawaja Ehsan Elahi Sehgal (Urdu: خواجہ احسان الہی سہگل ) was born on November 15, 1951, is a well-known Pakistani Urdu poet and writer who has lived in the Netherlands since 1978. He is also a journalist and activist for democracy and the freedom of the press and of speech. He has received awards from Indian and European Urdu literary organizations, in recognition of his literary achievements, and is famous for his poetry book Zarb-e-Sukhan in the Urdu world. Sehgal has written a novel and several books of poetry; his articles have been published in various Urdu newspapers. Biography Sehgal was born in Larkana, Pakistan, in a Punjabi business family. His father, Khawaja Manzoor Elahi Sehgal, was from Pind Dadan Khan, Pakistan. Ehsan Sehgal received his elementary and secondary education in Larkana. He later moved to Karachi. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from University of Sindh, Hyderabad, and obtained Master of Arts Urdu (M.A.) and Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degrees from University of Karachi. He worked in several firms before he began his career in journalism. Sehgal distinguished himself as a journalist, but "unfavorable conditions" forced him to leave the country. In 1978, he sought political asylum in the Netherlands, settling in The Hague to work as a freelance journalist. He currently freelances for Urdu newspapers and magazines and online daily newspapers. Literary Career Sehgal's first publication was a novel, but his next books were all collections of poetry. He writes mostly in the poetic form called Ghazal, but he has also written Ruba'i, Nazm, Qat'aa, and Naat. He also writes in the meter called Beher. Besides the novel and books of poetry, he published a collection of quotes and articles in 1999. In 2010, he published a collection of aphorisms in Dutch, having lived in the Netherlands for over three decades and feeling the desire to share his ideas with a Dutch audience. The book, De Wijze Weg ("The Wise Road"), was written and translated with the help of Naeem Arif. He has been praised by many Urdu writers and poets, especially by Ibn-e-Insha who has appreciated Sehgal's literary work in his weekly written columns in Akhbar-e-Jahan karachi. Sehgal also writes prose poetry in English as, Might-right-veto Who has connections,he is greeted Who has not,he is mistreated To kill innocent peoples Now it is diplomacy They are keeping In their hands veto but they are preaching To us democracy We,people of the blue planet Have to realize,anyhow It was always,it is always It will be always that where is might There is right. As Journalist Sehgal started his career as a reporter in Daily "Aghaz" Karachi in 1970. In a short time he became sub-editor and in charge of student, magazine and city news pages. He was also editor of fortnightly magazine Tamseel karachi. Political Role During Sehgal's childhood he played with Murtaza Bhutto, Shahnawaz Bhutto and Benazir Butto, the children of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, foreign minister in Ayub Khan's cabinet. In Larkana in 1968, when general Ayub Khan's government house arrested Bhutto, in protest there was a big demonstration against Khan's government, where Sehgal read his poem against Ayub Khan favouring Bhutto before the huge demonstrators. Later Bhutto in his banglow,where he was house arrested, paid thanks to Sehgal. Sehgal also became a basic member of the youth branch of Pakistan Peoples Party Larkana.) Sehgal established Muslim United Nations during his stay in the Netherlands in 1980, and wrote its charter and sent to all Muslim States. He is the founding chairperson of the organization. He also attended Islamic conference in Baghdad, Iraq, on the invitation of Saddam Hussein's government. Awards "Molana Maher-ul-Qadri Award" in 2001 from Urdu Trust London, U.K. "Allama Shariq Jamal Award" in 2005 from Bazm-e-Shaoor-e-Adab. Jaipur, India. "Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award" in 2011 from Urdu Tahreek Aalami London, U.K.)