Ehsan Sehgal; an Urdu Poet and Writer

Ehsan Sehgal

Ehsan Sehgal (Urdu: احسان سہگل), born Khawaja Ehsan Elahi Sehgal (Urdu: خواجہ احسان الہی سہگل ) on November 15, 1951, is a 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.

Sehgal has written a novel and several books of poetry; his articles have been published in various Urdu newspapers.

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.

Ehsan Sehgal

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 Rubaiyat, 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.

Ehsan Sehgal has been awarded many international awards including;

• "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.

Zarb-e-Sukhan

Ehsan sehgal has contributed very beautiful material to the treasure of Urdu literature. His work can be categorized into prose and poetry. Some of his work is given below;

Novel

• Khushi Bad-e-Gham ("Happiness after Grief". Karachi: Ameen Brothers, 1968.

Poetry

• Sehr-e-Jazbat ("A City of Emotions"). Karachi: Desent Press, Shahzad Farooqi, 1972.

• Parwaz-e-Takhayyul. Karachi: Altaf, 1995.

• Andaz-e-Takhayyul. Karachi: Mesahi, 1998.

• Saz-e-Takhayyul. Karachi: Mesahi, 1999.

• Naz-e-Takhayyul. Islamabad, Karachi: Baze-Ilmo-Fun-International, 2000.

• Afkar Ki Khushboo. Islamabad, Karachi: Bazme-Ilmo-Fun-International, 2002.

• Charag-e-Dard. March 2004. Karachi, The Hague: Urdu Cultural Society, 2004.

• Zarb-e-Sukhan. Karachi, London, The Hague: Urdu Tahreek, 2009