Ehsan Sehgal
| Ehsan Sehgal احسان سہگل | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founding Chairman of Muslim United Nations | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1980 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Khawaja Ehsan Elahi Sehgal 15 November 1951  Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Nationality |  Dutch[1] |
| Children | Memoona Sehgal Tehmina Sehgal |
| Residence | The Hague, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | University of Karachi |
| Occupation | Activist Journalist Poet |
| Religion | Islam |
| Website | Official website |
Ehsan Sehgal (Urdu: احسان سہگل, Hindi: एहसान सहगल), born Khawaja Ehsan Elahi Sehgal (Urdu: خواجہ احسان الہی سہگل ) is aDutch, Pakistani origin Urdu poet and writer.[1] He moved to The Netherlands in 1978 to escape the political strife under General Zia era in Pakistan,[1][2] and has lived in the Netherlands since 1978. He is also a journalist and an activist for democracy, freedom of the press and the speech.[3][4] He established the Muslim United Nations in 1980 as the founding chairperson.[5] He joined Pakistan Army in War of 1965 at the age of fourteen and received a Tamgha-e-Jang (War Medal} from Pakistan Army.[6]
He was born on 15 November 1951 in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan and obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Urdu literature. In addition, he also received the LL.B. law degree from Karachi University.[2] He married a Dutch woman and unfavourable events resulted in a divorce.[7]
He has received awards from Indian and European Urdu literary organisations in recognition of his literary achievements, and is famous for his poetry book Zarb-e-Sukhan , in Urdu-speaking world.[8][9][10] The Daily Times describes the book as a "splendid poetry collection." [11] Besides that he has published a collection of aphorisms in Dutch, English and Urdu.[12]
His many ghazals and naats composed and sung by several Pakistani singers.[13] Sehgal has also written a novel and several poetry books, his articles published in various Urdu newspapers.
Personal life[edit]
Background[edit]
Sehgal was born in Larkana, Pakistan, in a Punjabi business family.[2][14] His father, Khawaja Manzoor Elahi Sehgal, was from Pind Dadan Khan, Pakistan.[14] Sehgal received his elementary and secondary education in Larkana.[14] 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.[14]
He worked in several firms before he began his career in journalism.[14] Sehgal distinguished himself as a journalist, but "unfavorable conditions" under the rule of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq forced him to leave the country.[2] In 1978, he sought political asylum in the Netherlands, settling in The Hague[15] to work as a freelance journalist.[2][14] He currently freelances for Urdu newspapers and magazines and online daily newspapers.
Marital life[edit]
He married a Dutch national woman named Hetty who converted to Islam as Rubina Sehgal on 31 July 1980 in The Hague, Holland, but during 33 years raised and increased religious, cultural and moral differences between them that resulted divorce on 15 November 2013,[7] with whom Sehgal has two daughters, Memoona Sehgal and Tehmina Sehgal.[1][7]
Literary career[edit]
Sehgal began his literary career in 1967.[8] His first publication was a novel,[14] but his next books were all collections of poetry.[2] He writes mostly in the poetic form calledGhazal,[2] but he has also written Ruba'i,[16][17] Nazm, Qat'aa, and Naat. He also writes in the meter called Beher and has good knowledge in poetry metre of the Urdu language.[14]
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 Way"), was written and translated with the help of Naeem Arif.[18] The Wise Way is also published in both the English and Urdu languages.[12]
His many ghazals have been sung by several Pakistani famous singers.[13] He has been praised by many Urdu writers and poets,[19] especially by Ibn-e-Insha who has appreciated Sehgal's literary work in his weekly written columns in Akhbar-e-Jahan karachi.[20] An author writes, "As far as the poetic justice in Sehgal's writing is considered, it is debatable. In spite of some shortcomings, he keeps on writing which is a good. His work over a period of time has been acknowledged." [8] A famous poet of India Nida Fazlicompared his poetry with Ghalib.[21]
Sehgal has received awards of Molana Maher-ul-Qadri Award in 2001 from Urdu Trust London, U.K,[9] Allama Shariq Jamal Award in 2005 from Bazm-e-Shaoor-e-Adab inJaipur, India,[9] and Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award in 2011 from Urdu Tahreek Aalmi London, U.K, in recognition of his best poetry works.[4] He has also received Pride of Performanceby Maraqaba Hal Holland, The Hague, Netherlands in December 2013.[22][23] He also writes prose poetry in English, such as:
As journalist[edit]
Sehgal started his career as a reporter for the Karachi daily Aghaz in 1970.[20] He soon became the sub-editor with responsibility for the student, magazine and city news pages. He was also editor of the fortnightly Karachi magazine, Tamseel.[20]
Political role[edit]
During Sehgal's childhood he played with Murtaza Bhutto, Shahnawaz Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, the children of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, foreign minister in Ayub Khan's cabinet.[20] InLarkana in 1968, when general Ayub Khan's government house arrested Bhutto, there was a big demonstration in protest against Khan's government, where Sehgal read his poem against Ayub Khan favouring Bhutto before the demonstrators. Later, Bhutto thanked Sehgal in the banglow where he was under house arrest.[20] Sehgal also became a basic member of the youth branch of Pakistan Peoples Party Larkana.[20]
Sehgal established the Muslim United Nations during his stay in the Netherlands in 1980. He wrote its charter and sent it to all Islamic states. He remains the founding chairperson of the organisation. He also attended Islamic conference in Baghdad, Iraq, on the invitation of Saddam Hussein's government.[5]
Army service[edit]
Sehgal has also served as a soldier. At the age of 14, he joined the Pakistan Army during the War of 1965. He got short training and received a Tamgha-e-Jang (War Medal) from Pakistan Army AMC Centre (recording) Abbottabad, Pakistan. The news was published in the newspapers of Pakistan.[6]
Awards[edit]
- Molana Maher-ul-Qadri Award in 2001 from Urdu Trust London, U.K.[9]
- Allama Shariq Jamal Award in 2005 from Bazm-e-Shaoor-e-Adab. Jaipur, India.[9]
- Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award in 2011 from Urdu Tahreek Aalami London, U.K.[4]
- Pride of Performance by Maraqaba Hal Holland, The Hauge, Netherlands in December 2013.[22][23]
- Tamgha-e-Jang (War Medal) by Pakistan Army in the War of 1965.[6]
Bibliography[edit]
- Novel
- Khushi Bad-e-Gham ("Happiness and Grief"). Karachi: Ameen Brothers, 1968.[2]
- Poetry
- Sehr-e-Jazbat ("A City of Emotions"). Karachi: Desent Press, Shahzad Farooqi, 1972.[2]
- Parwaz-e-Takhayyul. Karachi: Altaf, 1995.[14]
- Andaz-e-Takhayyul. Karachi: Mesahi, 1998.[26]
- Saz-e-Takhayyul. Karachi: Mesahi, 1999.[2]
- Naz-e-Takhayyul. Islamabad, Karachi: Baze-Ilmo-Fun-International, 2000.[2]
- Afkar Ki Khushboo. Islamabad, Karachi: Bazme-Ilmo-Fun-International, 2002.[21]
- Charag-e-Dard. March 2004. Karachi, The Hague: Urdu Cultural Society, 2004.[21]
- Zarb-e-Sukhan. Karachi, London, The Hague: Urdu Tahreek, 2009.[4][10]
- Quotations and articles
- Shaoor Ka Sheaar ("Quotes and Articles"). Karachi: Mesahi, 1999.[21]
- Sehgal, Ehsan (2010). De Wijze Weg [The Wise Way] (in Dutch). Translation by Naeem Arif. Unibook. ISBN 978-1-61627-816-8.[21]
- The Wise Way (English), (Rah-e-Danish) Urdu
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