Ahmad Nadeem Qasimi

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Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi (Urdu: احمد ندیم قاسمی) (November 20, 1916 – July 10, 2006) was an Urdu language Pakistani poet, journalist, literary critic, dramatist and short story author. With some 50 books of poetry, fiction, criticism, journalism and art to his credit, Qasmi was a major figure in contemporary Urdu literature. His poetry stood out among his contemporaries' work for its unflinching humanism, and Qasmi's Urdu afsana (short story) work is considered by some second only to Prem Chand in its masterful depiction of rural culture. He also published and edited the prestigious literary journal Funoon for almost half a century, grooming generations of new writers.

A graduate of the Punjab University, Nadeem Qasimi started his career as a government clerk, which he eventually left to pursue journalism. He became active member of the Progressive Writers Movement, for a time holding the position of secretary, and was consequently arrested many times during the 1950s through the 1970s.

In his long career as a writer and editor, Qasmi Sahib had the distinction of editing several prominent literary journals, including Phool, Tehzeeb-i-Niswaan, Adab-i-Lateef, Savera, Naqoosh, and his own brainchild, Funoon. He also served as the editor of the prestigious (now defunct) Urdu daily Imroze. For several decades Qasimi contributed weekly columns to national newspapers; a classic example was "Rawan Dawan" in the daily Jang, which focused on current issues.

Qasimi was the recipient of the President’s Pride of Performance (1968) and the Pakistan Academy of Letters’ lifetime achievement award, as well as the country’s highest civil honour, the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, for literature. Published collections of his best-known work include the poetry volumes Jalal-o-Jamal, Shola-i-Gul and Kisht-i-Wafa, and the short story collections Chopaal, Sannata, and Kapaas ka Phool.

Following a short illness, Qasimi passed away on the 10th of July, 2006 of complications from asthma at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore. He was survived by a daughter and a son.