Background
Intizar Hussain was born in Dibai, Bulandshahr, British India in 1923, and migrated to Pakistan in 1947. His exact date of birth is not known, sources indicate that he was born on 21 December of 1922, 1923 or 1925.
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Intizar Hussain
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He is widely recognised as a leading literary figure of Pakistan. After passing the Intermediate Examination (high school equivalent in the United States of America) in 1942, he gained a bachelor"s degree and a master"s degree in Urdu literature at Meerut College in 1944 and 1946 respectively. He wrote short stories, novels and poetry in Urdu, and also literary columns for Dawn newspaper and Daily Express newspaper.
The Seventh Door, Leaves and Basti are among his books that have been translated into English.
His other writings include Hindustan Se Aakhri Khat, Aagay Sumandar Hai, Shehr-e-Afsos, Jataka Tales, Janam Kahanian and Wo Jo Kho Gaye. Aagay Sumandar Hai ( Sea is facing you in the front ) contrasts the spiralling urban violence of contemporary Karachi with a vision of the lost Islamic realm of al-Andalus in modern Spain.
His novel Basti is based on Pakistani history. Hussain"s wife Aliya Begum passed away in 2004.
They had no children.
In September of the same year, Hussain was made an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. On February 2, 2016 he died at National Hospital, Defence Housing Authority at Lahore on 2:45 p.m, after contracting pneumonia. The Indian Express termed him the "best-known Pakistani writer in the world" after Manto.
Hussain believed that two forces had risen in contemporary Pakistan: women and the mullahs.
Achievements
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In 2007, Hussain received the Pakistani civil award Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) by the President of Pakistan. He was shortlisted for the Manitoba Booker International Prize in 2013 after Frances Pritchett translated his Basti into English. He received a lifetime achievement award at the Lahore Literary Festival. Newsweek Pakistan called him "Pakistan’s most accomplished living author" in 2014.
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Born
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Died
February 2, 2016 (aged 90) -
Nationality
Pakistan -
Religion
Islam
Awards
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Manitoba Booker International Prize; Sitara-i-Imtiaz
The Manitoba Booker International Prize is an international literary award given every two years to a living author of any nationality for a body of work published in English or generally available in English translation.The Manitoba Booker International Prize is an international literary award given every two years to a living author of any nationality for a body of work published in English or generally available in English translation.