Ehsan Sehgal
Encyclopedia
Ehsan Sehgal born Khawaja Ehsan Elahi Sehgal 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.
, 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. During his childhood he played with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
's (who was minister in Ayub Khan (Field Marshal) cabinet) Children Murtaza Bhutto
,Shahnawaz Bhutto
and Benazir Bhutto
. .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.
, 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 aphorism
s 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.Ibn-e-Insha
has appreciated Sehgal's literary work in his weekly written colums 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.
Urdu poetry
Urdu poetry is a rich tradition of poetry and has many different types and forms. Borrowing much from the Persian language, it is today an important part of Pakistani and North Indian culture....
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
who has lived in the Netherlands since 1978. He is also a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
for democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
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
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
newspapers.
Biography
Sehgal was born in LarkanaLarkana
Larkana or Larkano is the fourth largest city in the north-western part of Sindh Province, Pakistan, and is located within Larkana District.The old name of larkano is chandka which was changed in 1901. In August 2000 Larkana celebrated its hundred years of existence...
, Pakistan, in a Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
business family. His father, Khawaja Manzoor Elahi Sehgal, was from Pind Dadan Khan
Pind Dadan Khan
Pind Dadan Khan is a town in Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan, it is the capital of Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil, which is an administrative subdivision of the district...
, Pakistan. Ehsan Sehgal received his elementary and secondary education in Larkana. During his childhood he played with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
's (who was minister in Ayub Khan (Field Marshal) cabinet) Children Murtaza Bhutto
Murtaza Bhutto
Dr. Mir Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto was a Pakistani politician and the Member of the Parliament of Pakistan, representing Pakistan People's Party from the Larkana constituency...
,Shahnawaz Bhutto
Shahnawaz Bhutto
Shahnawaz Bhutto Sindhi: شاھنواز ڀٽو was the son of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Bhutto. Shahnawaz Bhutto was the youngest of Bhutto’s four children...
and Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
. .He later moved to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(B.A.) degree from University of Sindh
University of Sindh
The University of Sindh informally known as Sindh University is the second oldest university in Pakistan accredited by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan....
, Hyderabad, and obtained Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
Urdu (M.A.) and Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(LL.B.) degrees from University of Karachi
University of Karachi
The University of Karachi is a public university located in Karachi, Pakistan. It serves an on-campus student population of more than 24,000. According to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, it is ranked among the top three universities of the country...
. 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
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
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 GhazalGhazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
, but he has also written Ruba'i, Nazm
Nazm
Urdu Nazm is a major part of the Urdu poetry, that is normally written in rhymed verse and also in modern prose style poems. Nazm has many different forms as,* Doha * Geet * Hamd * Hazal * Hijv...
, Qat'aa
Qat'aa
Qat'aa, a form of poetry, is a part of soazkhwani / mersiya-khwani. Qat'aa is also known as Ruba'ee and performed before marsiya-khwani. When Qat'aa, Ruba'ee, Soaz, Salaam and Marsiya are performed combined it is called soazkhwani / marsiya-khwani....
, and Naat
Naat
A Na`at is a poetry that specifically praises the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Many of the famous scholars in the earlier days of Islam wrote Naat. People who recite Naat are known as Naat-Khua'an or Sana'a-Khua'an.-History:...
. He also writes in the meter called Beher
Beher (poetry)
Beher in Urdu poetry is the meter of a sher . It can be considered as the length of the sher. Both the lines in the sher, the couplet, must be of same beher. And all the shers in one ghazal must be of the same 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 aphorism
Aphorism
An aphorism is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form.The term was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates...
s 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.Ibn-e-Insha
Ibn-e-Insha
Ibn-e-Insha was a Pakistani Leftist Urdu poet, humorist, travelogue writer and columnist. Along with his poetry, he was regarded one of the best humorists of Urdu...
has appreciated Sehgal's literary work in his weekly written colums 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.
Journalistic career
Sehgal started his career as a reporter in Daily "Aghaz" Karachi in 1970. In a short time he became sub-editor and Incharge of student,magazine and City news pages.He was also editor of fortnightly magazine "Tamseel" karachi.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.
See also
- List of Pakistani poets
- List of Urdu poets
- List of Pakistani journalists
- List of Pakistani writers
- List of Urdu language writers
- SehgalSehgalSehgal is a family name, originally from the Punjab region in South Asia. Variant spellings include Sahgal, Saigal, Saihgal, Saigol and Sehgol...