Zehra Nigah

Zehra was born in Hyderabad, British India. She was 10 years old when she and her family migrated to Pakistan after the 1947 partition of India. Her father was a civil servant with an interest in poetry. Zehra's elder sister, Fatima Surayya Bajia, was also a writer. One of her brothers, Anwar Maqsood, is a writer, satirist and a television host and another brother, Ahmad Maqsood was Secretary to the Government of Sindh. Zehra married Majid Ali, who was a civil servant and had interest in Sufi poetry. ==Career==

Zehra Nigah began her writing career during her childhood. When she was 14 years old, she learned the poetry of prominent poets by heart. She is inspired by classical tradition of Urdu poetry. Front Line magazine states: In 2012, an event was held by the fellow writers at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi to launch a CD of Zehra Nigah's poetry in her own voice. The event was presided over by the writer Intizar Hussain and also included the famous humorist Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi. ==Awards and recognition==

• She received the Pride of Performance Award from the President of Pakistan in 2006. According to a major newspaper of India, "Zehra Nigah is a much loved and highly respected poet in Pakistan." ==Honours==

• Speaker, Special Lecture Series of Aga Khan University 2013 • Chief Guest, Convocation of IVS 2014 • Chair, launch of Shaam-e-Sher-e-Yaaran by Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi 2014 • Chair, launch of Digital Poetry Collection of Dr. Pirzada Qasim 2014 • Keynote Speaker, Islamabad Literature Festival 2014 • Keynote Speaker, Karachi Literature Festival 2015 • Keynote Speaker, Islamabad Literature Festival 2015 • Member Presidium Panel, Launch of Arzu Center at Habib University 2015 ==Publications==

• Shaam Ka Pehla Tara • Waraq • Firaaq • Gul Chandni ==See also==