John Elia’s 16th death anniversary observed

The 16th death anniversary of renowned poet, biographer and scholar John Elia was observed yesterday, as his followers remembered him.

“One of the best poets the Urdu language has ever produced, Elia’s rare ideas and unique writing style fascinate the readers,” said Dr Inam Ul Haq Javed, managing director, National Book Foundation.

Elia was equally liked by fans of modern Urdu poetry and ghazals. He was known as the poet of simple language, especially his outstanding short poems.

Born in Uttar Pradesh in undivided India in 1931, Elia migrated to Pakistan in 1957, settling in Karachi. He wrote his first Urdu couplet when he was just eight. His famous poetry collections include Shayed, Ya’ni, Gumaan, Lekan, and Goya.

One of the most prominent modern Pakistani poets, known for his unconventional ways, he was an expert in philosophy, logic, Islamic history, Sufi tradition, Muslim religious sciences and Western literature.

With complete command over Arabic, Persian, and Hebrew, he was also a highly skilled translator. For his literary services, he got the Presidential Pride of Performance Award. Elia died on November 8, 2002, after a protracted illness.