New Delhi, 16th March 2019: The annual event for poetry lovers, the Shankar-Shad Mushaira is back with its 53rd edition in Delhi. The mushaira was held today at Modern School, Barakhamba Road. The Chief Guests for the occasion were Mr. Pavan Kumar Verma, Former Member of Parliament & Hon’ble Justice Aftab Alam (Retired) and Syeda Hameed, Social & Women’s activist and former member Planning Commission of India.
The mushaira is held every year to commemorate the memory of Shankar Lall and Lala Murli Dhar who are known for their contribution to the social, educational and cultural life of New Delhi as patrons of Urdu poetry.
This year’s edition of the mushaira witnessed the participation of renowned Urdu poets including Javed Akhtar, Munawwar Rana, Prof. Waseem Barelvi, Dr. Popular Meeruthi, Manzar Bhopali, Dr. Rahat Indori, Dr. Iqbal Ashhar, Dr. Gauhar Raza, Sheen Kaaf Nizam, Dr. Kaleem Qaisar, Azhar Iqbal, Noumaan Shauq, Hussain Haidry, Swapnil Tiwari, Ms. Azra Qaisar Naqvi, Aqib Sabir, Vipul Kumar and Dr. Nusrat Mehdi.
Speaking on the occasion, Madhav B Shriram, Chairman, Shankar Lall Murli Dhar Society and Director, DCM Shriram Industries Limited said, “We put in a lot of effort to engage poetry lovers and we are delighted to have kept this tradition alive. We believe Urdu is more than just a language; it is a culture in itself. This art of oration need to be preserved and nurtured against the face of extinction.”
Prof. Waseem Barelvi, Urdu Poet said, “This is one of the oldest mushairas in the country and the only mushaira wherein poets from Pakistan were also invited. I have grown up hearing about the mushaira and it is an honour for me to participate in it. I would like to congratulate DCM for working to keep our literary and linguistic culture alive.”
