Bano Qudsia

Bano Qudsia was a prominent Pakistani novelist, playwright and spiritualist who wrote extensively in Urdu. She gained widespread recognition for her literary contributions to novels, short stories and drama plays.

Early life and education

Qudsia Chattha was born on 28 November 1928 in Firozpur, British India. She belonged to a Muslim Jat family where her father worked as a Bachelor of Agriculture. Her mother held the position of inspector of schools in British India, while her brother Pervaiz Chattha practiced as a painter. Following the partition of India, the family migrated to Lahore.

She attended Kinnaird College in Lahore to complete her studies. Later, she joined Government College University (Lahore) to pursue higher education. She earned her master's degree in Urdu literature in 1951.

Career

Qudsia is best recognized for her novel Raja Gidh, which is considered a modern Urdu classic. Her diverse body of work includes titles such as Aatish-i-zer-i-paa, Aik Din, Asay Pasay and Chahar Chaman. She also authored Chhotaa Sheher Baray Log, Footpath ki Ghaas, Haasil Ghaat and Hawwa Kay Naam. Her writing extended to television and stage productions in both Urdu and Punjabi languages.

Among her most famous plays are Tamasil, Hawwa kay Naam, Seharay and Khaleej. One of her most acclaimed works is the play Aadhi Baat, which focused on a retired headmaster. This production featured Qavi Khan as the lead character and was directed by Agha Nasir. The play was performed in May 2010 at a three-day event in Islamabad organized by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.

In 2005, she published the novel Haasil Ghaat. While the book was noted for its diction, some critics pointed out the use of English slangs instead of her traditional Urdu narrative style. This linguistic approach eventually became popular among other writers. She also wrote Mard-e-Abresham, a book portraying the life of Qudrat Ullah Shahab and his connections to Ashfaq Ahmed.

Qudsia played a vital role in completing the biography of her husband after his death in September 2004. His autobiography, Baba Saheba, remained unfinished, so she completed the work herself. The second part was subsequently published under the title Rah-i-Rawaan. This novel, published in 2011, provides an analytical look at the philosophical thinking of Ashfaq Ahmed.

Personal life

She married the writer Ashfaq Ahmed after meeting him at Government College Lahore. The couple had three sons named Aneeq, Anees and Aseer. They were often described as inseparable in their social lives. Qudsia credited her husband with transforming her and allowing her to devote herself to writing.

Bano Qudsia died in Lahore on 4 February 2017 at the Ittefaq Hospital. She was 88 years old at the time of her passing. Her son Aseer Ahmed reported that she died around the time for Maghrib prayers. She was buried in Lahore on 5 February after prayer services were held at Model Town.

Awards and recognition

The Government of Pakistan awarded Qudsia the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1983. She received the PTV Best Writer Award in 1986. In 2010, she was honored with the Hilal-i-Imtiaz for her services to literature.

Several lifetime achievement awards were conferred upon her later in life. The Pakistan Academy of Letters gave her the Kamal-e-Fun Award in 2012. In 2016, she received a lifetime achievement award from the GCU's Old Ravians Union and another from the Pakistan Life Care Foundation. Google celebrated her legacy with a Google Doodle on 28 November 2020.