Bushra Farrukh

Bushra Farrukh is a prominent Pakistani poet, writer, and artist from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. She is recognized as one of the leading female Urdu poets in Pakistan. Her versatile career spans multiple media platforms including television and radio.

Early life and education

Bushra Farrukh was born on 16 February 1957 in Peshawar. She grew up in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. Her early environment influenced her later linguistic versatility.

Career

Farrukh holds a distinguished record in Pakistani broadcasting. She serves as an announcer, compere, and drama artist. At the PTV Peshawar Center, she works as an announcer for 10 years and a drama artist for 35 years. She also spent 35 years working at Radio Pakistan in various capacities. She holds the distinction of being the first female announcer and drama artist at the Peshawar center of Pakistan Television.

Her artistic reach extends across four different languages. She performs in Urdu, Pashto, Hindko and English. This linguistic range has allowed her to participate in more than 2000 radio and television programs. Her work attracts significant popularity among the youth. She recently produced a Pashto serial titled "woona da chinaar". Currently, she is writing and directing her play "aur hum wafa karte rahe".

As a literary figure, Farrukh has published nine poetry collections. Her notable works include Bohat Gehri Udasi Hai (1985), the anthology Ik Qayamat hai lamha e Mojood (1987) and Adhuri Mohabbat Ka Poora Safar (1990). These publications received tremendous feedback from readers and the literary class.

She has also held several administrative roles in various organizations. Farrukh served as the general secretary for the Women Writers' Forum for 3 years. She also acted as their chief organizer for one year. Additionally, she worked for two years as a Public Relations Officer for the Business Women Association. She spent one year as the literary wing in-charge at the Institute of Computer Management Sciences (ICMS).

Awards and recognition

Farrukh has received numerous honors throughout her career. She earned the Pakistan Artists Equity Award in 1973 and the Sultani Award in 1976. The Coca-Cola Award was presented to her in 1978. Her talent was further recognized with a Frontier Arts Council gold medal in 1982. She also received the Meer Arts Society Award in 1986.

Her excellence in broadcasting led to several accolades during the 1990s. She won the Agfa Award in 1996 and another Agfa Award in 1997. The PTV Best Performance Award was granted to her between 1987 and 1997. Other honors from this period include the Frontier Arts Council gold medal in 1995 and the Frontier Cultural Club Award in 1995. She also received the Moshiqar-e-Aazam Award in 1997.

In the 2000s, she continued to collect prestigious titles. She won the Azeem Welfare Society Award in 1999 and the Taangh Waseep Award in 2000. The Khyber College of Commerce Shield was awarded to her in 2000. Farrukh received the Rozan International Literary Award in 2003 and the City District Government Award in 2004. She also earned the Farogh Adabi Award in 2004 and the Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar gold medal during 2003–2004.

Her recent accolades include the Hindko World Conference Award in 2005 and the Bazm-e-Bahar-e-Adab Silver Jubilee Award in 2005. Most recently, she was honored with the Abasin Arts Council Adabi Award for 2017-2018.