JAMMU, India — Aalami Tehreek Urdu (International Urdu Movement), an organization based in India to promote the Urdu language, has decided to institute a global award in the name of Prof. Muzaffar Hanfi, a prominent Urdu Poet, critic, and writer. The award will be given to a scholar in Urdu literature in April this year.

President of Aalami Tehreek Urdu, Dr. Zakir Malik Bhulaisi, announced the institution of the award on the movement's Facebook page from the northern Indian city of Jammu. He said the executive committee of the movement at its meeting on Jan. 30 decided on the award which carries a cash prize of Rs35,000, a citation certificate, and a trophy. In view of the present COVID-19 restrictions the award will be presented online, he said.

Releasing a 25-page brochure connected with the award, Dr. Bhulaisi said a five-member jury drawn from India and outside will evaluate the works of various Urdu litterateurs, poets, writers, and critics. The committee has been tasked with submitting its evaluation before March 15 so that the final awardee is named before March 31.

Prof. Muzaffar Hanfi breathed his last in October 2020.

Born Muhammad Abulmuzaffar on April 1, 1936 in Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, Muzaffar Hanafi acquired his earlier education in his state itself and got several degrees like B.A, M.A., L.L.B and Ph.D. from Aligarh Muslim University and Barkatullah University in Bhopal.

He has produced valuable literature on modern poetry, short stories, satire, criticism, research, children’s literature, and translations. Prof. Hanfi devoted himself to Urdu poetry and literature and has produced over 100 books. He has also written more than 200 short stories and over 500 articles.

Hanfi started writing poetry at the age of 14. There are more than 1700 ghazals to his credit. His unique poetic works have been widely published all over the world in various Urdu magazines.

He regularly participated in poetry events all over India, as well as outside the country. He has presided over innumerable seminars and mushairas (poetic evenings) in various states of India.

In 1959, he published the first modern Urdu literature monthly magazine in India called Naye Chiragh (Modern Urdu ) of which 18 issues were released and were greatly appreciated by senior writers.

Prof. Hanfi started his career in the forest department in Madhya Pradesh. He came to Delhi in 1974 and joined NCERT (National Council for Education and Training) as an assistant production officer. He became a lecturer in Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi in 1976. In 1989, Calcutta University invited him and offered a well-reputed post called Iqbal Chair professor. Iqbal Chair was set up in 1977 in Calcutta University and first time was offered to Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Due to some delay in the appointment, Faiz went to Beirut. Iqbal Chair remained vacant for at least 12 years till the appointment of Prof. Hanfi in 1989.

Prof. Hanfi received many awards for his works and got included in the international biographical dictionaries and reference books.