Pakistani writer
Aslam Farrukhi (Urdu: اسلم فرخی) (23 October 1923 – 15 June 2016) was an Urdu author, literary critic, linguist, scholar, and radio scriptwriter from Pakistan.[1] He is also known for writing children's books. He remained associated as a professor and chairman with the Department of Urdu, University of Karachi, for many years.[2]
Early life
Aslam Farrukhi was born on 23 October 1923 into a literary family of Lucknow, British India. His ancestors had come to Lucknow from the nearby town Farrukhabad, hence the family name being used here is Farrukhi.[2][1] After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, he migrated with his family to Karachi, Pakistan in September 1947.[2][3]
He completed his education from the then Federal Urdu College, now known as Federal Urdu University and the University of Karachi. His PhD degree thesis was on the 19th century writer Muhammad Husain Azad which won the Adamjee Literary Award in 1965.[1]
Career
He started out his career at Radio Pakistan as a scriptwriter for radio plays.[1] Later Aslam Farrukhi taught at Sindh Muslim College, now known as Sindh Madressatul Islam University and at Karachi University, where he also served as registrar.[1][3] His son is scholar Asif Farrukhi who also was a co-founder of Karachi Literature Festival. He was associated as professor and retired as chairman with the Department of Urdu, University of Karachi, for many years, and with Radio Pakistan for more than six years.[2] He was among the country's few writers of children's literature.[3][1]
Death
Aslam Farrukhi died on June 15, 2016, in Gulshan e Iqbal, Karachi and was buried in Karachi University Graveyard on June 16, 2016, after Zohar Prayer. Among the survivors are his wife and two sons.[2][1]
