Shahida Rahman | |
|---|---|
| Native name | শহীদুন নেসসা রহমান |
| Born | Shahidun Nessa Rahman 14 December 1971 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England |
| Pen name | Shahida Rahman |
| Occupation | Novelist, writer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Fiction, non-fiction |
| Subject | History |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Abdul Karim (father) Fultera Banoo Karim (mother) |
| Website | |
| http://www.shahidarahman.co.uk | |
Shahida Nessa Rahman (Bengali: শহীদুন নেসসা রহমান; born 14 December 1971) is an English writer.
Rahman was born and brought up in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.[1] She is of Bangladeshi descent[2] and both her parents are from Sylhet. Her father, Abdul Karim, moved to Cambridge from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1957 and her mother, Fultera Banoo Karim, arrived in 1963.[3]
Rahman writes historical fiction, non-fiction and short stories.[3] Since 2003, Rahman has been a freelance writer.[3] In 2005, she launched Perfect Publishers Ltd, a print-on-demand book publishing company providing a range of services for authors and other publishers.[4]
In June 2005, her first book Ibrahim – Where in the Spectrum Does He Belong? was published, which is memoir about her son who grew up with a learning disorder.[3] In June 2012, her first historical novel Lascar was published by Indigo Dreams Publishing.[1] Lascar was inspired by stories passed down orally through he generations about one of her paternal ancestors who was a lascar (sailor/seaman from East India).[5][6][7] It was shortlisted for the Muslim Writers Awards, Unpublished Novel Award in 2008 and longlisted for the Brit Writers Unpublished Award in 2010.[1]
In 2009, she was commissioned to write a radio play for the Lascar Heritage Project[8] for Silsila Productions[9] which aired in 2011.[1] In 2010, she co-wrote the screenplay India Ink with American screenwriter Halle Eavely which was based on Rahman's short story Homecoming. In 2011, India Ink was shortlisted for the Circalit First Draft Contest and reached the finals of the WriteMovies International Writing Contest.[8]
She wrote The Integration of the Hijab into Police Uniforms which was published in the Behind the Hijab anthology, in March 2009 by Monsoon Press.[8]
Other works of Mrs Rahman include: The Integration of the Hijab into Police Uniforms, The Lascar (radio play), and short stories and articles: Currying Favour, Backbone of the Fleet', Te Life of Lascars Aboard Merchant Ships, Cambridge's first Gurdwara, Bangladeshis Trade Curry for College and Taxis, Baishaki Mela', Asian Women Suffragettes in the 1900's, Shongram-the Movie', Travel with Kids, The Middle Child Syndrome, Noor Inayat Khan.[3]
Rahman has contributed to and been published in the Best of British,[1] The Great War and SISTERS magazines, Asian World Newspaper,[3] Children of the New Earth, The Huffington Post and BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. She is a columnist at Weekly Desh newspaper.[4]
Rahman is currently working on her second historical novel about an Indian Ayah and a series of children's books.[3] In 2014, she was on the judging panel in the short story category of the Young Muslim Writers Awards.
In 2012, Rahman was awarded a Channel S 'Special Acknowledgment Award' for for her work drawing attention to the forgotten Bangladeshi cultural history and heritage.[3] In 2014, she won 'Mother of the Year' at the Maa Amar Maa Awards.
Rahman is married with three sons Ibrahim (born 1991), Imran (born 1998), Aniq (born 2001)and a daughter, Aminah (born 2004).[3]
Rahman has been most influenced by fellow authors; Rabina Khan and Shelina Zahra Janmohamed.[5]
| Year | Title | Credit | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Ibrahim – Where in the Spectrum Does He Belong?[10] | Author | Perfect Publishers | 978-1905399055 |
| 2009 | Behind the Hijab | Editor | Monsoon Press | 978-0955726712 |
| 2012 | Lascar[11][12] | Author | Indigo Dreams Publishing | 978-1907401718 |