Ali Arshad Mir (; 1 January 1951 – 16 October 2008) was a Pakistani

epic poet In poetry, an epic is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. With regard to ...

and writer of the

Punjabi language Punjabi, sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language native to the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. It is one of the most widely spoken native languages in the world, with approximately 150 million native sp ...

, often described as the "

Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

". His works have been translated into languages such as

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

and English. In the 1970s, his ''International Anthem'' brought him recognition. His lines like "''Girti huyi deewaro'n ko aik dhaka aur do''" (; ''Give the falling walls one more push'') are a popular slogan in Pakistan and around the world. His work includes dozens of poems that depict the socio-economic condition of society's oppressed people.

Personal life

Ali Arshad was born in a

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

family in a

Chishtian Chishtian (Punjabi language, Punjabi, ) is a city in Bahawalnagar district in Punjab (Pakistan), Punjab Province, Pakistan. For administrative purposes, it is a part of the similarly named Chishtian Tehsil. It is the List of most populous citie ...

district, 250 km away from

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

Punjab, Pakistan Punjab (, ) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. With a population of over 127 million, it is the Demographics of Pakistan, most populous province in Pakistan and the List of first-level administrative divisions by popu ...

. He completed his M.A. in

, and was appointed as an Associate

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

in Government M.A.O College Lahore. Later, he joined Government Degree College Depalpur, Okara as its Principal. He also worked with Mazdoor Kissan Party. He was a dervish, down to earth and straightforward man who would never go for flattery for any favours or for compromises. That’s why he was transferred 26 times during his educational career as an educationist. He was also a great activist who always raised a voice for rights of workers and those pushed to the margins of society

Major works

Mir Sahab wrote his first work of poetry at the age of 16 and was considered an "Inqilabi", or profound poet, from a very early age. He dedicated his life to the depiction of the suffering of the underprivileged. His poems are considered a source of inspiration for oppressed people. In the 1970s, he wrote the revolutionary international anthem, "Girti hui deewaro ko aik dhaka aur do", which remains a popular slogan used in rebellions. In the same era, he wrote a Pakistani

shadow play Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated cut-out figures (shadow puppets) which are held between a source of light and a translucent screen or scrim (material), ...

, ''Ravi Sy Bias Tak''. He compiled the posthumous work of Ustad Daman and named it ''Daman Daye Moti''. Kaifi Azmi translated Mir's poems to

. Waheed Ahmed's poem "khana badosh", considered a major Urdu work, was derived from Mir Sahab's

epic poem In poetry, an epic is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. With regard to ...

"Gawathi Katha di War".

Legacy

Mir Sahab died in October 2008. His last words were "nazam kuj chair baad samny ay gee" and he rests in Bahawalnagar

. His literary work was published posthumously. His book ''Ik Katha De War'' consists of autobiographical notes about his life, beliefs and teachings. The play ''Ravi Sy Bias Tak'' is included in the syllabus of

National College of Arts The National College of Arts (colloquially known as NCA) is a public university located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Overview The National College of Arts – Federally Chartered Institute, is the oldest art school in Pakistan and the second ...

. Every year, the Mir Foundation organizes Punjabi Mela, an event that consists of poets and people associated with Punjabi literature paying Mir tribute by organizing his works. In 2018, First

Dalit Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold var ...

Mela was organized by Mir foundation and MNS University of Agriculture which depicted hardship, life and culture of lower caste Hindus residing in Pakistan, it had several events and dramatized plays based on works of prominent writers like Munshi Premchand. The festival has a lot to offer including literary sessions, performances, stalls and last but not the least food-for-thought conversations by various speakers. The festival also has several books and handicrafts stalls promoting cultural diversity and education.Mir Punjabi Festival Kicks off
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Selected works

* اِک کَھاتا دی وار (*Ik Katha Di War*, ''The Story of a Generation'') – A posthumously published collection of autobiographical poems reflecting the poet’s ideological journey and personal experiences. * گِرْتی ہوئِی دیوار کو ایک دھکا اور دو (*Girti Hui Deewar Ko Ek Dhakka Aur Do*, ''Give the Falling Wall One More Push'') – A compilation of revolutionary Punjabi poetry from the 1970s, best known for its iconic slogan advocating social change. * راوی سے بیاس تک (*Ravi Se Beas Tak*, ''From Ravi to Beas'') – A political shadow-play addressing historical, social, and cultural themes of Punjab. * دامَن دے موتی (*Daman De Moti*, ''Pearls of Daman'') – A curated collection of selected poems by Ustad Daman, edited and introduced by Ali Arshad Mir.

References

External links

Zee news November 22, 2008Ali Arshad Mir
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mir, Ali Arshad Pakistani dramatists and playwrights Poets from Punjab, Pakistan Poets from Lahore People from Bahawalnagar District 1951 births 2008 deaths Writers from Lahore Punjabi-language poets