Asim Randeri, born Subedar Mahmood Mian Muhammad Imam (15 August 1904 – 5 February 2009), was a
Gujarati language poet, mainly popular for his
Ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
s. He was a legend in
Gujarati literature
The history of Gujarati literature ( gu, ગુજરાતી સાહિત્ય) may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, othe ...
from the pre-Independence era and recipient of the
Vali Gujarati Award
Vali Gujarati Gazal Award is a literary honour in Gujarat, India. The award was instituted in 2005 by Vali Gujarati Gazal Kendra, run by Government of Gujarat, to perpetuate the memory of 17th century poet Vali Gujarati. The Award is conferred ann ...
and
Kalapi Award
The Kalapi Award (Gujarati:કલાપી ઍવોર્ડ) is an annual award given to Gujarati ghazal poets. It was founded by the INT Aditya Birla Centre for Performing Arts and Research. The award is named after Gujarati poet Kalapi. The ...
of 2005.
Early life
Asim Randeri was born on 15 August 1904 in
Rander area of
Surat
Surat is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The word Surat literally means ''face'' in Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be a large seaport. It is now ...
,
Gujarat, India. He was born in an affluent family and studied till matric before working for a British company.
Career
Asim Randeri started writing at the age of 18.
He was working between 1928-1932 with Kenya Daily Mail in East Africa. After 1932 he started working as a Salesman with Swedish Match Company in Bombay.
Works
Randeri's works like ''Leela'',
''Shanagar'', ''Tapi Tirey'' and ''Gulchhadi'' with their bold style revolutionized Gujarati ghazal writing. Leela, a fictitious character created by Randeri, was a hit among youth. His love for this character continued and lived in the form of a magazine with the same title for six years. ''Tapi Tirey'' is a collection of Gujarati ghazals on love blossoming on the banks of the river Tapi, considered to be the lifeline of Surat, which had become hub of Gujarati ghazal in the 1920s.
Manhar Udhas, famous Gujarati Ghazal singer made many of Asim's ghazals famous in early 2000s.
Personal life
Asim Randeri died of old age at an age of 104 years. He died in his home town, Rander, and was buried at the Goregarima graveyard.
See also
*
List of Gujarati-language writers
References
People from Surat
Gujarati-language poets
1904 births
2009 deaths
Indian Muslims
20th-century Indian poets
Gujarati people
Indian centenarians
Indian male poets
Poets from Gujarat
20th-century Indian male writers
Men centenarians
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