Revived 'Shankar-Shad' Indo-Pak Mushaira today

New Delhi, Apr 15 (UNI) The famous Indo-Pak Shankar-Shaad Mushaira, once inseparable from the cultural life of the capital, is being held here this evening after a gap of ten years.

Patronised by leading lights of the nation like Jawahar Lal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri, the literary event was started by Sir Sriram, founder of the Delhi Cloth Mill (DCM) group of industries in 1954 .

The organisers have retained the traditional venue--The Sir Shankar Lal Hall, Modern School New Delhi.

The Mushaira, named after two eminent poets of Delhi--late Lala Murli Dhar 'Shad' and Sir Shankar Lall 'Shankar'-- had assumed the character of a literary institution of great importance in the world of Urdu poetry.

Legendry Urdu poets like Josh Malihabadi, Jigar Moradabadi, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Kaifi Azmi and Ali Sardar Jafri and a host of other eminent poets have enriched these mushairas with their compositions.

Today's Mushaira, which will be 43rd edition of the event, will see participation of noted poets like Dr Ahmed Faraz, Dr Sarmad Sehbai, Ms Fatema Hasan and Ms Samina Raja from Pakistan and Javed Akhtar, Shahryar, Charan Singh Bashar, Bekal Utsahi, Malikzada Manzoor Ahmad, Rahat Indorvi, Munawwar Rana, Nida Fazli, Waseem Barelvi among others from India.

Briefing the media about the event, Dr Malikzada Mansoor, Bekal Utsahi, who has been participating in all the events since its inception, and Director DCM Madhav B Sriram said they were feeling very happy that one of the most cherished cultural institutions of the capital was being revived and expressed the hope that it would further strengthen people to people co-operation between India and Pakistan.

UNI NAZ VD KN1417