Zakir's latest novel on woman empowerment gets award

Chandigarh, June 27 (UNI) Eminent Urdu writer Kashmiri Lal Zakir has been chosen for this year's West Bengal Urdu Akademi award for his latest novel ''Agni Pariksha'' advocating woman empowerment.

The novel by the octogenarian Padma Shri awardee weaves through the Ganga-Jamni tehzib, the typical ordeals faced by women in the region and seeks to awaken in them their inherent power, the Akademi announcement yesterday said.

Mr Zakir, at present heading the Haryana Urdu Akademi, is known for his persistent efforts for promotion of the Urdu language as well as espousing human values through his literary prowess.

He has been conferred the National Ghalib award, National Literacy award and Pakistan's Nuqoosh and Life Time Achievement Awards.

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