Awaz Sayeed

Who was Awaz Sayeed?

Awaz Sayeed, full name Awaz Bin Sayeed, was a renowned modern short-story writer, poet, Khaka-naveez, humorist and playwright from Hyderabad, India. He was known for his unique, innovative and inimitable style of short story writing. He is counted among the few modern Urdu writers of the Indian sub-continent, who have given a new meaning to Urdu short-stories. He has to his credit six books on modern short stories: Sai Ka Safar, Teesra Mujasamma, Raat Wala Ajnabi, Kohe-Nida, Benaam Mausamon Ka Nauha and Kuwaan Aadmi Aur Samandar.

Awaz Sayeed’s first Urdu afsana “Jeetey Jaagtey” was published in 1949 in ‘Nizam-e-Lahore’. Thereafter, several of his stories have been published in reputed Urdu magazines of the Indian Sub-continent such as Nuqoosh, Seep, Shabkhoon, Sher-O-Hikmat, Tanazur, Jadeed Adab, Sabras, Zehn-e-Jadeed, The Shair, etc.

Apart from modern short stories, Awaz Sayeed made his place in Urdu literature in the realm of humour by his Shaqsi-Khaka-Nigari in which he portrayed some of the most famous personalities of Urdu literature like Makhdoom Mohiuddin, Alam Khundmeri, Qazi Saleem, Aziz Qaisi, Jeelani Bano, Mughni Tabassum, Waheed Akhtar, Akhlaq Mohammed Khan ‘Shahryar’ and others in his own ingenuous and inimitable style. His dimension as a humorous Khaka navees sharply contrasted the serious narratives in his short stories, reflecting the depth and command of his language and the ease with which he could switch over styles. His book ‘Khake’ was originally published in 1985. The second reprint of the book was brought out in June 2006 by his son Dr Ausaf Sayeed in association with the Urdu Academy Jeddah. The book was released by Shri Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development, Government of India, during a special function in Jeddah.