Farrukh Yar

Farrukh Yar literary career spans 30 years, marked by significant contributions to modern Urdu poetry, which have shaped contemporary poetry in terms of technique and substance. As a poet, he possesses a unique ability to address the complexities of the human condition in his creative endeavours, enriching his style by crafting a natural rhythm of poetic speech, in contrast to the traditional linguistic grandeur found in the works of other eminent poets. Holding both an LLB and an MA in history from Punjab University, he has authored four poetry collections and two research books. His debut collection of Urdu poems, ‘Matti ka Mazmoon,’ published in 2005, garnered nationwide acclaim. ‘Neend Jhultay Logon Kay Lea Likhee Gaee Nazmain,’ his second collection, received critical acclaim in 2009. His third collection of poetic verses, ‘Yeh Mah o Saal Yeh Umrain,’ published in 2016, once again showcases the excellence of the poet’s craft. In this collection, he delves into a range of subjects, from loneliness, lost love, and the silent despair accompanying modernity, to a more optimistic and almost avant-garde embrace of life’s offerings. This book earned him Pakistan’s prestigious UBL Excellence Literary Award in 2017. In 2019, he published ‘Karez,’ a lengthy Urdu poem, which was launched at both the ILF and KLF. His research work on South Asian culture, titled ‘Dorahay,’ was published and launched at KLF in 2022. Farrukh Yar Khan’s other works include anthologies of Urdu Nazm, compiled at the request of the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 2001 and 2005. His recent work, ‘Ishq Nama Shah Hussain,’ focusing on the text of the eminent Sufi Punjabi poet of the 16th century, Shah Hussain, was published in August 2023. It is highly praised for its comprehensive exploration of Shah Hussain’s role in the evolution of South Asian Sufism and the growth of Punjabi poetic verse. Its authenticity lies in a unique translation process that involves a meticulous comparison of all available poetic material attributed to Shah Hussain. The book stands as a remarkable thesis on Shah Hussain, offering cultural insights into Punjab during the late Middle Ages. In his leisure time, Farrukh Yar Khan is devoted to the appreciation of South Asian classical music, literature, and the study of mysticism in both prose and poetry. He resides in Islamabad.