About

“poochte haiN woh ke Ghalib kaun hai;
koi batlaao ke hum batlaaeiN kya”

Prof. Frances W. Pritchett offers various interpretations:
1) {that one asks / they ask}, ‘Who is Ghalib?’
2a) someone tell [us], what should we say?
2b) someone tell [us]– should we tell?
2c) someone tell [that person], ‘As if we would tell!’
2d) someone tell [that person], ‘What can we say?’
2e) let someone tell [that person], since we would hardly tell [him]! 

These diverse readings resonate with me whenever I’m asked to introduce myself. Hopefully, one day I’ll craft a fitting introduction. For now, here’s a brief introduction:

Born on August 10, 1999, in Hyderabad Deccan and raised in Jeddah, Hejaz, I pursued my schooling at International Indian School and Delhi Public School in Jeddah, along with Madrasah Dar-ul-Ilm (affiliated with Jamia’ Nizamia Hyderabad Deccan). I began my college journey, pursuing Engineering for as long as I could from Muffakham Jah College of Engineering & Technology (Osmania University), but eventually earning a Bachelor of Commerce from Glocal University, and currently pursuing my MBA and other studies.

Since this website primarily focuses on my literary endeavours, here’s a summary:

I can’t pinpoint when I first became interested in poetry, but I formally began studying and composing Urdu poetry at 14. In 2017, I started conducting workshops on Urdu Prosody and Poetics, encouraged by friends. Co-founding Anjuman e Fannan – an Urdu literary organisation – I organised poetry symposiums and literary seminars both online and offline across the globe.

By 2020, I joined The Deccan Archives Foundation as a Research and Editorial Collaborator – contributing to preserving Deccani Heritage. Through The Deccan Archive, I started teaching Poetry at Hyderabad’s various heritage sites – aiming to safeguard both literary and architectural legacies. As part of TDA’s team, I also serve as a Research Associate at the Dept. of History, University of South Carolina, USA, focusing on South Asian Studies.

Recently, I co-founded Kabikaj Foundation to preserve books, manuscripts, and libraries. As part of my ongoing projects, I’m cataloguing my personal library and family archives.

The latest project through Anjuman and Kabikaj is “Dakhni-Pedia” – a digital repository of Dakhni Literature.

‘Aks’ an upcoming clothing brand, and several overdue booklets on Urdu Prosody, literature and other subjects, are also in the works – albeit somewhat delayed due to procrastination!

My interests extend to Islamic Sciences, with traditional qualifications in various disciplines, although I continue to study them without claiming any expertise.
HMU for a game of chess!