Syed Sajjad Zaheer

Sajjad Zaheer was trained as a Barrister at Lincoln's Inn, London after completeing his B.A and M.A in History from New College, Oxford University both in United Kingdom. During his time there in the 1930's, he was highly influenced by the Communist ideology of Marx and Lenin and the Bloomsbery Group of Writers. He was a famour Urdu Writer and Journalist. His most famous published works in the Urdu Language include:-

1. London Ki Ek Raat - A novelet

2. Roshnai - History of the Prograssive Writer's Movement - Now also available in English Translation under the title 'The Light' published by OUP, Pak in 2005

3. Zikrey Hafiz - A Critique on the Persian Poet Hafiz

4. Pighla Neelam - A collection of poems in the free verse

5. Angarey - A collection of Short Stories

6. Mazameeney Sajjad Zaheer - Articles written by him on various subjects

7. Naqoosh-e-Zindan - Collection of letters written to his wife during his prison term in 1940's

8. His Translations of Othello by Shakespeare, Candida by G.B. Shaw and The Prophet by Khalil Jibran in Urdu

9. Pen and Vision - Collection of his writings in the English Language complied by Ali Baquer, his eldest and most favourite Son in-law.

He was also the founder of 'The Progressive Writer's Movement in India' and 'The Afro-Asian Writer's Movement'. His strenght lay in brnging people together to become one voice for a cause.

Sajjad Zaheer also fought for the freedom of India and was a close associate of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. They worked together on the Kisan Movement in India. He was an active member of the Communist Party of India. Post independence he was sent to Pakistan to form and head 'The Communist Party of Pakistan. There his best friend, the famous Urdu Poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz also assisted him in the task. There both of them had been implicated in the Rawalpindi Conspirarcy Case. They were tried for 3 long years and when it was found that they did not play any role in the consiprarcy they sentenced for 4 years before release. After this Sajjad Zaheer returned to India in 1955 to his family.

Here in India, he kept his association with The Nehru family and was instrumental in the drafting of the Simla Peace Agreement of 1971/2 between India, Pakistan and the newly found Bangladesh.

There is a lot more information avaialbe on Sajjad Zaheer on the internet.