Internationally acclaimed Urdu poet and writer Padma Shri Bashir Badra (91) passed away at his residence in Bhopal on Thursday, coinciding with the occasion of Eid-uz-Zuha.
Bashir Badra had been suffering from prolonged illness and had also developed dementia over the years.
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Born in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on 15 February 1935, Bashir Badra was forced to relocate and settle in Bhopal after the severe communal riots in Meerut in 1987, where he had been living at the time.
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Bashir Badra was renowned for his simple yet deeply meaningful poetry.
He was a strong advocate of social equality and communal harmony, and his writings conveyed messages of unity in diversity.
He completed his postgraduation from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 1969. He later taught Urdu at Meerut College from 1974 to 1990.
He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999 and also received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his immense contribution to Urdu literature.
Bashir Badra is survived by his wife, Raahat, and son, Tayyab.
Some of his iconic couplets include: “Log toot jaate hain ek ghar banane mein, Tum taras nahi khaate bastiyan jalane mein.” and “Ujaale apni yaadon ke hamare saath rahne do, Na jaane kis gali mein zindagi ki shaam ho jaaye.”
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