A number of Urdu poets based in the UAE along with veteran poets invited from India.

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

Lovers of Urdu and Hindi poetry came together to celebrate the 73rd Independence Day of India at a poetry recital session organised by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi in association with Vertex Events. Aptly-named ‘Jashn-e-Hindostan Kavi Sammelan and Mushaira’, the literary evening was held at the auditorium of the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and featured a number of Urdu poets based in the UAE along with veteran poets invited from India.

National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (MHRD) Director Shaikh Aquil Ahmad was the Guest of Honour.

Renowned Urdu poet Manzar Bhopali presided over the event which was graced by famous poets Dr Kunwar Bachain and Shabeena Adeeb from India. Irfan Izhar, Meer Azam Jaiouri, Haider Amaan Haider and EyhaBojhpuri were some of the important poets from the UAE who shared their works with the poetry lovers.

Ambassador of India to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri welcomed all poets and guests to the Jashn-e-Hindostan. He also recited his poem ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’ on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He is grandson of the late poet-author Nanak Singh, who had survived the massacre in 1919.

Manzar Bhopali regaled the audience with his famous poem on Jashn-e-Hindostan ‘pyaar ke katore mein ganga ka paanee.’ The audience also loved seasoned Indian poet Kunwar Baichain’s ‘Shakh se phool ne yah kaha achha hona bhi buri baat hai is dunya main.’

Shabeena Adeeb recited her famous poetry ‘Jo khandani raees hain wo / mizaaj rakhte hain narm apna’ and ‘Zara sa qudrat ne kya nawaza / ke aake baithe hai pehle saf mein.

The gathering also bid farewell to Ambassador Suri, who is going to retire from the Indian Foreign Services later this month. Pushkin Agha, Managing Director of Vertex Events, presented a memento to Suri and recounted his immense contribution in enhancing India-UAE relations during his three-year stay in the country. Soon after joining as Indian Ambassador to the UAE in September 2016, he focused on new areas including defence, security, space and nuclear power.