Zehra Nigah () is a prominent Urdu poet and scriptwriter from Pakistan, affectionately known as 'Zehra Apa'. As one of the pioneers of Urdu poetry by women, Nigah was one of the first female poets to gain recognition in a male-dominated field. Nigah's achievements are particularly notable in the realm of mushaira, where she is regarded as the first female poet to fully participate and leave a lasting impact. Additionally, Nigah occasionally works as a songwriter and scriptwriter.
Highly revered in the literary community for her blend of modern feminine and classic poetry, Nigah is esteemed not only for her expertise but also for her charismatic personality. She frequently presides over literary events and sessions, including serving as the chair of the presidium for both the Aalmi Urdu Conference and the Women's Conference. Nigah has received numerous accolades, including the Pride of Performance (2006), the LLF Lifetime Achievement Award (2013), the Allama Iqbal Award (2018), the UBL Literary Lifetime Award (2019), and the Arts Council Lifetime Achievement Award (2021). Her notable works include "Shaam Ka Pehla Tara," "Warq," "Firaq," and "Gul Chandni." Her poetry compilation, "Lafz," was published in 2023.
Personal life
Zehra was born in Hyderabad, British India. She was 10 years old when she and her family migrated to Pakistan after the 1947 partition of India. Her father was a civil servant with an interest in poetry. Zehra's elder sister, Fatima Surayya Bajia, was also a writer. One of her brothers, Anwar Maqsood, is a writer, satirist and a television host and another brother, Ahmad Maqsood was Secretary to the Government of Sindh. Zehra married Majid Ali, who was a civil servant and had interest in Sufi poetry.
Career Zehra Nigah began her writing career during her childhood. When she was 14 years old, she learned the poetry of prominent poets by heart. She herself began to compose at the age of 14 and at 15 was already participating in a mushaira in India. She is inspired by classical tradition of Urdu poetry.
Front Line magazine states:
In 2012, an event was held by the fellow writers at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi to launch a CD of Zehra Nigah's poetry in her own voice. The event was presided over by the writer Intizar Hussain and also included the famous humorist Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi.
Awards and recognition She received the Pride of Performance Award from the President of Pakistan in 2006.Zehra Nigah's Pride of Performance Award info listed on Dawn newspaper, Published 24 March 2006, Retrieved 12 June 2017 She was later awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Pakistan's second-highest civilian honor) under her official registered name, Zahra Majid Ali, by President Asif Ali Zardari on 13 May 2026. According to a major newspaper of India, "Zehra Nigah is a much loved and highly respected poet in Pakistan."
Honours
Speaker, Special Lecture Series of Aga Khan University 2013 Chief Guest, Convocation of IVS 2014 Chair, launch of Shaam-e-Sher-e-Yaaran by Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi 2014 Chair, launch of Digital Poetry Collection of Dr. Pirzada Qasim 2014 Keynote Speaker, Islamabad Literature Festival 2014 Keynote Speaker, Karachi Literature Festival 2015 Keynote Speaker, Islamabad Literature Festival 2015 Member Presidium Panel, Launch of Arzu Center at Habib University 2015
Publications Shaam Ka Pehla Tara Waraq Firaaq Gul Chandni
See also List of Pakistani poets List of Urdu language poets Fatima Surayya Bajia Anwar Maqsood Zubaida Tariq
References
External links ARTICLE: In the jungle of loneliness – DAWN.com Zehra Nigah Pays Tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz Remembering Faiz by Zehra Nigah, The Express Tribune newspaper