Fahmida Riaz (Urdu: فہمیدہ ریاض) is a well known Urdu writer, poet and feminist of Pakistan. She is author of Godaavari and Khatt-e Marmuz.
Life
Fehmida Riaz was born on July 28, 1946 in a literary family of Meerut,
UP, India. Her father, Riaz-ud-Din Ahmed, was an educationist, who had a great influence in mapping and establishing modern education system for Sindh. Her family settled in Hyderabad following her father's transfer to Sindh. Fahmida learnt Sindhi language and literature in childhood and later Persian.
As an activist
Fehmida remained part of social and political activities since her academic life. She got involved in students politics when she was student of M.A. in Sindh University. She spoke and wrote against the University Ordinance and the ban on the students' union during the Ayub Khan regime. After marriage in 1967, she had to leave for England with her husband. She worked for the BBC Radio Urdu service while in England.
Literary work
Fahmida first saw the daylight of in a literary family. Her first poem was published in Funoon of Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, when she was merely 15. Her first collection of poety appeared just after two months of marriage at the age of 22. Her first poetry collection Baden dareeda appeared in 1973 and jolted the Urdu world. Second volume was published in 1976. Kia tum poora chand na dekho gay, a collection of her verses, was first published in Hindi from India, later in Urdu in Pakistan.
In 1988, another collection was published under the title of Apna jurm saabit hae. Three volumes of her novels and collections of short stories, apart from Urdu version of some verses from Shaikh Ayaz were published in later years. She has translated Rumi into Urdu.
Pathar ki Zaban
Khatt-e Marmuz