The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages today organised a dignified condolence meeting at the Conference Hall, Tagore Hall, Srinagar, to pay rich tributes to renowned poet, writer, journalist and broadcaster Abdul Ahad Farhad, who passed away in Jammu on December 22.
Speakers on the occasion described the late Farhad as a shining luminary of Kashmiri literature, stating that his poetry, writings and broadcasting services enriched the Kashmiri language and culture with intellectual depth, cultural dignity and contemporary relevance. They said that Abdul Ahad Farhad was not only a great poet but also an eminent scholar, a visionary intellectual and a sensitive human being whose voice and words influenced generations and shaped literary thought.
The condolence meeting began with Fatiha Khwani led by Ghulam Hassan Ghamgeen, lending a solemn and spiritual tone to the gathering. The meeting was presided over by noted poet, actor and playwright Bashir Dada, who spoke in detail about his long and close association with the departed soul. He said that Abdul Ahad Farhad was not only a distinguished creative writer but also a sincere friend, a compassionate mentor and a true lover of literature. He added that Farhad’s personality reflected truthfulness, sincerity and intellectual integrity, and his conversations were marked by refinement, grace and deep literary awareness.
The special guest on the occasion was eminent writer and intellectual Mushtaq Ahmad Mushtaq, who highlighted his professional association and shared literary and broadcasting experiences with the late Farhad. He said that Abdul Ahad Farhad was extremely careful in matters of language, deeply respectful of literary tradition and well aware of emerging literary trends. He noted that Farhad always encouraged young writers and considered it his responsibility to take literature to the common reader. According to him, Farhad’s true legacy lies not only in his writings but also in the intellectual light he passed on to his students and contemporaries.
A large number of journalists, writers, poets, intellectuals, artists and prominent personalities from different walks of life attended the condolence meeting and paid tributes to the literary and cultural services of the departed soul. Those who expressed condolence included Inayat Gul, Gulzar Ahmad Ganai, Engineer Shabnam Bashir, Editor-in-Chief of Daily Asian Mail Rashid Rahil, Hamidullah Hameed, Ghulam Mohammad Rather, Hamid Nasir, Nazir Ahmad Bhat, Syed Riyaz, Editor-in-Chief of Brighter Kashmir Farooq Ahmad Wani, President Adbi Markaz Kamraz Mohammad Amin Bhat, Prof. Nasir Mirza, Dr. Aabid Ahmad, Mohammad Yousuf Shaheen, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Haleem,and Nazim Nazir among others.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Additional Secretary of the Academy, Adeel Saleem, who was present on the dais, thanked the participants on behalf of the host organisation. Paying homage to Abdul Ahad Farhad, he said that the late literary figure was not merely a great creative writer but an institution in himself, whose personality was a fine blend of knowledge, dignity and humility. He added that Farhad devoted his entire life to the promotion of Kashmiri language and literature with sincerity, honesty and dedication, and through his creative and broadcasting contributions played a significant role in shaping the intellectual fabric of Kashmiri society.
The condolence meeting concluded with prayers for the eternal peace of the departed soul and patience for the bereaved family. The Academy reiterated its resolve to preserve and carry forward the rich literary and cultural legacy of Abdul Ahad Farhad for future generations.