Zehra Nigah Age, Husband, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Profession(s)	Poet, Songwriter, Scriptwriter
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	5' 3" (161 cm)
Eye Colour	Dark Brown
Hair Colour	Salt & Pepper
Career
Awards	• 2006- Pride of Performance Award from the President of Pakistan • 2013- LLF Lifetime Achievement Award • 2018- Allama Iqbal Award • 2019- UBL Literary Lifetime Award • 2021- Arts Council Lifetime Achievement Award
Personal Life
Date of Birth	14 May 1936 (Thursday)
Age (as of 2024)	88 Years
Birthplace	Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British India (now Karnataka, India)
Zodiac sign	Taurus
Nationality	• British Indian (14 May 1936 - 15 August 1947) • Indian (15 August 1947 - 1948) • Pakistani (1948 - present)
Hometown	Karachi
Religion	Islam
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Family
Husband/Spouse	Majid Ali (Government Officer)
Parents	Father- Ghulam Qadir (Deceased) (Writer, Journalist)
Siblings	Brothers- Anwar Maqsood (Writer, Actor, Humourist), Ahmed Maqsood (Deceased) (Government Officer), Amir Maqsood Hameedi Sisters- Zubaida Tariq (Deceased) (Chef), Fatima Surayya Bajia (Deceased) (Urdu Novelist), Sughra Kazmi (Fashion Designer), Sara Naqvi (Deceased) (Fashion Designer)
Other Relatives	• Bilal Maqsood (Musician) (Nephew) • Imrana Maqsood (Writer) (Sister-in-Law)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Zehra Nigah

• Around 1922, the living room in Zehra Nigah’s family home used to be the centre stage for meetings of poets including Iqbal, Firaq, Makhdoom, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and Majaz.

• Zehra’s maternal grandfather used to encourage her and her siblings to revise tough poets like Haali and Iqbal with correct meanings, pronunciations, and reading styles.

• Her maternal grandfather used to tempt the children by telling them that if they would memorise Iqbal’s Jawab-e-Shikwa or Musaddas-e-Hali poetry then he would give them five rupees.

• Zehra Nigah moved to Karachi, Pakistan from India with her family in 1948.

• Zehra Nigah began her writing career during her childhood. When she was 14 years old, she learned the poetry of prominent poets by heart.

• Zehra was in seventh standard when she first attended and recited in a mushaira (a social meeting where people recite Urdu poetries).

• The inspiration behind Zehra’s poetry was her family’s migration to Pakistan after the 1947 partition of India.

• In 1980, Zehra Nigah wrote many books including ‘Shaam Ka Pehla Tara’ (1980), ‘Waraq,’ ‘Firaq’ (2009), and ‘Gul Chandni.’
  

  The poster of the book titled ‘Shaam Ka Pehla Tara’ (1980) written by Zehra Nigah

• In 2003, she wrote the screenplay of the Pakistani TV series titled ‘Umrao Jaan Ada’ which was the adaptation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s novel of the same name.
  

  The poster of the Pakistani TV series titled ‘Umrao Jaan Ada’ (2003) written by Zehra Nigah

• Zehra Nigah was one of the first Urdu women poets to make their mark in the male-dominated field of Pakistani poetry.

• In 2012, an event was held by fellow writers at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi to launch a CD of Zehra Nigah’s poetry in her own voice.