Shamim Azad

Shamim Azad
Native name শামীম আজাদ
Born Shamim Azad
(1952-11-11) 11 November 1952
Mymensingh, Dhaka, East Bengal (now Bangladesh)
Occupation Poet, storyteller, writer
Language Bengali, English
Nationality Bangladeshi
Citizenship British
Alma mater Kumudini College
Dhaka University
Years active 1988–present
Relatives Abu Ahmad Mahmud Tarafdar (father)
Anowara Khanom (mother)

Shamim Azad (Bengali: শামীম আজাদ; born 11 November 1952)[1] is a Bangladeshi-born British bilingual poet, storyteller and writer.

Early life

Azad was born in Mymensingh, Dhaka, East Bengal (now Bangladesh) (the town where her father worked), her hometown was Sylhet. She passed her Metric from Jamalpur Girls High School in 1967 and passed her Intermediate from Tangail Kumudini College in 1969. She enrolled in Dhaka University and gained an Honours degree in 1972 and a master's degree in 1973.[2]

In 1990, Azad came to England.[3]

Career

Azad's work ranges from Bangladeshi to European folktales. Her performance fuses the lines between education and entertainment and her workshops are rooted in Asian folk, oral traditions and heritage.[4]

Azad has published 14 books[5] including novels, collections of short stories, essays and poems in both English and Bengali and has been included in various anthologies including British South Asian Poetry, My Birth Was Not in Vain, Velocity,Emlit Project and Mother Tongues. She wrote two plays for Half Moon Theatre.[6] She has worked with composers Richard Blackford, Kerry Andrew, choreographer Rosemary Lee, visual artist Robin Whitemore and playwright Mary Cooper.[5]

She has performed at venues including the Museum of London, Cambridge Water Stone, Liberty Radio, Battersea Arts Centre, Lauderdale House, the Commonwealth Institute, British Library, British Council of Bangladesh, Takshila in Pakistan and New York.[7] Her residencies have included, Tower Hamlets Summer University, Sunderland City Library and Arts Centre, East Side Arts, Poetry Society, Magic Me, Rich Mix, Kinetika, Bromley by Bow Centre, Half Moon Theatre, and Apples and Snakes.[5]

Azad is a trustee of charity One World Action and Rich Mix in Bethnal Green, London. She is a school governor and chairperson of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro (World Literature Centre) in London.[7] She is part of the East storytelling group, which invites local residents to join in sharing some of the stories brought together by the Eastend's rich, diverse history of immigration.[8]

Awards

Azad received the Bangladesh "Bichitra Award" in 1994, "Year of the Artist" Award from London Arts in 2000, "Sonjojon- A Rouf" Award in 2004, and UK "Civic Award" in 2004.[7] In 2016, she was nominated for the "Syed Waliullah Literature Award" which is conferred by the Bangla Academy.

Personal life

Azad lives in Wanstead, Redbridge, London.[9]

Works

Novel and stories

Year Title
1988 Shirno Shuktara
1989 Dui Romonir Moddhoshomoy
1991 Arekjon
2003 Shamim Azader Golpo Shonkolon
2009 A Vocal Chorus
2012 Priongboda

Poetry

Year Title
1983 Valobashar Kobita
1984 Sporsher Opekkha
1988 He Jubok Tomar Vobisshot
2007 Om
2008 Jiol Jokhom
2010 Jonmandho Jupiter
2011 Shamim Azader Prem Opremer 100 Kobita

Children's literature and drama

Year Title
1992 Hopscotch Ghost (with Mary Cooper)
1994 The Raft
2000 The Life of Mr. Aziz
2012 Boogly The Burgundy Cheetah

Poetry collections and translations

Year Title
1998 British South Asian Poetry
2001 My Birth Was Not in Vain
2003 Velocity (25 Bochorer Bileter Kobita)
2008 The Majestic Night

See also

References

  1. ↑ "World Literature Centre, London". 11 November 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2012. Upcoming Events
  2. ↑ "Shamim Azad's birthday to be celebrated in Dhaka". banglanews24. 22 February 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Biographical notes – The Poets". Poetry Magazines. 2001. pp. 293–305. Retrieved 23 January 2012. Shamim Azad
  4. ↑ "Poetry and Translation". London: The Poetry Society. Retrieved 23 September 2011. The Poets: Shamim Azad
  5. 1 2 3 Karim, Mohammed Abdul; Karim, Shahadoth (October 2013). British Bangladeshi Who's Who (PDF). British Bangla Media Group. p. 62. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  6. ↑ Karim, Mohammed Abdul; Karim, Shahadoth (October 2009). British Bangladeshi Who's Who (PDF). British Bangla Media Group. p. 33. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 Mahboob, Mahdin (12 August 2007). "Creative Writing Workshop @ BRAC University by Shamim Azad". The Daily Star. Retrieved 24 September 2011. Volume 2, Issue 31
  8. ↑ "East". BBC Asian Network. 16 November 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Shamim Azad – Artists directory". Tower Hamlets Arts & Entertainment. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
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