Awaz Sayeed
Awaz Sayeed (6 December 1933 – 2 July 1995)(Urdu: عوض سعید ), full name Awaz Bin Sayeed, was a renowned modern short-story writer, poet, Khaka-naveez, humorist and playwright from Hyderabad, India. He was known for his unique, innovative and inimitable style of short story writing. He is counted among the few modern Urdu writers of the Indian sub-continent, who have given a new meaning to Urdu short-stories. He has to his credit seven books: six books on modern short stories: Sai Ka Safar (1969), Teesra Mujasamma (1973), Raat Wala Ajnabi (1977), Kohe-Nida (1977), Benaam Mausamon Ka Nauha (1987) and Kuwaan Aadmi Aur Samandar (1993) and a book on khake called Khake (1985).
Awaz Sayeed’s first Urdu afsana “Jeetey Jaagtey” was published in 1949 in ‘Nizam-e-Lahore’. Thereafter, several of his stories have been published in reputed Urdu magazines of the Indian Sub-continent such as Nuqoosh, Seep, Shabkhoon, Sher-O-Hikmat, Tanazur, Jadeed Adab, Sabras, Zehn-e-Jadeed, The Shair, etc.
Apart from modern short stories, Awaz Sayeed made his place in Urdu literature in the realm of humour by his Shaqsi-Khaka-Nigari (life-sketches) in which he portrayed some of the most famous personalities of Urdu literature like Makhdoom Mohiuddin, Alam Khundmeri, Qazi Saleem, Aziz Qaisi, Jeelani Bano, Mughni Tabassum, Waheed Akhtar, Akhlaq Mohammed Khan ‘Shahryar’ and others in his own ingenuous and inimitable style. His dimension as a humorous Khaka navees sharply contrasted the serious narratives in his short stories, reflecting the depth and command of his language and the ease with which he could switch over styles. The second reprint of the book ‘Khake' was brought out in June 2006 by his son Dr Ausaf Sayeed in association with the Urdu Academy Jeddah. The book was released by late Shri Arjun Singh, the then Minister of Human Resource Development, Government of India, during a special function in Jeddah.
In August 2009, the entire collection of Awaz Sayeed's published and unpublished works was published in two volumes titled 'Kuliyaat-e-Awaz Sayeed' by his son Dr Ausaf Sayeed, which was released by Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Vice-President of India . The book has been published by Educational Publishing House, New Delhi.
Awaz Sayeed’s stories have been translated in several languages, including English, Hindi and Malayalam. Several scholars have done research on his works for Ph.D. and M.Phil. Awaz Sayeed’s stories have been translated in several languages, including English, Hindi and Malayalam. Some of the Urdu short stories of Awaz Sayeed that have been translated into English are included in at least two recent English compilations of translations of short stories of renowned Urdu writers of the Indian Sub-Continent. The first book 'Despairing voices: a collection of modern Urdu short stories' edited and translated by Syed Sarwar (Satyam Publishing House, 2011) includes his four Urdu short stories i.e. 'Raat Wala Ajnabi' ('The night's stranger'), 'Udaas Nasal Ka Aakhri Aadmi' ('Last man of the melancholic race'), 'Andha Kunwan' ('Dry well') and 'Coma'. The second book 'New Urdu Writings: From India and Pakistan' by Rakhshanda Jalil (Westland Ltd, 2013) includes the story 'Chubhan' ('Pin-Prick').
Awaz Sayeed was a Hadhrami Arab by descent belonging to a respectable family of Hyderabad Deccan, with roots in Mukallah in Hadhramaut (present-day Yemen). He belongs to the Al-Musalli (Al-Yafai) qabila (clan). His father, Sayeed bin Awaz Bin Jabir Bin Abdullah served as State Financier under His Highness Sultan Omar bin Awadh Al Qu'aiti (Nawab Sir Jan-Baz Jung Bahadur K.C.I.E.) and His Highness Sultan Sir Saleh bin Ghalib Al Qu'aiti (Saif Nawaz Jung Bahadur). Earlier his paternal grandfather Jabir Bin Abdullah served as a State Financer under Sultan Awadh-I bin Omar Al Qu'aiti (Nawab Sultan Nawaz Jung Bahadur Shamsheer-ud-Daula Shamsheer-ul-Mulk).
Awaz Sayeed completed his early education from Anwar-ul-uloom High School. Thereafter, he passed out Matriculation from the City College (1948), Intermediate from the Chaderghat College (1952) and Graduation from Anwar-ul-uloom College.
He joined the Food Corporation of India in 1954 and got married to Kaneez Fatima in 1960. Awaz Sayeed has two children: Dr Ausaf Sayeed (b. 1963), who is posted as India's Consul General in Chicago and Dr Seema Nishat (b. 1967), who is a leading Internist in Tampa, Florida.
Awaz Sayeed died on July 2, 1995 and is buried at Rosehill Cemetery, Peterson, Chicago, Illinois, USA.