Friday, 8th October 2021, was a day when the members of the Writers’ Forum Kuwait rejoiced and rejuvenated themselves after prolonged resorting to the virtual platform of zoom. The members met each other on a hybrid platform where a few of them were present in person while the others attended it virtually.
The meeting was held at the residence of the General Secretary of the Forum Ms. Nazneen Ali. Few vaccinated members gathered at her residence abiding by the strict Corona Safety Protocols while the remaining members joined over the virtual platform.
Nazneen Ali welcomed everyone while remembering and paying tribute to The Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri, whose Birth Anniversary was on 2nd October. She also paid tribute to the legendary Hindi-Urdu writer Munshi Premchand on his Death Anniversary. The members exchanged good wishes on the festive occasion of Navratri.
The meeting started formally with the key note and announcement of the President of the Forum Mrs. Maimuna Ali Chougle as the President of the evening and veteran Urdu poet Sayeed Nazar Kadpawi as the Chief Guest of the day.
Varying shades of poetry in different genre were witnessed through all the renditions each of which was unique in its own way. While Mohan Singh recited a poem composed by Ms. Parminder Kaur, dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, Ms. Kamla Prakash beautifully wove her words to bring out the true character of Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Patriotic feeling among the members was further elevated by a poem by Ameeruddin Ameer. Ms. Nazneen Ali’s Urdu Ghazal had multiple messages of passion, politics, peace and power; Umesh Sharma’s Ghazal showcased the realities of life. His Ghazal was well comprehended and further complemented by another realistic poem in Hindi by Dr. Radhika Guleri Bhardwaj who was admired for her linguistic capabilities.
Hindi poet Aamir Diwan dominated his niche through his poem that advocated self-reliance and decisiveness. Mrs. Kalpana Shah vocalized feminism coupled with a poem dedicated to the great leaders Gandhi and Shastri. A pinch of political satire was served by Shabih Ahmed through his poem in Urdu and Kavita Sarvesh lightened the atmosphere through her rendition that had a perfect mix of humour and message.
In the end, Chief Guest Sayeed Nazar, paid homage to the late leaders of the Nation reminiscing their unforgettable contribution. He emphasized the importance of non-discrimination for the development of the country as well as literature. He also recited Urdu Ghazal that reflected his strong hold on the subject matter whilst displaying his command on the language.
In her concluding comments as the President of the evening, Mrs. Maimuna Chougle appreciated all the members for their continuous commitment towards the Forum and their Patriotism as evident by the celebrations done by the Forum on various National Festivals. She mentioned that the Forum has persistently been encouraging National Unity and Integrity through promotion of various Indian Languages and would continue to do the same in the future as well.
The meeting ended with the members enjoying savory dishes and thanking the host Ali Hussain and Ms. Nazneen Ali for their gracious hospitality.