Jaun Elia Remembered on 22nd Death Anniversary
— November 8, 2024
KARACHI (AIA) Fans and scholars commemorated the 22nd death anniversary of celebrated Urdu poet and intellectual Jaun Elia on Friday, reflecting on his influential legacy in Urdu literature. Born Syed Sibt-e-Asghar Naqvi on December 14, 1931, in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, Elia hailed from a distinguished family of writers and thinkers. His elder brother, Rais Amrohvi, was also a well-known poet, while his father, Allama Shafiq Hasan Elia, was a prominent figure in art, literature, and astrology.
Elia’s early exposure to a literary environment shaped his path, and he wrote his first Urdu couplet at the age of eight. Known for his linguistic prowess, he was fluent in Arabic, English, Persian, Sanskrit, and Hebrew. He migrated to Pakistan in 1957, settling in Karachi, where he continued to develop his unique poetic voice.
Elia published his first poetry collection, Shayad, in 1991 at the age of 60. His second collection, Ya’ani, was published posthumously in 2003. His companion, Khalid Ansari, later compiled and released three more collections: Gumaan (2004), Lekin (2006), and Goya (2008). Elia passed away on November 8, 2002, in Karachi, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire Urdu literature lovers worldwide.