Promoting Urdu among youth, Doha hosts international poetry event

Doha: Bazm e Urdu Qatar, Urdu literary organisation in Doha, once again upheld its tradition by organising an International Mushaira on December 26, 2...

Doha: Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar, Urdu literary organisation in Doha, once again upheld its tradition by organising an International Mushaira on December 26, 2025.

Held with the objective of nurturing the Urdu language and literature and promoting it among the younger generation, the event proved to be a landmark in Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar’s literary journey and left a lasting impression on Qatar’s cultural landscape.

Renowned and seasoned poets from the Indian subcontinent graced the Mushaira, adding exceptional splendour to the literary gathering. Eminent poets including Shakeel Azmi, Afzal Allahabadi, Dil Khairabadi, Rana Tabassum, Faraz Adeebi, Sabahat Aarruj, and Khalid Nadeem Shani mesmerised the audience with their thought-provoking and melodious poetry. Their participation truly imparted an international character to the Mushaira and reaffirmed that Urdu poetry transcends geographical boundaries.

Alongside the guest poets, Doha-based local poets also made a strong impact, demonstrating that the land of Doha is rich with fertile literary minds. Local poets included Raqim Azmi, Ahmad Ashfaq, renowned humourist Ashfaq Deshmukh, Aziz Nabeel, Asif Shafi, Maqsood Anwar Maqsood, Ateeq Anzar and Dr Nadeem Zafar Jilani Danish.

The initial proceedings were conducted by Ahmad Ashfaq, General Secretary of Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar, whose graceful and well-organised anchoring set the tone for the programme. The formal stage proceedings were later taken over by Dr Nadeem Zafar Jilani Danish.