IndiStories Episode 28: Embers by Intizar Husain
Listen now
Description
In this Season finale, I present a short story by Intizar Husain, the eminent short story writer, and novelist of the Indian subcontinent. He was born in a small town in the district of Bulandshahr, UP, and his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947. But it seems that he left his heart behind because not only pre-partition India but the dominant themes in the Indian culture, including folk tales and ancient epics, stayed in his consciousness. He repeatedly used these themes in his stories and novels. His 1979 novel Basti, translated into English by Francis Pritchett, was nominated for the Man Booker International Prize. In addition, he received several other honors and awards, including Premchand Fellowship by the Sahitya Akademi in 2007. Intizar Husain was a close friend and admirer of my mentor, Professor Gopi Chand Narang. I recall several conversations with Narang Sahib about Husain's literary contributions. He died in 2016 after a brief illness. Your feedback is most welcome. [email protected]
More Episodes
Gulzar was born in Dina (District Jhelum, now in Pakistan) in 1934. After partition, the family split and moved to Delhi and Mumbai. Partition and the horrors of partition significantly influenced young Gulzar, and later in his life, he published short stories and a novel about this apocalyptic...
Published 02/08/24
Published 02/08/24