Parsram Zia: The Legendary and Iconic Poet of Sindh

Parsram Hiranand Sachanandani, usually known as Parsram Zia and Zia Sahib, was born on the day of July 11, 1911 at the place of Tando Adam in the province of Sindh in a middle class family but simple and decent.

Though Parsram Zia didn’t study beyond high school, his interest in poetry writing from very early age immediately led him to have astonishing command over the language. His mastery in penning correct words to match both, the rhythm and the situation, acquired him popularity from young age.

Parsram Zia Sahib began writing under the name of ‘Parso’ and ‘Ranjor’ but adapted the pen name of ‘Zia’ (Light) as per suggestion from his Guru (teacher), Shaikh Murad Ali Qazim.

Few of his poetic contributions are: ‘Baug Bahar’ (Be Evergreen), poems for children in the year of 1954, ‘Alaap Zia’ (Verses of Zia) in the year of 1958, ‘Paigham-e-Zia’ (Message of Zia) in the year of 2000 and ‘Geet Briha Jaa’ (Songs of Separation).

During his lifetime, Parsram Zia Sahib was honored with several awards on various events for his works of poetry, songs, translation. The first was in the year of 1943 by the Government of Sindh for his collection of poems termed as, ‘Tasveer Ahsaas’ followed by still another for his ‘Adbi Gul’ that for few reasons wasn’t published. Later in the state of India, he acquired the most prestigious Award from the Ministry of Education for his remarkable literary works.

Zia Sahib wrote songs for various Sindhi films such as ‘Abana’, ‘Laadli’, ‘Jhulelal’, ‘Insaaf Kithe Aahe’, ‘Kanwar Ram’ and ‘Rai Diyach’. He recorded over a thousand songs with nearly every popular Sindhi Singer that have immense following in Sindh (Pakistan) and among migrant Sindhis in the state of India and worldwide. Apart from Sindhi, Zia Saheb also wrote songs in the languages of Urdu and Hindi and ‘Badhi Bhool Hui, Tujhe Pyaar Kiya’ were his hit song.

Though Parsram Zia Sahib breathed last on the day of October 28, 1958 at very young age of 47, his mass wealth of literally works like the in Sindhi province has made him immortal in every Sindhi heart who treasures the work with huge reverence, forever.