Shamsher ul Hyderi: The Iconic Poet and Eternal Pride of Sindh

 Shamsher ul Hyderi

 The Iconic Poet and Eternal Pride of Sindh

An iconic Sindhi poet, Shamsher ul Hyderi was born on the day of 15 September 1931 in the Kandhan Town of Badin District, Sindh, Pakistan. He got his early education in the city of Badin and after that went to the Sindh Madressatul Islam in the Karachi city and Noor Muhammad College in Hyderabad city for further higher studies. He went on to complete his degree of graduation and post-graduation from the institute of University of Sindh in the city of Jamshoro.

Shamsher ul Hyderi initiated his career in the field of journalism when some people knew of its significance. His writing skills were applauded as he could write fluently in the languages of Sindhi, Urdu and English. He was also an anchor, journalist and script writer. He worked as a Secretary General of Poetry Companion in the year of 1966. He managed the Sindhi companion 2 times in the area of Nawabshah. He developed several branches of Poetry companion in different places of Sindh province.

Shamsher ul Hyderi worked as an organizer in the channel of PTV and then managed the Sindhi PTV News Section. In the year of 1955, he decided to join the Sindhi Adabi Board as its secretary and after that served as the editor of “Naee Zindagi” magazine issued by the press information department for 11 years. He was also appointed as the director of the similar department.

Shamsher ul Hyderi became the 1st anchor of Sindhi television programmes as he began hosting “Ras Rehan” on PTV in 1970 year. During forty years of his affiliation with the state TV, he wrote several dramas for PTV and hosted various programmes. He produced and directed 2 documentaries on the city of Thatta and Makli for the Sindh Culture Department. He also supervised 2 films on the shipping industry for the communications ministry.

For nearly forty years, Shamsher ul Hyderi wrote scripts, plays and songs for the national television, while also participating in talk shows and documentaries, both in the languages of Urdu and Sindhi. He was the chief organizer of the PTV’s Sindhi news section at the city of Karachi. He was writing the scripts of the popular programme for kids, Roshan Tara, since it was initiated some forty years ago. Hyderi’s contribution in the field of features, musical stories and songs for Radio Pakistan’s Hyderabad and Karachi stations was also much acknowledged.

He was also the editor of Sindh Gazetteer, released by the Sindh Information Department. He had initially served as the editor of several Sindhi newspapers, involving Daily Mehran, Hilal-e-Pakistan, Khalq, Khadm-e-Watan and Barsaat.

The Sindhi intellectual wrote several books and articles on a diverse range of subjects and topics. His most well-known books were Laat, Sujaag Sanghar, Flame and Flute, Poet for all Times, Kaak Mahal, Tareekh Jo Kichro, Sindh Updates, Tareekh-e-Kalhora, Sindhi Azad Nazam Ji Osar, Sindhi Shairi jo Ebhyas, Roshan Tara, Laat Aeen Waat and Faqeer Bayan Kare Tho.

The notable scholar sustained to be a member of the Urdu Dictionary Board, Karachi for 3 years and was a member of the Pakistan Films Censor Board Karachi for 3 years as well. He was the founder member of Sindh Graduate Association and Sindhi Adabi Sanghar Sindh. He was also the Life Fellow of the Pakistan Academy of Letters.

He was the longest surviving Sindhi journalist whose career spanned over fifty-six years. Shamsher ul Hyderi retired as a Grade 19 officer in the year of 1999, after stints in the information and broadcasting ministry and the youth affairs ministry. He gained over forty literary, cultural and journalism awards from the state of Pakistan and India as well, involving the presidential award of Pride of Performance.

The eminent writer earned acclaim not just among the literary circles but also among the youth because of his simple but outstanding and meaningful words. Haideri was renowned for his writing skills and a very simple and humble lifestyle. Until he was moved to a hospital, he continued living in the government quarters despite his close friends and relatives wishing him to make his own house.

He passed away on the day of 10 August 2012 after serious illness of cancer at the age of 79 in Karachi city. He was 81. He was buried at the Chowkandi graveyard. He leaves behind a widow, 5 sons and 3 daughters.