Google Doodle pays a creative tribute to Parveen Shakir on her 67th birthday

ISLAMABAD: Legendary poetess Parveen Shakir was remembered on her 67th birthday anniversary across the country on Sunday, when Google also celebrated the birthday of the great Pakistani Urdu poet with an enchanting doodle.

Shakir was born on November 24, 1952 in Karachi. She was regarded as a pioneer for defying tradition by expressing the “female experience” in Urdu poetry.

During her educational career, Shakir earned three master’s degrees in English Literature, Linguistics and Bank Management, and a PhD in Bank Administration.

Shakir joined the country’s civil services in 1976 in the customs department. She was appointed as the second secretary in the department in 1986.

Shakir was the first female poetess who expressed emotions and feelings of a young girl in a realistic manner. Spontaneity in expression was the hallmark of her poetry.

‘Khushbu’ gave her a dream start and then she never looked back. She employed mainly two forms of poetry in her work, ghazals and free verses. Her poetry is a subtle and beautiful combination of classical traditions and modern sensitivity.

Her prominent work is based on feminism, romanticism and social stigmas. She was one of the first women poets to use the word ‘larki’ (girl) in her writings in the male-dominated world of Urdu poetry.

On December 26, 1994, her car collided with a bus while she was on her way to work in Islamabad. The accident resulted in her death at only 42, a great loss to the Urdu poetry world. The road on which the accident took place is named after her as Parveen Shakir Road.

The Parveen Shakir Trust was organised in 1994. The trust holds the Parveen Shakir Urdu Literature Festival, which aims to foster the next generation of Urdu literary figures.