Nigar and Niaz
Farman Fatehpuri was one of the most notable figures in Urdu literature and is widely considered the supreme authority on the works done by Galib. His work Iqbal Sub Key Liyee, is celebrated by many in the Urdu literature community and on both sides of the international border, which only speaks to the widespread influence that Farman Fatehpuri has. This influence is not only limited to the boundaries of Pakistan, where Farman Fatehpuri spends most of his adult life but Farman Fatehpuri is also acclaimed in India as well as other countries around the globe. However, when talking about Farman Fatehpuri, there is one individual whose influence on his life cannot be missed out on, and that individual is Niaz Fatehpuri.
Niaz Fatehpuri, in simplest terms, was the mentor of the world-famous poet, writer, and critic. Not only did Niaz Fatehpuri take Farman Fatehpuri as his discipline, but he also allowed him to work in one of the flourishing Urdu journals of the time Nigar. And that is the relation between Nigar and Niaz Fatehpuri and Farman, which has been behind the preservation and promotion of the Urdu language, not just on the Indian subcontinent but on the broader world map.
Niaz Fatehpuri played a very crucial role in the development of the person that Farman Fatehpuri would become. They had known each other since Farman Fatehpuri’s childhood but had formed a closer relationship when Niaz Fatehpuri migrated to Pakistan n 1962. In fact, Niaz Fatehpuri saw Farman as a successor of sorts and bequest all his belongs to his discipline upon his death.
Niaz was an icon of literature, admired in his time for his fantastic, meaningful stories and messages. He engaged with some heavy topics, but he did so with a refreshing dose of intellect and wit. Niaz and Farman’s ideologies never lined up. Niaz was mostly atheistic or agnostic in his literary and life views, while Farman remained a devoted Muslim. That aside, there was a great deal of admiration and respect between the two friends. In addition to the work that Farman did with his mentor, he also wrote two books, Niaz Fatehpuri-Fun-o-Shakhsiat and Niaz Fathepuri-Deeda Shuneeda, that are based on the life of his mentor.
One should also note that Farman Fatehpuri was also a teacher and remained associated with his alma mater Karachi University for more than thirty years. Farman Fatehpuri dedicated his life to teaching and guiding students, research, and writing. His love for these never faded, even after he authored more than 100 articles published in various journals. The life of his famous Farman Fatehpuri is certainly worth more exploration to anyone who wants to know the story of a great man.