Atiq Ahmad Biography
Atiq Ahmad was born on August 1, 1970, in the city of Dhaka, which is located in Bangladesh. He was brought up in a household full of thinkers, and he was surrounded by people and things that encouraged his love of writing as he was growing up.
Atiq Ahmad’s mother, Rabeya Khatun, was a teacher of literature, and his father, Muhammad Nurul Huda, was a well-known literary personality in Bangladesh.
After completing his secondary education at Dhaka University Laboratory School and College, Ahmad went on to study English literature at the University of Dhaka, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree.
After that, he went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in creative writing from the University of East Anglia, which is located in the United Kingdom.
Atiq Ahmad Career
Ahmad started out his professional life as a journalist in Bangladesh, contributing to a number of publications, including newspapers and journals.
Later in life, he transitioned into the freelancing world as a writer and translator, and his work appeared in a wide variety of local, state, and national newspapers.
The year 1994 marked the publication of Ahmad’s debut work of fiction, titled “Ranangan” (The Battle), which went on to win the coveted Bangla Academy Literary Award.
Atiq Ahmad went on to publish a number of other novels, such as “Nishiddha Loban” (also known as “Forbidden Incense”), “Golpo Guccho” (also known as “A Collection of Stories”), and “Abar Tora Kipte Ho” (also known as “You Cry Again”).
In addition to his work as a novelist, Ahmad is also extremely productive in the realm of translation. He has translated the works of a large number of well-known authors, including Salman Rushdie, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Jhumpa Lahiri, among others.
One of the most prestigious literary awards in Bangladesh is called the Ekushey Padak award, and it was given to him for his translation of the novel “Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie.
In addition to being a screenwriter, Ahmed has contributed to the writing of screenplays for a variety of television dramas and films. His work on the documentary film “Guerrilla,” which recounts the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, is what brought him the most notoriety.
Atiq Ahmad Honors and Awards
Throughout the course of his career, Ahmed has been recognized with a number of prestigious prizes and accolades for the significant contributions he has made to the fields of writing and the arts.
In addition to being awarded the Bangla Academy Literary Award and the Ekushey Padak, he has also been presented with the Ananda Purashkar, which is one of the greatest literary honors in India, as well as the Cross of Honor, which is one of the highest literary honors in Austria.
In recognition of Ahmed’s significant contributions to Indian literary and artistic culture, the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors, was bestowed on him in the year 2020.
Atiq Ahmad Personal Life
The author Ahmad is married to the journalist and writer Shaheen Akhtar, and the couple has two children together. He admits that he enjoys listening to music and that he is a big fan of the Beatles.
The life and work of Atiq Ahmad serve as a powerful demonstration of the transformative potential of creative expression and the written word. He has contributed significantly to the development of Bangladesh’s and the world’s literary canons through his work as a writer, translator, and screenwriter.
Atiq Ahmad’s work has had a significant impact, as evidenced by the numerous accolades and honors he has received, and the passion he has shown for his profession is a source of ongoing motivation for aspiring authors and artists from subsequent generations.