Noted Urdu writer-critic Faruqi passes away at 85

PRAYAGRAJ/NEW DELHI: Accomplished Urdu litterateur Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, who wrote the sweeping and celebrated novel Kai Chand Thhey Sar-e-Aasmaan, who brought out the seminal literary magazine Shabkhoon, and who was central to the revival of dastangoi, passed away on Friday. He was 85.
Faruqi had tested positive for the novel coronavirus last month in Delhi.“After treatment he was fine but he developed fungal infection in one of his eyes. As his condition worsened, he kept asking to go home. Finally he arrived in the city by air ambulance on Friday. He breathed his last just half an hour after reaching home,” said his brother, N R Farooqui.
Pratapgarh-born Faruqi’s works traversed languages and genres. He was a critic, a theorist, a novelist, and more.