ISLAMABAD: A great Urdu-language short story writer of South Asia, Saadat Hasan Manto, was remembered on Saturday on his death anniversary.

Saadat Hasan Manto, was born on May 11, 1912, during his early days he met a journalist, Abdul Bari Alig, who soon changed the young man's imaginary dabbling with genuine interest in politics and enthusiasm.

Bari discovered Hugo's The Last Days of Condemned, a drama and he encouraged Manto to attempt a translation of it into Urdu.

Manto completed the translation it within two weeks and sold it to the Urdu Book Stall, Lahore, which published it under the title Sarguzasht-e-Aseer.

Having now become a published author, Manto aided by Hasan Abbas soon attempted a translation of Oscar Wilde's Vera, which was published in 1934. Manto also continued to try his hand at original short stories in Urdu, at least one of which "Inqlab Pasand", dated March 1935 which was published in the Aligarh Magazine.

Later this, story 'Tamasha" and several others were put together into Manto's first collection of original short stories in Urdu, 'Atish Pare", published in 1936. Later he came to Lahore and joined newspaper Paras.

In late 1936, he accepted an invitation to edit the weekly Musawwir and justify Lahore for Bombay.

In 1941, he came to Delhi and accepted the job of writing for Urdu Service of All India Radio. Soon four of his collection of radio plays, Ao, Mantoke Drame, Janaze and Tin Aurraten were published.

The controversial short story collection Dhuan came out. His first collection of topical essays, Manto ke Mazamin, also appeared during this time.

Some of his other publications are, Atishpare - 1936, Manto Ke Afsane - 1940, Dhuan - 1941, Afsane Aur Dramme- 1943, Laazat-e-sang- 1 948, Chughd- 1948, Siyahhasiye- 1948, Badshahat ka Khatimah- 1950, Khali Botlein- 1950, Nimrud kikhudai- 1950, Thanda gosht- 1950, Yazid- 1 951, Parde ke Pichhe- 1953, Sarak ke kinare- 1 953, Baghairunwan ke-1954, Baghairijazt-1955, Burque-1955, Phundne-1955 Sarkandonke pichhe-1955, Shaitan-1955, Shikariauratein- 1955, Ratti, Masha, Tolah-1956, Tahira se tahir-1971, Kaali shalwar-1961, Manto ke behtreen kahanian-1963 etc.

He died on January 18, 1955 at the age of 44 years.

SOURCE: APP