Pakistani Haiku poet and promoter Sohail Ahmed Siddiqui has been featured in five international English-language anthologies, including two dedicated to Haiku.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Haiku poet and promoter Sohail Ahmed Siddiqui has been featured in five world anthologies published in English, including two dedicated to Haiku, according to a press release.
Siddiqui, a prominent figure in the promotion of Haiku, is the founding editor and publisher of Haiku International, described as South Asia’s first and only multilingual Haiku journal. His latest recognition came with his inclusion in the international multilingual Haiku anthology Sakura Fubuki (A Blizzard of Cherry Blossoms), edited and published by the Pak-Japan Cultural Association in Islamabad.
The anthology features an English Haiku by Siddiqui alongside a free Urdu translation. Speaking to the media, Siddiqui said the English poem was actually an altered version of one of his popular Urdu Haiku.
Siddiqui was previously included in World Haiku Anthology, Wild Flowers-New Leaves, published by the World Haiku Club-UK in 2002.
His literary work has also appeared in three English-language anthologies published by the National Library of Poetry, later known as the International Library of Poetry, in the United States. According to the press release, he was included in editions published in 1992, 1993 and 2002.
The latest inclusion brings the total number of world English-language anthologies featuring Siddiqui to five, according to the statement. It also adds to his longstanding association with Haiku, a Japanese poetic form traditionally known for its concise three-line structure.
The achievement has drawn appreciation from literary circles in Pakistan, with writers and literary figures extending their well wishes to Siddiqui and praising his contribution to literature, particularly his efforts to promote Haiku.
Siddiqui’s work has focused on expanding the reach of Haiku in Urdu and other languages, while his involvement with Haiku International has provided a platform for multilingual Haiku writing in South Asia.
According to the press release, Siddiqui is the first and only Urdu poet to have been included in three anthologies of the National Library of Poetry in the United States, while his appearances in two international Haiku anthologies have further strengthened his presence in the global Haiku community.
Sohail has become the first Urdu poet to be included in 5 World anthologies in English
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