Srinagar: Fifteenth anniversary of renowned poet, translator and academician, Fazil Kashmiri was held at Seminar Hall, Cultural Academy, Srinagar. Justice (Retd) Bashir Ahmad Kirmani presided over the function. Former Secretary Academy, Dr Rafiq Masoodi, Fazil Kashmiris son Zeeshan Fazil and Editor Urdu, M Ashraf Talk were also present on the podium.
In the beginning of the function, Naa’t Khwan Abul Hassan Farooqi recited the Naa’ts written by late Fazil Kashmiri and M Ashraf Talk threw the light on his literary contributions.
Renowned folk singer, Abdul Rashid Hafiz sang a song written by Fazil Kashmiri.
Renowned film maker and poet Fayaz Dilbar read a paper on the life and contribution of late Fazil.
Fazil Memorial Awards were conferred on Rafiq Raaz, Dr Majrooh Rashid and Abdul Ahad Farhad by Fazil Memorial Committee.
Justice (Retd) Kirmani, Dr Rafiq Masoodi and Zeeshan Fazil also paid tributes to Fazil Kashmiri. The function was attended by renowned poets, literary figures, writers and others.
"Jenab Fazil Kashmiri is a distinguished stalwart of the contemporary cultural millieu in Kashmiri. He has written some of the most sweetest and beautiful songs which are sung in every nook and corner of Kashmir Valley. He represnets the wholesome ethos of Kashmir's secular culture."
Dr. Farooq Abdullah
He is is indeed a remarkable human being and is in tradition Lal Ded and Nund Reshi who sang songs of love afor God and between human beings regardless of their religious persuasions
Dr. Karan Singh
I have felt essence of true human being in Fazil's poetry. I am his fan since college days since he started the Kashmiri section of Pratap magazine in 1936
Dina Nath Nadim
"All the lovely poems of Fazil Kashmiri breathe patriotic sentiment, reverence of our great religious leaders, Whatever community they belong, for they truly belong to whole world to all of us"
Prof. J. L. Koul
"Fazil's appeal is primarily to those very simple folks, who require to be re-enforced in their traditional values of religious tolereance, social harmony and human reverence"
Prof. P. N. Pushp
"Fazil Kashmiri's forte is memorial simplicity of his poetry. His preoccupation being the idea of brotherhood of man. His poems sing admirely well reminding of what PATER said about all art tending to music."
Dr. M. S. Want