Poetry fest started by Mumbai IPS officer turns five

With a mild chuckle Quaiser Khalid dismisses the idea of being in an unlikely profession ldquoMy job brings me close to problems pains and crisis of people everyday I try to understand them try to empathise and after work I reflect and writerdquo says the Sahitya Akademiaward winning poet and additional commissioner of the local armed police of Mumbai cityQuaiser Khalid centre with Naseeruddin ShahThe officerrsquos journey as a poet began 10 years ago when his friends after reading his poetry encouraged him to write more and read out his work in mushairas In this process he also realised the importance of more forums for poetry along with a diminishing quality of writing in Urdu He started a sociocultural organisation which started hosting an international Hindi and Urdu poetry festival Izhaar five years ago ldquoIf they have only chatpata to eat one cannot expect people to appreciate or want delicacies That is why it is important to introduce listeners to fine poetry and poetsrdquo Khalid explainsQuaiser Khalid Though he faced somedifficulties in the beginning he started getting a steady flow of support from friends and likeminded people and soon the festival started growing in size ldquoI can manage this because of the support I get There have been people from all fields mdash engineers businessmen government officers mdash who make the event possible with their passionrdquo he says The festival has hosted poets from across the country and abroadKhalid says that he has received much support from his colleagues too With juniors and seniors congratulating him when he received the Maharashtra Sahitya Akademi Award this year ldquoGiven the identity of a poet I am often asked to speak or host events in our official gatherings And some officers do come to attend the poetry festivalrdquo he saysConceived as Anjuman Faroghe Adab in 2012 the organisation was renamed as JashneAdab in 2013 before finally becoming PaasbaneAdab in 2014 This year his labour of love the festival Izhaar will enter its fifth year The event has gained in size technology and popularity With poets from India and abroad there will be YouTube introductions and a live television broadcast Mumbai University the venue of the event is also a partner of this yearrsquos festival along with some corporate brandsHe insists that poetry is a force that unites people and brings peace ldquoWe are united in our grief our innermost feelings and our relationship with the environment We are united in the way lines stir usrdquo he says adding ldquoWe are forgetting our legends and our rich tradition with the words and it is very sad Apart from the festival PasbaaneeAdab also hosts an annual event Meeras where a short film is made on the lives of and works of poets and writers who have passed away At this event other poets recite poetry by the legendsON May 7 630 pmAT Mumbai University Convocation Hall MG Road FortCALL 9224777707