Origins & Early Life

Ahmed Ali (Urdu: احمد علی; 1 July 1910 – 14 January 1994) was a Pakistani novelist, poet, critic, translator, diplomat and scholar. A pioneer of the modern Urdu short story, his works include the short story collections: Angarey (Embers), 1932; Hamari Gali (Our Lane), 1940; Qaid Khana (The Prison), 1942; and Maut Se Pehle (Before Death), 1945. His other writings include Twilight in Delhi (1940), his first novel in the English language. Muneeza Shamshie has called him "the forefather to all Pakistani English fiction." Ahmed Ali was born in Delhi, British India, on 1 July 1910.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was descended from families of Islamic scholars on both his paternal and maternal sides, with his paternal lineage tracing directly to Abdul Qadir Gilani, the prominent 12th-century Islamic scholar and Sufi saint. His father Syed Shuja-ud Din was a civil servant in the British administration, being associated with the Punjab Civil Service, and was fond of Persian literature. Ali began his formal education at the age of 5 by learning Qur'anic recitation. For his higher studies, he graduated in English literature from Aligarh Muslim University and Lucknow University; in the latter...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1910 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1910
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