I recently had a chance to meet the highly esteemed Director of the Pashto Academy at University of Peshawar, Professor Dr. Salma Shaheen.
I met Dr Shaheen when I went to visit her with a former class fellow of hers and a fellow poet and writer Feroz Afridi. We met in her office where two other esteemed Pukhtun women writers were also present. These very pleasant ladies told us some very interesting facts about the Pashto Language and the history of our people. which I hope to share with all of you soon.
Dr Shaheen has been teaching Pashto literature at the academy and has been associated with the academy since 1978. I was amazed to learn that not only is she a poetess, but a novelist and prose writer, and though not known to many outside of the scholarly circles, she is a well known personality in the literary circle in Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Iran.
She explained in her gentle manner her thesis on "Modern Poem in Pashto Literature" for her doctorate in literature, her dissertation was published in 2004. It now serves as a resource for the research scholars, writers and students.
Considered as one of the foremost authorities on Pashto Folklore and poetry, she makes very good company and talk for hours on the passion of her life Pashto.
Having written thirty research papers that have appeared in journals of national repute, her knowledge is vast on a variety of on social, cultural, traditional, linguistic issues.
Dr. Shaheen has written fourteen valuable books on Pashto literature, culture and tradition. In her own special style of writing she highlights social and cultural issues faced by her people. Yet what is more amazing are her no nonsense suggested solutions to for problems, that do not compromise on traditional values or religion.
Dr. Shaheens published books of poetry, are highly acclaimed because of her fresh new style and a woman’s view of the world that bring a breath of fresh air to the world of Pashto poetry that is dominated by men.
Her books of poetry are
Ravail,
Nawai Sahar,
Zah Hum Hagha Si Wara Way
She has also written 12 books after extensive research and critical analysis on the Pashto Tapa Tapa (Vol.1, II), “The Pakhto Tappa : Muasharati Au Saqafati Asarone” and “Modern Poem in Pashto” She has also written a very well researched book on the history of the area called “Abasin Da Tarikh Pa Aina Ke”
Dr. Salma Shaheen has written two novels that puts her in a distinctive category of her own, since they are the only two novels written in Pashto (“Ka Rana Shwa (1988) and “Kani Ao Azghi” (2001).
As the member of a cultural delegation on visit to China, she was taken with the impressively culturally rich Chinese civilization and on her return wrote a book on her travels called “Dil Ore Ankein Chein May”
Dr. Shaheen is the member of a number of social organizations and NGOs. For her outstanding accomplishments she has been awarded the Abasin Arts Council Award twice, she is also the recipient of the Pakistan Academy of letters Hijra Award and the Pashtoon Culture Association Award.