Identity: Eminent short story writer, scholar, translator, and a master stylist of Urdu fiction

Naiyer Masud was born on 16 November 1936 in Lucknow in the family of the renowned Urdu critic and writer Syed Masood Hasan Rizvi “Adeeb.” He earned an M.A. in Persian from Lucknow University and later obtained a Ph.D. in Urdu from Allahabad University. He began his teaching career at Islamia College, Bareilly, and later joined the Department of Persian at Lucknow University, from where he retired as Professor in 1996.

Naiyer Masud gained special recognition in Urdu fiction for his unique, mysterious, and symbolic narrative style. His stories vividly portray the refined culture of Lucknow, the decline of traditional society, dreamlike atmospheres, and the loneliness of human existence. He is regarded as one of the major writers who introduced a new aesthetic dimension to modern Urdu fiction.

His notable collections of short stories include Seemiya, Taous Chaman Ki Maina, Itr-e-Kafoor, and Ganjifa. Taous Chaman Ki Maina is considered one of the most significant collections in Urdu fiction. Naiyer Masud also made important contributions in the fields of research, literary criticism, and translation. His scholarly works include Rajab Ali Beg Suroor: Hayat aur Karnamay, Marsiya Khwani ka Fun, Anees, Tabeer-e-Ghalib, Adabistan, and Afsane Ki Talaash. He also translated the stories of Franz Kafka into Urdu.

His prose is distinguished by its unique cadence, cultural sensibility, and creative symbolism.

In recognition of his literary contributions, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2001 and the Saraswati Samman in 2007.

Death: Naiyer Masud passed away on 24 July 2017 in Lucknow.