Identity: Eminent Short Story Writer, Novelist, and Critic

Deepak Kumar Budki was born on February 15, 1950, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. He received his primary education up to the fifth grade from the 'Jabri School' (Gadni At Manz) located near his residence.

Following his primary education, he completed his eleventh grade from Government Higher Secondary School, Nawakadal, and subsequently from D.A.V. Higher Secondary School, Amirakadal. He pursued his twelfth grade at Sri Pratap College, from where he also obtained his Bachelor of Science with Honors in Botany (B.Sc. Hon's). Afterwards, he completed his M.Sc. in Botany from the University of Kashmir during 1968-70, and earned his B.Ed. degree from Gandhi Memorial College in 1971. At the young age of 21, he had already commenced his professional career after successfully passing his M.Sc., B.Ed., and 'Adeeb-e-Mahir' examinations.

In the literary world, he is widely known as Deepak Budki and is counted among the most eminent Urdu short story writers of the Subcontinent. The canvas of his fiction is remarkably vast, wherein he has masterfully portrayed the political and social issues, the exploitation of the underprivileged, and female psychology—not only of Kashmir but also of other regions of the country—with great finesse and profound observation.

He has been writing in both Hindi and Urdu for the past forty years. His language is simple, his narrative structure is well-knit, and his writing style possesses a unique flow and eloquence that captivates the readers and brings them closer to reality.

Alongside short story writing, he possesses deep critical and analytical acumen. He has authored highly valuable critical essays on contemporary writers and the current state of Urdu fiction.

His prominent short story collections include "Adhoore Chehre", "Chinar Ke Neeche", "Zebra Crossing Par Khada Aadmi", "Reza Reza Hayat", "Rooh Ka Karb", and "Mutthi Bhar Ret". In the field of literary criticism, his two books, "Asri Tehreeren" and "Asri Shaoor", have been published and widely acclaimed.

Furthermore, he has authored novels titled "Apna Apna Sach" and "Azadi", while his autobiography was published under the title "Lauh-e-Hayat".