Identity: A renowned Urdu critic, short story writer, literary historian, linguist, and scholar of Iqbal

Dr. Saleem Akhtar was born on 11 March 1934 in Lahore. Due to his father’s job, he had the opportunity to study in several cities including Ambala, Pune, and Rawalpindi.

He obtained his MA (Urdu) and PhD from University of the Punjab. He began his professional career as an Urdu lecturer at Government Emerson College, and later remained associated for a long time with Government College Lahore. Even after retirement, he continued teaching there for several years as a visiting professor.

His most famous work is "A Brief History of Urdu Literature" (Urdu Adab ki Mukhtasar Tareen Tareekh), which is widely recognized in literary circles. As a critic, he made significant contributions to psychological criticism and Iqbal studies. He also wrote extensively on literature, the unconscious mind, culture, and sexuality.

He also holds a distinguished position as a short story writer. His stories reflect romantic elements, class conflict, and psychological depth. His major short story collections include "Aadhi Raat ki Makhlooq", "Karwe Badam", "Mutthi Bhar Saamp", and "Kath ki Auratein", while his collected works were published under the title "Nargis aur Cactus". His autobiography is known as "Nishan-e-Jigar Sokhta".

Death: He passed away on 30 December 2018 in Lahore.