Jantapost at 17:17, 16 October 2025

2025-10-16T17:17:50Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Short description|Indian Kashmiri author, novelist, and poet (1934–2018)}}
{{Infobox writer
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Ghulam Nabi Gowhar
| image = Ghulam Nabi Gowhar with grandson.jpg
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| alt =
| caption = G.N. Gowhar with his grandson
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| pseudonym =
| birth_name = Ghulam Nabi Muqeem
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|06|26}}
| birth_place = [[Charari Sharief]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|06|19|1934|06|26}}
| death_place = Budgam, [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], India
| resting_place = Durj-e-Gowhar
| occupation = {{hlist|Author, Novelist, Poet, Columnist, Jurist}}
| language = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Urdu]], English
| residence =
| nationality =
| citizenship =
| education = Postgraduate in [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Gandhi Memorial College, Srinagar]]

[[Bachelor of Law]], [[Aligarh Muslim University]]
| alma_mater =
| home_town =
| period =
| genre =
| subject = [[Politics]], [[Literature]], [[History]]
| movement =
| notable_works =
| spouse =  Haseena Gowhar
| children = 4
| relatives =
| awards = [[Sahitya Akademi Award]]
| years_active = 1969–2018
}}

'''Ghulam Nabi Gowhar''' (born '''Ghulam Nabi Muqeem'''; 26 June 1934 {{endash}} 19 June 2018) was a [[Multilingualism|multilingual]] Kashmiri author, novelist, poet, columnist and a retired [[Sessions Court|sessions jurist]]. He wrote about sixty books in [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Urdu]], and in English languages on various subjects such as politics, [[literature]], history and on [[Sufism]]. In 1971, he wrote a novel titled ''Mujrim'', leading him to become the "first novelist of [[Literature of Kashmir|Kashmiri literature]]". The recipient of cultural and literary awards and accordion, including [[Sahitya Akademi Award]], he is also credited for translating the [[constitution of India]] into [[Kashmiri language]].<ref name="risingkashmir.com">{{Cite web|url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/writer-columnist-g-n-gowhar-passes-away-|title=Writer, columnist G N Gowhar passes away|website=Rising Kashmir|access-date=9 July 2020|archive-date=12 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712111941/http://risingkashmir.com/news/writer-columnist-g-n-gowhar-passes-away-|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kashmirwatch.com/kashmiri-language-gets-first-novel-of-its-kind/|title=Kashmiri language gets first novel of its kind|date=17 October 2012|access-date=9 July 2020|archive-date=9 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709105619/https://kashmirwatch.com/kashmiri-language-gets-first-novel-of-its-kind/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He also conducted extensively research on various subjects such as [[history of Kashmir]] and Sufi saints. He is also credited for deciphering the poetry (called Shruks) of [[Nund Rishi]]. He also documented [[Bijbehara Massacre]] and [[Charari Sharief operation]] in his two historical books titled ''The Central Stage of Kashmir Politics'' and ''Military operation in Kashmir: insurgency at Charar-e-Sharief''.

== Early life and education ==
He was born as Ghulam Nabi Muqeem to Haji Mohammed Akram Mukim in [[Charari Sharief]] town of Budgam district, [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir princely state]] of [[British Raj|British India]]. He received his initial schooling at his hometown, and graduated from [[Gandhi Memorial College, Srinagar]]. Later, he went to [[Uttar Pradesh]] and did his [[Bachelor of Laws]] from the [[Aligarh Muslim University]] (AMU). He [[Postgraduate education|postgraduated]] in [[Persian language]] from AMU.

Gowhar originally started his career in judicial. He started [[legal practice]] in [[Budgam]], and was then appointed as a [[judge]]. Prior to his appointment, he wanted to be a politician, however before participating in elections, he qualified the [[judicial]] examination and was appointed as a judge and retired as a Sessions Judge.<ref name="greaterkashmir.com"/> He, according to the ''[[Greater Kashmir]]'' wrote some judgements in the form of rhythmic poems, and sometimes used to deliver [[verdict]] on the pattern of poetry and stories.

== Literary career ==
He was also involved in [[writing]]s while serving as a judge. However, he became known to [[literary society]] around 1969 when his first novel titled ''Mujrim (The Guilty)'' was published. He later wrote numerous novels until he became the "first novelist of Kashmiri literature" with a first-ever Kashmiri language novel titled ''Arg-e-Ashud'', published in 2012 by the [[Adbee Markaz Kamraz]] (AMK), a literary organization of the [[States and union territories of India|union territory]]. In 1973, he wrote second novel titled ''Meoul (Union)'', and later ''Paap Ti Punye (Vice and Virtue)''. His third novel, which was awarded Sahitya Akademi award in 1988 was also broadcast on [[Radio Kashmir Jammu]]. He covered the [[history of Kashmir]] before [[Partition of India|partition]] in his another novel titled ''Gilnavith Kath (Torch Bearer)'', published by the Raider Publishing International, [[New York City|New York]].

Besides writing novels, he conducted extensive research about [[List of Sufi saints|Sufi saint]]s, including [[Nund Rishi]] and wrote research books titled ''Kalam e Sheikhul Alam'' and ''Saheef-e-Noor'' on the subject. He translated poetry of [[Muhammad Iqbal]] and [[Bankim Chandra Chatterjee]] into Kashmiri language.<ref name="greaterkashmir.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/g-n-gowhar-the-judge-who-delivered-verdict-in-poetry-stories/|title=G N Gowhar: The Judge who delivered verdict in poetry, stories|date=6 July 2018|website=Greater Kashmir}}</ref> He also edited the complete literary work of [[Ghulam Nabi Aariz]], the [[9th century]]'s Kashmiri poet.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&dq=Ghulam+Nabi+Aariz&pg=PA1466|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti|first=Amaresh|last=Datta|date=9 July 1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=9788126011940|via=Google Books}}</ref>

== Publications ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Key
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Book that have not yet been released}}
| Remarks denote a short description of the work where available.
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" width=100%
!scope="col" width=2%|#
!scope="col" width=25%| Title<ref name="greaterkashmir.com"/><ref name="risingkashmir.com"/>
!scope="col" | Year
!scope="col" | Type/Credited as
!scope="col" | Remarks
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |1||''Mujrim (The Guilty)''
||1969
||Novel
||The novel was awarded [[Sahitya Akademi Award]]
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |2||''Meoul (Union)''
||1973
||Novel
|{{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |3||''Paap ti Punye (Vice and Virtue)''
||1973
||Novel
||The novel was awarded [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Kashmiri|Sahitya Akademi Award, 1988]]
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |4||''Arg-e-Ashud''
||2012
||Novel
||First-ever novel written in [[Kashmiri language]]. It covers detailed account of [[history of Kashmir]] before and after 1947
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |5||''Taap Ti Kul''{{efn|also spelled '''Pun-Te-Pap''', it was written with multiple spellings by the news media}}
|{{n/a}}
||Novel
|{{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |6||''Gilnavith Kath (Torch Bearer)''
|{{n/a}}
||Novel
|{{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |7||''Kalam e Sheikhul Alam''
|{{n/a}}
||Book
||Translation of [[Nund Reshi]]'s poetry
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |8||''Saheef-e-Noor''
|{{n/a}}
||Book
||A detailed account of Nund Reshi
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |9||''The Central Stage of Kashmir Politics''
|{{n/a}}
||Book
||A detailed account [[Bijbehara Massacre]]
|-
! scope="row" align="left" |10||''Military operation in Kashmir: insurgency at Charar-e-Sharief''
|{{n/a}}
||Book
||A detailed account of Charari Sharief operation
|}

== Death ==
[[File:Durj-e-Gowhar.jpg|thumb|Durj-e-Gowhar - G.N. Gowhar's home and final resting place in Kralpora, Budgam, Jammu & Kashmir ]]
Gowhar was suffering from [[Kidney disease]] and died of [[Kidney failure]] on 19 June 2018 in [[Kralpora]] of Budgam district.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/j-k/archive/renowned-kashmiri-writer-ghulam-gowhar-dies-607841|title=Renowned Kashmiri writer Ghulam Gowhar dies|first=Tribune News|last=Service|website=Tribuneindia News Service}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kashmirlife.net/former-judge-ghulam-nabi-gowhar-passes-away-177894/|title=Former Judge Ghulam Nabi Gowhar passes away|date=19 June 2018}}</ref> His [[death anniversary]] is celebrated annually by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages]], a state-owned literary organization dedicated to promote [[regional language]]s and art and culture in the state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://brighterkashmir.com//news/gh-nabi-gowhar-remembered-on-his-2nd-death-annervarsay-|title=Gh Nabi Gowhar remembered on his 2nd death annervarsay.|website=Brighter Kashmir}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
===Notes===
{{notelist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gowhar, Ghulam Nabi}}

[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University alumni]]
[[Category:Kashmiri poets]]
[[Category:Urdu-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:English-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Kashmiri]]
[[Category:Kashmiri writers]]
[[Category:People from Budgam district]]

Ghulam Nabi Gowhar - Revision history

Jantapost at 17:17, 16 October 2025