ALIGARH, October 14: Creating a platform for women to express themselves through literature and engage with established writers, Women’s College, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), launched the Women Writers’ Forum on October 13, bringing together authors, academics and students for an inaugural literary programme and creative writing workshops.
The forum aims to nurture students’ writing abilities, encourage engagement with diverse perspectives and provide a supportive space for emerging voices. Principal Prof. Shagufta Imtiaz welcomed the initiative, underlining the importance of language and literature, while Professor Nazia Hasan outlined the forum’s vision of building a vibrant literary community.
The inaugural programme featured author and independent journalist Zehra Naqvi and poet and Urdu scholar Dr. Moid Rasheedi, who shared their perspectives on literature as a means of exploring human experiences and engaging with society. Ms. Naqvi, whose work addresses gender, literature, religion and politics, is the author of The Reluctant Mother: A Story No One Wants to Tell. Dr. Rasheedi spoke about poetry and literary scholarship, highlighting the creative possibilities of the written word.
The event also marked the launch of Dr. Nazish Begum’s book, Kathya-Vinyas Se Shilp-Saundarya Tak: Kahani Pravah Ka Samikshatmak Paathh, a critical study of the literary craft and aesthetic dimensions of Kahani Pravah. Student poetry recitations in different languages reflected the multilingual orientation of the forum.
The creative writing workshop that followed offered students practical insights into the craft of writing. In a session titled “Modes of Seeing: The Writer as Observer and Explorer”, Ms. Naqvi discussed ways to develop writing skills and navigate the process of publishing a book, encouraging participants to approach writing as an exploration of the unfamiliar.
Dr. Rasheedi’s session examined the role of imagination in creative writing and the importance of originality, including in the context of the growing use of artificial intelligence in creative work. The discussions encouraged students to develop their individual voices and engage critically with emerging challenges in literature.
The programme was compered by Maliha Iqbal, Forum Secretary, and Samiya Akram, Forum Joint Secretary. Dr. Humaira M. Afridi proposed the vote of thanks.