Muhammad Mansha Yaad ( ur, محمد منشا یاد؛ pnb, محمد منشا یاد) was a writer and playwright from

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

, Pakistan. He received the Pride of Performance award in 2005 from the Government of Pakistan.Muhammad Mansha Yaad's Pride of Performance Award announcement on 14 August 2004, to be actually received on 23 March 2005
Dawn (newspaper), Published 14 August 2004, Retrieved 31 July 2017 He has won many other awards from organizations in various countries which are also listed in this article. His first short story appeared in 1955 and his first collection of stories was published in 1975. He contributed Urdu and Punjabi stories to many literary magazines. He has published ten collections of short stories, including one in Punjabi, along with a novel in Punjabi, ''Tanwan Tanwan Tara'', and many television series and plays.
Published 30 September 2010, Retrieved 29 July 2017

Personal life and education

Muhammad Mansha Yaad was born on 5 September 1937 in Thattha Nishtran, a village about 18 kilometer from Farooqabad. He studied in village ''Gajyana Nau'' up to 5th grade and completed his matriculation examination from

Hafizabad Hafizabad (Urdu and pa, ) is a city and capital of Hafizabad District located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 31st largest city of Pakistan. It is also a Tehsil. Ancient history Hafizabad is an old city in Punjab, Pakistan. In 327 BC, duri ...

and earned a diploma in engineering from Rasul College in 1955. He passed examinations of Fazil-e-Urdu in 1964, gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965, Masters in Urdu in 1967 and Master in Punjabi in 1972 from University of the Punjab.Story writer Mansha Yaad dies at 74, Dawn (newspaper)
Published 15 October 2011, Retrieved 29 July 2017 He was married in Lahore to his cousin ''Farhat Nasim Akhtar'' in 1960. He had one daughter and three sons.Obituary: Great storyteller Mansha Yaad passes away
The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 16 October 2011, Retrieved 29 July 2017 Yaad joined the ''Pakistan Government Service'' in 1958 in ''PWD Rehabilitation'' in

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...

and Murree for about two years (1958–1960) as a Sub-Engineer, and in 1960, he joined Federal Capital Commission which was later converted into

Capital Development Authority A Capital Development Authority is a special sort of entity found in various countries that is concerned with the municipal development of the capital city or capital territory of that country. Examples include: *Capital Development Authority (Isla ...

(CDA),

Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...

, as Sub-Engineer and then served as an Assistant Engineer, Executive Engineer, Public Relations Officer & Chief Complaints Officer over time and retired as Deputy Director in 1997.

Death and legacy

Mansha Yaad's mother used to tell young Mansha Punjabi folk songs, tales and popular stories. Dawn (newspaper) in its article on Mansha Yaad remarked, "Such upbringing turned an engineer into a short story writer who emerged as a good quality writer in the subcontinent." After his retirement, he lived in

at his residence known as Afsana Manzil ( or "Fiction Destination") and devoted his time to literature and literary events. He died of a heart attack on 15 October 2011 in Islamabad.

Pen name

As a youngster he had a keen interest in poetry and, after considering several pen names, chose "Yaad". His work responsibilities allowed him little time to stay involved in writing and he slowly drifted him apart from poetry. Yet he kept the pen name hoping eventually to return to poetry. As he says: "Didn’t know when smoke may start rising from the poem kiln again".

Works

Short stories

"Band Muthi Main Jugnoo" () ("Glow-worms in a closed-Fist"), "Maas aur Mitti" () "Khala Andar Khala" () ("Void within Void"). "Waqt Samunder" "Wagda Panni (Punjabi Shah Mukhi & Gur Mukhi)" "Darakhat Aadmi" "Door Ki Awaaz" "Tamaasha" "Kwawab Saraay" "Ik Kankar Thairey Paani Mein"

Novels

''Raahain'' (Urdu Novel) ''Taanwan Taanwa Taara'' (Noval Punjabi Shah Mukhi & Gur Mukhi )

Writing for television

''Raahain'' was a serial drama by PTV

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

centre in 1999. It was based on the Punjabi novel "Tanwa Tanwa Tara" by Yaad. The drama focuses on different societal issue of people both living in urban and rural areas such as the value of education, culture and justice.

Literary activities

In 1972, Yaad founded ''Halqa Arbab e Zauq'', Islamabad, the first prominent literary organization in the capital city. In Islamabad, he also founded some other literary organizations such as Likhnay Walon Ki Anjuman, Rabta, Bazame Kitab and Fiction Forum, which enriched the newly built city literarily and culturally.

Translations

Children and Gunpowder

Awards and recognition

* Baba Farid Adabi Award for ''Best Novel Writer'' (2006) * ''Life Time Achievement Award'' at 12th International Punjabi Conference (2005) * Pride of Performance Award for Novel and Short Story writing, by the

Pakistan Government The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territories ...

(2005) * ''Life Time Achievement Award'' by Writers Forum,

(2004) * Punjabi Adabi Culture Sangat Award (2004) * Awarded by ''Punjabi Likhari Forum'', United Kingdom for his Literary Work (2004) * ''Exceptional Performance Award'' by Sadai Adab International (DFW Metroplex UK 2004)