Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi

Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi (born Ahmad Shah Awan; 20 November 1916 – 10 July 2006) was a Pakistani Urdu language poet, journalist, literary critic, dramatist and short story author.

A major figure in contemporary Urdu literature, he wrote 50 books on poetry, fiction, literary criticism, journalism and art. His poetry was distinguished by its humanism, and his Urdu afsana (short story) work is considered by some second only to Munshi Premchand in its depiction of rural culture. He was also the editor and publisher of the literary magazine Funoon for almost half a century. He received awards such as the Pride of Performance (1968) and Sitara-e-Imtiaz (1980) for his literary work.

Gulzar, one of the most influential writers in modern India, called him his mentor and guru.