M. Athar Tahir is a Lahore-based English language poet and a retired civil servant. Thrice the recipient of the Patras Bokhari Award, the highest National Prize for Literature in English, he is a poet, essayist, short story writer, translator and scholar of Punjabi texts, as well as a calligrapher-artist, and art critic and art historian, Tahir has published over twenty books, including several volumes of poetry and essays, such as A Certain Season and Body Loom.
M. Athar Tahir, an acclaimed author known for his deep insights into history and culture, brings his expertise to life in his latest work. With a career spanning decades, Athar Tahir has established himself as a meticulous researcher and a gifted storyteller. His passion for unraveling the mysteries of the past shines through in every page of his writing, whether exploring lost civilizations or delving into the intricacies of ancient texts. Tahir's ability to blend scholarly rigor with engaging narrative ensures that each reader embarks on a journey of discovery, uncovering new perspectives and gaining a deeper appreciation for the complexities of our world.
Last Friday this scribe visited the Quaid-i-Azam Library in Lahore, only to learn that the launch of M Athar Tahir’s book, Second Coming, had been rescheduled. The book launch was moderated by the soft-spoken Oxonian Shezae Khan who was brief and to the point. The speakers too had come prepared, and must have browsed through the 190-page book. Somehow there was no repetition or overlapping as each speaker had their own points of focus.
Being one of the most valuable writers in Pakistan
“Like him, Athar Tahir’s poetry is neat and clean, suave and subtle. Gained by mastery over inner turmoil and tension. Man and poet. East-West centrist, deep-rooted, many-voiced, another and the same, his perceptions have weight and authority. Perspectivistic, his poems are exploratory of new directions, of other seasons, of diverse dimensions.”
He has been awarded the Tamgha-i Imtiaz (1998) and the Sitara-i Imtiaz (2009) for his works. Being one of the most valuable writers in Pakistan today, Tahir has always advocated the importance of rootedness and versatility of style. He is the Founder-Director of the International Centre for Pakistani Writing in English (ICPWE) at the Kinnaird College, Lahore.