A tribute event honouring Bapsi Sidhwa organized by her nephew, Mr. Isphanyar M. Bhandara (MNA) in Islamabad. The gathering brought together literary figures, intellectuals, and close friends to celebrate her life and contributions to literature.
In the welcome note by Isphanyar Bhandara, who shared personal memories of his aunt and reflected on her profound impact on Pakistani English literature.
The panel discussion featured distinguished speakers, including Ms. Perin Boga, former Kinnaird College; Senator Walid Iqbal, son of Justice Javed Iqbal and Nasira Iqbal, both friends of Sidhwa; Harris Khalique, poet and HRCP Secretary-General; and Dr. Arif Azad, writer and public policy expert.
Ms. Perin Boga delivered a pictorial presentation exploring Bapsi Sidhwa’s Lahore, illustrating the city’s influence on her writing through architectural imagery and references from FS Aijazuddin’s Forgotten Images and Ijaz Anwar’s paintings. Senator Walid Iqbal recounted how his father helped Sidhwa self-publish The Crow Eaters before its UK release, marking the start of her global literary recognition. Harris Khalique and Dr. Arif Azad highlighted key themes in her work—Partition, pluralism, women’s rights, and minority experiences—praising her storytelling’s depth and diversity.
The event also featured video tributes from Feroze Bhandara, Sidhwa’s younger brother, publisher Ameena Saiyid, literary critic Muneeza Shamsie, and filmmaker Sadia Uqaili. A six-minute segment from Bapsi, a documentary on her life, offered glimpses into her later years in Houston, Texas.The tribute concluded with heartfelt acknowledgments of Bapsi Sidhwa’s enduring legacy, ensuring her impact on literature lives on for future generations.
