[Note by Editor, Literary Activism: Tausif Alam’s four-line ghazal came to the attention of people in Calcutta when he recited it during the Eid celebrations in May this year. It was quoted in a report in the Telegraph by Arkamoy Datta Majumdar. It has been translated into English below by the editor.]

yun to humne kayi ghazal, kayi kahaani likh diya

watan ke naam humne apni zindagaani likh diya

aur jab logon ne poochha humse pehchaan hamaari

humne uthaya kalam aur Hindustani likh diya

Many ghazals and many stories I’ve written.

For my homeland’s sake my life’s story I have written.

And when people asked me who I am and where I come from,

I’ve picked up my pen and, ‘Indian’, I’ve written.

[Tausif Alam was born in Saugarpatti in the Cossipore area of North Calcutta in 1997. He is a graduate of Surendranath Evening College. He began working in Kuwait recently. He writes ghazals and poetry in Urdu. Courtesy: Literary Activism, a website started by Amit Chaudhuri, that is interested in the place of creative (whatever the genre or art-form) and critical practice today.]