Symposium for Bapsi Sidhwa

Waseem Anwar 

Held on November 15, 2025, at Al-Hamra Arts Council Lahore, this was the first-ever event that Kinnaird International Centre for Pakistani Writing in English (ICPWE) had arranged in collaboration with the Lahore Al-Hamra Arts Council.

While the purpose of any symposium is meant for convivial discussions, ever since Greek times, this particular one was to revive the festivity of academic learning in the light of scholastic enlightenment that literature offers, to forward a message regarding Pakistani and South Asian history of art and literature for communal continuity and for posterity, and to remember Bapsi Sidhwa.

Bapsi Sidhwa, a Pakistani-Parsi voice, introduced Pakistani anglophonic fiction-writing worldwide—even her personal constraints like polio could not defeat her determination. Her works open judicious avenues for the local, regional, and global diversities since partition, be it through The Crow Eaters (1978), The Pakistani Bride (1982), Ice Candy Man/ Cracking India (1988–1991, 1992), An American Brat (1991), her volume Beloved City (2005), or The Water (2006). 

Wherever in the world Sidhwa could sojourn, her home remained Lahore and Kinnaird.  This is manifested through her sense of humour, a sign of her true Lahori self. She was a ‘Pakka Lahori’ of Waris Road, a quintessentially glowing star among the saints of her ‘Beloved City’, an unforgettable Kinnaird alumna, a recipient of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, an intellectual from a minority faith, a multicultural thinker, a hero and above all, a polite, humble, bright, and beautiful person.

Celebrating Sidhwa means celebrating the border-free friendships that kindle light and steer love around the world.  Because ICPWE at Kinnaird paves ways for tradition and talent to stay together, the symposium celebrated generational fusion, highlighting Sidhwa as a guiding-star for future Pakistani literati who want to express creatively in English. 

Some photographs from the event are below; please use the slider to view the photos.

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Waseem Anwar is Professor of English and Director ICPWE (International Centre for Pakistani Writing in English, https://www.kinnaird.edu.pk/icpwe/ ) at Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore.  He has been at FCC and GC universities in the capacity of Dean (Humanities) and Chair (English).  Recipient of the Fulbright award twice, for doctoral studies in 1995 and as Visiting Scholar in 2007, Dr. Anwar served as the President of the Pak-US Alumni Network (PUAN) and Fulbright Alumni Association.  A Gale Group American Scholar, he also received the Punjab Education Department Salam Teacher Award – 2004 and Pakistan Higher Education Commission Best Teacher Award – 2003.  He is a Lifetime Member of the South Asian Literary Association (SALA), USA, and has been on its Executive Committee for three times.  Apart from being on the Advisory and Editorial Boards of several renowned research journals, and publishing scores of articles, his credit includes books, “Black” Women’s Dramatic Discourse (2009), the South Asian Review (SAR 2010—special issue on Pakistani creative writing in English), and very lately Transcultural Humanities in South Asia (Routledge UK, 2022,  https://www.routledge.com/Transcultural-Humanities-in-South-Asia-Critical-Essays-on-Literature-and/Anwar/p/book/9780367483715 ).  He is also the founding Editor in Chief of the journal of English studies, JELLS at FCC university.