Maati Public Trust Marks Rahi Masoom Raza Birth Centenary at Delhi's PHD House
The Maati Public Trust launched a year-long celebration to mark the birth centenary of renowned screenwriter, lyricist, and author Rahi Masoom Raza at PHD House in Delhi on August 1. The commemorative evening brought together artists, jurists, and literary figures from diverse fields in a gathering styled like a mehfil.
Keynote speaker and filmmaker Muzaffar Ali set the tone for the event by reciting verses from Raza’s ghazals and displaying a book gifted to him by the late writer. The gathering celebrated Raza’s multifaceted contributions to literature, music, and Indian cinema, with contemporaries and disciples recounting anecdotes from his life and creative career.
Former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) Vineet Saran addressed the audience, highlighting Raza’s wide-reaching impact. Saran observed that while Raza's literature was recognized across multiple art forms, his work on the dialogues for B.R. Chopra’s television adaptation of Mahabharat made his name familiar to households across the country, adding that no one could write quite like him.
Author and poet Mamta Kalia spoke on Raza's literary legacy and his focus on marginalized experiences. She noted that Raza gave dignity to the ordinary man, pointing to his novels Aadha Gaon and Os Ki Boond as works that captured the emotional and human pain often omitted from conventional history books.
The evening also featured musical tributes, with Noopur Sidhu Narayan performing renditions of Raza’s compositions, including Chand Akela Jaye Sakhi Ri and Aai Ritu Sawan Ki.
Other prominent personalities attending the centenary event included former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) Sudhanshu Dhulia, classical dance exponent Sonal Mansingh, Asif Azmi, Rehman Munsawwir, Atul Thakur, and K.G. Suresh.
