Born in 1936, Najm Hosain Syed is the preeminent poet and writer of Punjabi in Pakistan. He has written and composed poetry, authored plays as well as literary criticism on Punjabi literature. A pioneer of modernist Punjabi literature and an iconoclastic contemplator of folk history and consciousness, Syed’s major works include “Deewa Mundri,” “Khappay,” “Chandan Rukh Tay Vehda,” and “Takht-e- Lahore.” Syed was core to the 1960’s revivalist movement of Punjabi literature, and his works have been cited as essential to the historical reclamation of Punjabi literary culture.