Rauf Parekh

Rauf Parekh is an Urdu lexicographer, linguist, humorist and a Pakistani newspaper columnist. ^{[1] [2]}

Early life and career

Born in Karachi on August 26, 1958, Parekh was educated in Karachi. Having obtained MA and PhD degrees in Urdu from the University of Karachi, he worked for the Urdu Lughat Board or Urdu Dictionary Board, Karachi, as Chief Editor from 2003 to 2007. ^{[3] [2]}

Farman Fatehpuri, president of the Urdu Lughat Board, said in an interview, "The Urdu Lughat Board plans to publish 22 volumes containing 300,000 words, give or take a few hundred words." He praised Rauf Parekh for bringing out two volumes of the Urdu Lughat (Urdu Dictionary) in two years. ^[2]

Urdu Dictionary Board or Urdu Lughat Board began its work in 1958, the first volume of the Urdu Lughat (Urdu Dictionary) came out in 1967. ^[2]

In 2017, Rauf Parekh taught Urdu at the University of Karachi and wrote a weekly literary column in Dawn newspaper. In addition to writing research articles, humorous essays and critical writings, he has authored over 20 books. Rauf Parekh was appointed director general of National Language Promotion Department, Islamabad, in December 2020. He also writes columns in English for the Pakistani newspapers Daily Times and Dawn newspaper. ^{[3] [4]}

Bibliography

Some of his books are:

• Urdu Lughat (vol. 19, 20, 21) (Urdu Dictionary) ^[1]
• Awwaleen Urdu Slang Lughat
• Urdu Lughat Navisi (Writing Dictionary in Urdu)
• The Oxford Urdu-English Dictionary
• Asri Adab Aur Samaji Rujhanaat
• Allama Iqbal by Atiya Begum

Awards and recognition

• Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 2018 ^[5]

References

1. Arshad Shaheen (17 July 2010). "Urdu experts have the last word (including Rauf Parekh)". The Express Tribune newspaper. Archived from the original on 25 December 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
2. "KARACHI: 20th volume of Urdu Dictionary published". Dawn newspaper. 6 July 2005. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
3. "NLPD (National Language Promotion Department) head appointed (Rauf Parekh appointed as Director General)". Dawn newspaper. 22 December 2020. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
4. "Works from literary giants". Daily Times newspaper. 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
5. "President Mamnoon confers civil awards on Yaum-i-Pakistan (Pakistan Day)". Dawn newspaper. 23 March 2018. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2025.

External links

• A literary column written by Rauf Parekh in Dawn newspaper