Huma Anwar

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Huma Anwar
Native name
ہما انور
Born
Lahore, Pakistan
OccupationTranslator, Editor
LanguageUrdu
NationalityPakistani
CitizenshipPakistan Pakistan
EducationM.Sc. (Statistics)
Alma materKinnaird College for Women, University of the Punjab
GenreLiterary translation
Notable worksMy Name is Red (Surkh Mera Naam), The Forty Rules of Love (Chalees Charagh Ishq Ke)
Notable awardsUBL Literary Excellence Award (Best Translation, 2015); Pakistan Academy of Letters Award (Best Translation, 2017)
Website
Goodreads

Huma Anwar (Urdu: ہما انور) is a Pakistani translator and editor recognized for her distinguished Urdu translations of world literature.[1] Her translations include works from Turkish, Brazilian, Canadian, English, and Japanese literature. She is recognized among those translators who introduced global literary masterpieces to Urdu readers with cultural sensitivity, stylistic precision, and idiomatic fluency. She has also served as editor for several acclaimed books on history, politics, fiction, and non-fiction.

Early life and education

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Huma Anwar was born in Lahore, Pakistan. She received her early education in Lahore and graduated in General Science from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore. She earned her M.Sc. degree in statistics from the University of the Punjab, Lahore. Alongside her studies, she developed a deep interest in literature, linguistics, and translation — interests that shaped her later career as a distinguished translator and editor.

Career and notable translations

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Huma Anwar began her literary career as a translator and editor and has worked with several publishing houses. Known for her linguistic grace and cultural sensitivity, Huma's translations preserve the literary tone and spirit of the original texts. She has translated works by internationally renowned authors into Urdu, including:

  • Flight of the Falcon (Shaheen ki Parwaz), by Sajad Haider [2]
  • Future of Pakistan (Pakistan ka Mustaqbil), by Stephen P. Cohen
  • In Search of Solution (Maqsad-e-Siyasat) (Biography of Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo)
  • Ataturk: The Rebirth of a Nation (Ataturk: Qaum aur Jumhooria ka Zahoor), by Patrick Kinross [3] [4]
  • The Lost Word (Griftar Lafzon ki Rihai), by Oya Baydar [5] [6]
  • Summer's End (Anjaam e Baharaan), by Adalet Ağaoğlu [7]
  • Curfew: A Novel (Curfew), by Adalet Ağaoğlu [8]
  • Kamikaze Diary (Kamikaze Diary), by Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney
  • Honour (Namoos), by Elif Shafak — *shortlisted for 5th UBL Literary Excellence Award (2015)* [9]
  • My Name is Red (Surkh Mera Naam), by Orhan Pamuk — *winner of 5th UBL Literary Excellence Award (2015)* [10] [11]
  • The Land (Torres novel)/Essa Terra (Sarzameen), by Antônio Torres
  • Cat Letters (Jilawatan Billiyan), by Oya Baydar
  • Young Dog, Old Wolf/O Cachorro e o Lobo (Ujray Diar), by Antônio Torres — *shortlisted for 6th UBL Literary Excellence Award (2016)* ISBN 9789696520214 [12]
  • Life of Pi (Jeevan Pi Ka), by Yann Martel [13]
  • The Sultan of Byzantium (Byzanteeni Sultan), by Selçuk Altun [14]
  • The Forty Rules of Love (Chalees Charagh Ishq Ke), by Elif Shafak — *winner of Pakistan Academy of Letters Award (2017)* [15]
  • Snow (Pamuk novel) (Jahan Baraf Rehti Hai), by Orhan Pamuk [16]
  • Madonna in a Fur Coat (Madonna), by Sabahattin Ali
  • The Museum of Innocence (Khana-e-Masumiyet), by Orhan Pamuk
  • The Thing – a novel on the life of Omar Khayyam, (Shey) by Sadık Yalsızuçanlar ISBN 9789696521891 [17]
  • The Runaways (Mafroor), by Fatima Bhutto [18]
  • The Gate of Judas Tree (Baab-e-Erghuvan), by Oya Baydar [19]
  • The Tamarind Tree (Imli ka Ped), by Sundara Ramaswamy [20]

Awards and recognition

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Literary style

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Huma Anwar's translations are characterized by linguistic elegance, fidelity to the cultural context of the original text, and aesthetic precision in Urdu rendering. Her work reflects emotional balance, conceptual depth, and a refined sense of language, making her one of the most respected literary translators in Pakistan. She has also served as editor for several acclaimed books on history, politics, fiction, and non-fiction.

Online presence

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References

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  1. ^ "ہما انور, Author at ہم سب". 4 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Flight of the Falcon".
  3. ^ "Aitzaz Ahsan at the Book Launch ceremony of "Ataturk, Qaum aur Jumhooria ka Zahoor"". YouTube. 31 August 2019.
  4. ^ https://www.amazon.com/Ataturk-Qoum-Aur-Jumhooria-Zahoor-Urdu/dp/9699739584
  5. ^ https://lubpak.net/archives/316010/[dead link]
  6. ^ "Giriftar Lafzon Ki Rahai - Jumhoori Publications".
  7. ^ "تلاش بہاراں سے انجام بہاراں تک". Almas Urdu Research Journal - الماس اردو تحقیقی مجلہ. 20 (1): 77. June 2018. Archived from the original on 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  8. ^ "Huma Anwar Archives - Jumhoori Publications".
  9. ^ "Namoos - Jumhoori Publications".
  10. ^ "میں سرخ ہوں | Express News". 29 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Surkh Mera Naam - Jumhoori Publications".
  12. ^ "Ujray Diyar - Jumhoori Publications".
  13. ^ https://www.amazon.in/Jeewan-Pi-Urdu-Yann-Martel/dp/9696520441/
  14. ^ "Byzanteeni Sultan - Jumhoori Publications".
  15. ^ "Chalees Charagh Ishq Ke - Jumhoori Publications".
  16. ^ "اورحان پامک منزل ہے، باقی سب راستہ ہے". 31 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Shey - Jumhoori Publications".
  18. ^ "Mafroor - Jumhoori Publications".
  19. ^ "Baab e Erghuvan - Jumhoori Publications".
  20. ^ https://jumhooripublications.com/translator/huma-anwar
  21. ^ "National Literary Awards" (PDF). Pakistan Academy of Letters. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  22. ^ "UBL holds the 5th UBL Literary Excellence Awards in Karachi" (PDF). United Bank Ltd. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  23. ^ "UBL Literary Excellence Awards held". 8 February 2016.
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