Jahanara Imam Biography 4-4-2012

 

  Jahanara Imam was a writer who was born in May 3rd, 1929 to a progressive muslim family in Murshidabad from West Bengal, British India.  She was the eldest daughter in the family.  They were three brother's and four sister's.  Her father's name was Syed Abdul.  He was a civil servent in the bengal service.  Jahanara Imam lived in many part of Bengal.  Where ever her father was posted.  Hamida Ali was her mother.  Who spent her intire life looking after her family, and bring up her children.  Also had high ambitions for her daughter.  In 1945 after finishing from Carmicheal College in Rangpur Jahanara went to Lady Brabourne College of Calcutta Unirversity.  In 1947 she obtained her bachelor degree.  Shariful Alam Imam Ahmed was the husband of Jahanara, and they got married in 1948.  He was a civil engineer.  She met him in Rangpur while she was studying at Carmicheal College.  Rumi and Jami were the children of Jaharana.  In 1960 she quite her job as a head mistress to concentrate on bringing up her two sons.  When her son Shafi Imam Rumi turned age 19.  He joined the Freedom Fighter.  Jahanara felt anxious about her son.  During the nine months of war.  She wrote a dairy, datailing personal events as well as her own feelings about the struggle.  Then, later it became one of the most publication's about the War Of Liberation.  Rumi got killed by Pakistan army.  Jahanara's husband and her younge son Jami along with other members of the family were picked.  Her husband Sharif Imam returned to the home.  He died after three days before Bangladesh became free on 16th December 1971.  Jahanara's Dairy was respected as the Dairy Of  Anne Frank. 
  One time she was diagnosed by mouth cancer.  It was on 1981, and she passed away on 26th June 1994 in Detroit, U.S.A.  She was barried in Dhaka, and many people attended her funeral.

Author Shadan B. Zahedi April, 4, 2012
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                                                                                 Photo from 1957


                                                                                        Photo from 1960

Literary works

• Anya Jiban (1985) (Other life)
• Ekattorer Dingulee (1986) (The days of 1971)
• Jiban Mrityu (1988) (Life and death)
• Buker Bhitare Agun (1990) (Fire in my heart)
• Nataker Abasan (1990) (End of drama)
• Dui Meru (1990) (Two poles)
• Cancer-er Sange Bosobas (1991) (Living with cancer)
• Prabaser Dinalipi (1992) (Life abroad)
• Early in her career, Jahanara Imam also translated several books from English into Bengali, including some of the popular "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.