Javed Akhtar, Prasoon Joshi in Shankar-Shad Mushaira list

New Delhi: Popular lyricists Javed Akhtar and Prasoon Joshi are among the poets invited for the 55th edition of the Shankar-Shad Mushaira, an event that celebrates Urdu poetry.

The annual Mushaira is held in memory of Shankar Lall and Lala Murli Dhar, who are known for their contribution to the social, educational and cultural life of New Delhi as patrons of Urdu poetry.

The February 24 event, organised by the Shankar Lall Murli Dhar Memorial Society and DCM Shriram Industries Limited, will also feature poets Waseem Barelvi, Sheen Kaaf Nizam, Azhar Iqbal, Nomaan Shauque, Nusrat Mehdi and Minu Bakshi among others.

Initiated in 1954, this annual Mushaira has evolved into a premier platform for renowned poets from India. Over the past decade, the event has overcome geopolitical challenges, welcoming the participation of poets from Pakistan and abroad.

"Urdu belongs to Delhi, ye Dilli ki khadi boli thi, it was the language of the royal courts of Delhi. Our family has been a part of Delhi for over 100 years. That's why we have a close association with Urdu," said Madhav B Shriram, chairman of the Shankar Lall Murli Dhar Society and director of DCM Shriram Industries Limited.

"Ahmed Faraz Saab once told me that a city is not just made of bricks and mortar, it is the people, the culture, the arts, the heritage that make a city. And Delhi is a reflection of this sentiment," he added.

The event will be held at Modern School, Barakhamba Road here.