Software on Shah’s poetry launched

Report By: Dawn News Paper http://dawn.com/2005/12/30/nat49.htm

KARACHI, Dec 29: Two young sisters — Nusrat Khowaja and Naveed Khowaja — have designed and developed first ever illustrated software on Shah Latif’s poetry. The software provides a single platform for reading and translation of Shah’s magnum opus into Sindhi, Urdu, Punjabi and English.

Designed, developed and illustrated with a meticulous care, the software enables every one to read and understand Shah’s poetry accurately.
“We proudly say that no one before us introduced Shah’s poetry in this way” Nusrat and Naveed Khowaja told recently held convention of the Sindhi Association of North America in Karachi.

They said they completed the task in two years aiming to spread Shah’s message of brotherhood in the world through technology.

In their presentation, given with the help of a projector, they said the software consist verses with illustrations, verses with voice-over by Gul Mohammad Khowaja, background vais in four languages i.e. Sindhi, Urdu, Punjabi and English and translation of each verse in a prose form.

The highly developed feature of the software is talking dictionary for each verse.

                                          Bhitai's poetry on CD launched at SHAH JO MELO

Two Sindhi sisters (Nusrat Khowaja and Naveed Khowaja) have prepared a CD of poetry of Shah Latif. The CD has most of the collection of Bhitai' poetry and famous songs sung by several Sindhi singers, including Alan Faqir and Mohd Yousif. CD's title name is 'Shan-e-Sindh'.
The CD was launched at the program of 'SHAH JO MELO", held here in Karachi at Szabist, Clifton office.
The intelligent and committed Sindhi Chokiryan(girls) presented the demonstration of the their CD before the audience during the Program.

Dr. Allana, Dr. Fahmida Hussain, Director Shah Latif Chair, University of Karachi, Advocate Nuruddin Sarki and Dr. Suleman Sheikh appreciated their efforts.

Two sisters (of a Sindhi Khowaja family) told to audience that they have prepared this software in two  years. CD contains translation of Shah's poetry in English, Urdu and Pubjabi. Biography of Shah Latif, paintings of historical characters of Bhitai's poetry. They told to audience that this CD is especially designed for youth and students who could now have Latif on their computers.

It was very impressive and outstanding work. One could not live to appreciate the years long hard work of these two sindhi Marvis of Sindh, who devoted two years of their life for the work on Bhitai.

Many of the participants rushed to buy the CDs but we were told that CD has not been released yet since there is financer for bringing it to market. It was bit disappointing the Secretary Culture, Govt of Sindh was present, Director of Shah Latif Chair was present, but non announce the bringing the CD in market. One would hope that the kind of keen interest shown by Dr. Fahmida Hussain, and Secretary Culture, would finance the release of CDs. I hope many Sindhi organizations and individuals who run their websites, will purchase this work and bring it online. After all Bhitai's is our identity. No Sindhi scholar or writer has written yet so world class books on Bhitai as Late Dr. H. T. Sourley wrote.

We, the audience, heartily welcomed their rare and exceptional efforts, by warm clapping.

One really felt proud of these Sindhi girls, whose faces were shining when they received such a warm welcome from lovers of Bhitai. Now its time to materialize this real work by bring in the market.