(1924-2015)
Ada Jafri was a Pakistani poet who is regarded as the first major female Urdu poet to be published and has been called “The First Lady of Urdu Poetry”. She was also an author and was considered a prominent figure in contemporary Urdu literature. She received awards from the Government of Pakistan, the Pakistan Writers’ Guild, and literary societies of North America and Europe in recognition of her efforts. Ada Jafri was part of a traditionally conservative society where women were not allowed to think and express independently. Despite having traditions ingrained in her personality, she took part in modern art. As early as 1950, she was recognized as the First Lady of Urdu Poetry. She is recepient of various awards including Adamjee Literary Award in 1967, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) in 1981 and the Pride of Performance Award in 2003.