Deepak Budki's Profile: (English); Urdu Short Story Writer & Critic

Deepak Budki's Profile: (English) 

Urdu Short Story Writer & Critic 

Deepak Budki is a retired Indian Postal Service Officer (Retired in 2010 as Member Planning, Postal Services Board, New Delhi). He served in Army Postal Service Corps for 9 years on deputation attaining the rank of Lt Col. With basic education as M Sc (Botany) and B Ed, he graduated from National Defence College, New Delhi, India (ndc) as also became an Associate of Insurance Institute of India, Mumbai during his service career. His interests are Literature, Art and Painting, Cartooning, and Gardening besides Cricket. 

Being a renowned Urdu short-story writer, Budki's short stories numbering more than 150 besides 60 critical essays and 250 book reviews have been published in reputed magazines and newspapers all over the Urdu world. Many of the short stories stand translated into other languages like Hindi, English, Marathi, Telugu, Gojri and Kashmiri. He started writing short stories in 1970 when his first short story 'Salma' was published in Daily Hamdard, Srinagar, Kashmir. One of his short stories 'Reyzey' was televised by Door Darshan Srinagar in 1974. After joining Indian Postal service he gave up writing for almost 20 long years but 1996 saw the rebirth of the writer. Ever since his pen has been very active.

Deepak Budki has to his credit 8 collections of  Short Stories in Urdu viz  Adhoore Chehre, Chinar Ke Panje, Zebra Crossing par Khara Aadmi,  Reza Reza  Hayat, Ruh Ka Karab, Muthi Bhar Rait (Afsanche), Ab Main Wahan Nahi Rehta, Jadon Ki Talaash and Yeh Kaisa Rishta(Afsanche) ادھورے چہرے ، چنار کی پنجے ، زیبرا کراسنگ پر کھڑا آدمی ، ریزہ ریزہ حیات، روح کا کرب، مٹھی بھر ریت ، اب میں وہاں نہیں رہتا ، جڑوں کی تلاش،اور  یہ کیسا رشتہ  besides 8 Collections of Critical Essays and Book Reviews viz  Asri Tehreerein, Asri Shaoor, Asri Taqaze, Asri Tanazur, Asri Naqoosh, Adbi Mubahise, Jammu wa Kashmir Ka Asri Adab and Asri Zaviye  عصری تحریریں ، عصری شعور ، عصری تقاضے ، عصری تناظر ، عصری نقوش ، ادبی مباحثے ، جموں و کشمیر کا عصری ادب اور عصری زاوئیے. In addition, he has written two well-researched books Urdu Ke Ghair Muslim Afsana Nigar and Krishan Chander-Meri Nazar Mein ( اردو کے غیر مسلم افسانہ نگار اور کڑشن چندر -میری نظر میں ) and an Autobiography titled Lauhe Hayat (لوح حیات ). Two of his books, Adhoore Chehre and Chinar Ke Panje (अधूरे चेहरे, चिनार के पंजे ) have also been published in Hindi. As many as four Urdu magazines, Shair Monthly Mumbai, Intesaab Quarterly Sironj, Asbaque quarterly Pune and Almi Meeras, Pune brought out special supplements (Goshas) on the author while Intesaab Sironj issued a special number. The author's short stories received rave reviews from leading luminaries such as Qateel Shifai, Warris Alvi, Balraj Komal, Qamar Rais, Anwar Sadeed, Harcharan Chawla,Sultana Mehar etc. The deftness and the artistry with which Budki weaves his short stories has been much appreciated. His stories paint the agony of humanity and make the reader sit back and ponder over where humanity has gone wrong. In a rare compliment, Prof Qamar Rais writes;

The short stories create a unique and individualistic impression which is not seen in other contemporary writers. Whether it is Amma', 'Mange ka Ujala' or 'Chinar Ke Panje', every story has something to think and ponder about."

In 2006 Deepak Budki sprang up a surprise by coming out with a book on Critical Essays and Book Reviews titled 'Asri Tehreerein'. The book makes a critical study of works of Manak Tala, Gulzar, Dr. Brij Premi and Veerinder Patwari besides more than fifty reviews on books of contemporary writers. About his critical essays famous prose writer, Kaiser Tamkeen of Britain describes "Budki's work on Manak Tala to be as good as a dissertation which could have earned him a PhD degree". The book was followed by seven more books of Critical Essays and Book Reviews.

Recently the author came out with two well-researched books Urdu Ke Ghair Muslim Afsana Nigar which briefly encompasses the contribution of Non-Muslim short-story writers in Urdu and Krishan Chander-Meri Nazar mein. Besides this the author has also published his autobiography, Lauhe Hayat.

Four students  successfully submitted dissertations on Budki's works for their M Phil  degree while one student successfully submitted her thesis for her PhD degree as under:

1. Deepak Budki ki Afsana Nigari by Javed Iqbal Shah submitted for M Phil degree to Jammu University 
2. Deepak Budki ke Afsanon mein Niswani Kirdar by Mohammed Amin Najar submitted for M Phil degree to School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad, Telangana. 
3. Deepak Budki Ki Afsana Nigari-Ruh Ka Karb aur Reza Reza Hayat Ke Hawale Se by Reyaz Ahmed Najar submitted for M Phil degree to School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad, Telangana.
4. Deepak Budki ki Afsana Nigari Ka Fikri wa Funi Jayza by Amaria Rauf submitted for M Phil degree to Faculty of Islamic Studies and Oriental Learning, Government College Women University, Faislabad, Pakistan.
5. Deepak Budki ke Takhleequi Afkar ka Tanqueedi mutala'a by Dr. Shaikh Sufia Bano Akhtar Hussain submitted for PhD Degree to M S University, Vadodra, Gujarat.  

Deepak Budki was awarded the 'Bhartiya Gaurav Award' by the International Friendship Society in 2009 which was handed over to him by Shri B N Singh, erstwhile Governor of Assam and Tamil Nadu. In 2019 he was awarded Dr Manzar Kazmi Award by Choudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. 

He was also honored by Andhra Urdu Academy, Hyderabad, Sadhbavna Manch, Sironj, Bhopal and J&K Urdu Academy, Srinagar.