Huma Anwar

Huma Anwar
ہما انور
Born
Lahore, Pakistan
CitizenshipPakistan Pakistan
EducationKinnaird College for Women
University of the Punjab (M.Sc.)
OccupationsTranslator, Editor
Writing career
LanguageUrdu
GenreLiterary translation
Notable worksMy Name is Red (Surkh Mera Naam), The Forty Rules of Love (Chalees Charagh Ishq Ke)
Notable awardsUnited Bank Limited Literary Excellence Award (Best Translation, 2015); Pakistan Academy of Letters Award (Best Translation, 2017)

Huma Anwar (Urdu: ہما انور) is a Pakistani translator and editor recognized for her distinguished Urdu translations of world literature.

Her translations include works from Turkish, Brazilian, Canadian, English, and Japanese literature. She is recognized among those translators who introduced global literary masterpieces to Urdu readers with cultural sensitivity, stylistic precision, and idiomatic fluency. She has also served as editor for several acclaimed books on history, politics, fiction, and non-fiction.

Early life and education

Huma Anwar was born in Lahore, Pakistan. She received her early education in Lahore and graduated in General Science from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore, Pakistan. She earned her M.Sc. degree in statistics from the University of the Punjab, Lahore. Alongside her studies, she developed a deep interest in literature, linguistics, and translation — interests that shaped her later career as a distinguished translator and editor.

Career and notable translations

Huma Anwar began her literary career as a translator and editor and has worked with several publishing houses. Known for her linguistic grace and cultural sensitivity, Huma's translations preserve the literary tone and spirit of the original texts. She has translated works by internationally renowned authors into Urdu, including:

Awards and recognition

Huma Anwar has also served as a judge for the Pakistan Academy of Letters' National Literary Awards, for the Muhammad Hasan Askari Award for Translation.

Literary style

Huma Anwar's translations are characterized by linguistic elegance, fidelity to the cultural context of the original text, and aesthetic precision in Urdu rendering. Her work reflects emotional balance, conceptual depth, and a refined sense of language, making her one of the most respected literary translators in Pakistan. She has also served as editor for several acclaimed books on history, politics, fiction, and non-fiction.

References

  1. 1 2 "(United Bank Limited) UBL Literary Excellence Awards held". Business Recorder newspaper. 8 February 2016. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "ہما انور, Author at ہم سب website". 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Flight of the Falcon".
  4. ↑ "تلاش بہاراں سے انجام بہاراں تک". Almas Urdu Research Journal - الماس اردو تحقیقی مجلہ. 20 (1): 77. June 2018. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "میں سرخ ہوں |". Express News. 29 May 2014. Archived from the original on 18 February 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Chalees Charagh Ishq Ke - Jumhoori Publications" (PDF). Pakistan Academy of Letters website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "اورحان پامک منزل ہے، باقی سب راستہ ہے". ARY TV News website. 31 July 2019.
  8. ↑ "Shey - Jumhoori Publications".
  9. ↑ "Ju-e Khoon - Pak Books".
  10. ↑ "Mere Bachpan ke Din - Pak Books".
  11. ↑ "PAL announces Kamal-e-Fun, National Literary Awards 2025". Associated Press of Pakistan. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2026.