Altaf Shaikh (b.

14th November, 1944)

by
Muhammad Habib Sanai

Altaf Shaikh is the second most prolific writer after Mirza Qaleech Beg,
who has to date authored 105 books, 92 in Sindhi, 12 in Urdu, and one in
English. Majority of his books are travelogues, but few are anthologies
of short stories translated from other languages, two books contain fairy
tales for children and two books are collections of proverbs. Some
analysts claim that Altaf Shaikh is one of those two Sindhi writers, who
have contributed enormously to the increase of readership of Sindhi books with their
writings after partition.

Despite his failing health, he is not only authoring books but also regularly contributing
articles to various Sindhi and Urdu newspapers and periodicals. This month he is
celebrating his 77 birth day.

His travelogues have not been written in drawing rooms, as is alleged for some writers,
but being a Marine Engineer, he had visited almost every nook and corner of this world.
Further, contrary to other travelogues, his books are not statements of the writer’s sexual
exploits and exaggerated accounts of visits. Critics claim that his books are treasure
troves of information. His books of travelogue also provide precious history and
geography of the particular country or region under discussion in the book.

Sindhi-speaking people are labelled as homesick persons. However, some observers

claim that under the inspiration of Altaf Shaikh’s writings, various Sindhi speakers have
left their villages and migrated to other countries either for jobs or education. This is in
itself an immense contribution to youth development.

Education:
Altaf Shaikh was born in Hala, which is more famous due to Jhandi (Lacquer work) and
Kashi (glazed tile) products. However, it is also the old literary and educational centre of
Sindh. He studied in Hala up to the Class Seventh, then he joined the Cadet College
Petaro, which was established a few years, where he studied up to Intermediate Pre-
Engineering. Then he joined Naval Academy, Chittagong, East Pakistan (now
Bangladesh), where he graduated in Marine Engineering. Later on, he did post-graduation
in Marine Engineering from World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden.

Employment:
He joined Pakistan Shipping Corporation as Junior Engineer in the late sixties and
subsequently became Chief Marine Engineer. After working for 15 years, he left this sea-
faring job to become a Professor of Marine Engineering. In between, he has served at
seaports of Kuwait and Japan as Chief Engineer.
Love for Literature
He developed a love for reading and writing in his early years. His father Gul
Mohammad Shaikh, ex-Deputy Commissioner, was also a writer, who has authored three
books. His father used to subscribe to various magazines. In the beginning, only pictures
in the magazines and books attracted him, but slowly he started to read the contents of the
magazines and books. He started writing in various magazines when he was studying at
Cadet College Petaro. He became editor of its magazine when he was in Matric.

Further in his ancestral town Hala, some of his relatives and friends were also literary
persons. Though his maternal grandfather was a businessman, he has a good library in
Hyderabad, where he used to go three to four times every year.

In the Cadet College, Petaro, its first Principal was Col. Combs, who was World War 2
veteran. He exhorted his students to adopt the habit of reading books. Col. Combs often
said to them that those who develop the habit of reading can survive lonely even in a
Jungle. He admits that he realized the importance of this advice during the voyaging on
long routes in his Seafaring service. In ship travels from China to Canada, 40 nights and
days and from Japan to Cuba 35 days and nights were spent. No one used to be nearby
for talking. Only books made us busy and were real solace, as he wrote in a self-portrait.

He writes that in Petaro's days he become so voracious reader that he read complete sets
of books of numerous authors. In Chittagong, same was the milieu. His Bengali class
fellows were good readers and with their help, within months he become proficient in the
Bengali language. In Chittagong, his poet friend, Naeem Dureshani, who was studying in
Medical College, introduced him to prominent Sindhi writers such as Hameed Sindhi,
Tariq Ashraf, Wali Ram Valb. Also, during Chittagong's years, he wrote a series of
columns under the title From the land of rivers” which was published in Sindhi daily.

During these long journeys he started writing long letters and columns describing his
interesting experiences, and necessary information about the seaports and cities, he
visited. He admits that he adopted a romantic and fictional style to attract Sindhi youth to
this field.

His first travelogue Munhjo Sagar Munjo Sahil (My sea, my port) received Writers Guild
award, which become a major impetus in his writing career. In the Sixties, he participated
in literary gatherings conducted in Karachi, when his ship returned from voyages.

In 1971, he got married and now his wife also accompanied him on the voyages. Even his
children used to travel with them on the ship for a few years till they were admitted to
schools.

In 1981, Malaysia established Naval Academy near Malaka city. He joined this academy
despite the low pay and availability of educational institutes for his children far away
from his academy because he was fascinated with Malaysia and Malaka city. He also
worked in Singapore Polytechnic Institute and another polytechnic institute at Apoh. This
provided him an opportunity to visit almost every city and village of Singapore,
Malaysia, and Thailand. The government of Malaysia has given him an award on account
of his writings and help in setting up the new Naval Academy.

As he has lived in Malaysia, Japan, Sweden, America, and China for a good time,
therefore, he has written more books about these countries. However, recently he has also
written a good number of books about Africa. Last year he wrote a book Zanjbar Jangbar
about Zanzibar and Tanzania, which area is now in the limelight because this year’s
Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah was born in Zanzibar.

After retirement, he has become a full-time writer and he has penned more than forty
books, besides numerous of write-ups on history, geography of each country he happened
to visit.