Joginder Paul (1925–2016) was born in Sialkot (now in Pakistan). His literary journey began with the publication of his first story in the renowned Urdu journal "Saqi" in 1945. His first book of short stories in Urdu, titled "Dharti ka Kaal," was published in 1962. The partition of the country led to his migration to Ambala as a refugee. Subsequently, his marriage took him to Kenya, where he taught English and used his stories to express the challenges of being in exile.
In 1965, he returned to India and served as the principal of a college in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, for fourteen years before settling in Delhi to pursue full-time writing. Joginder Paul authored more than thirteen collections of short stories, including "Khula," "Khodu," "Baba ka Maqbara," and "Bastian." He also wrote novels such as "Ek Boond Lahoo Ki," "Nadeed," "Paar Pare," and "Khwabro."
Additionally, he contributed to the genre of flash fiction (afsaanche) and significantly enriched Urdu fiction through his work in this style. Many of his novels and short stories have been translated into Hindi, English, and other languages in India and abroad.
Joginder Paul received numerous prestigious literary awards, including the SAARC Lifetime Award, Iqbal Samman, Urdu Academy Award, All India Bahadur Shah Zafar Award, Shiromani Award, and Ghalib Award. He also received international recognition in Qatar for his contributions to creative writing in Urdu. His fiction garnered critical acclaim, and many Urdu journals in India and Pakistan dedicated special issues to his work. His fiction has been translated into multiple languages both in India and internationally.
"Land Lust" is the English translation of "Dharti ka Kaal," Joginder Paul's initial collection of short stories in Urdu.
