Hyderabad: A session on Muslimist poetry in Telugu explored works of four poets who have written about Muslim issues. Khadar was one of the first to write about the caste system in Muslim society.

Poets like Yakoob, Shahjeehana, Mehmaan, Khaja and Khadar Mohiudeen also dealt with of social-economic issues in their poetry.

A poem from Yakoob’s collection of Awwal Kalima shows the discrimination among castes. In the poem, he says, “In reality, Nawab, Muslim, Saheeb, Turk are the names of those who have lost power, Jagirs, Nawabi and Patel still have splendour.

They have retained at least, traces of those honours while our lives have always been caged between our limbs and our bellies.” Much of Muslim poetry has also been translated into English and Telugu. One such poem is Birthmark by Khadar.