Rekha Waheed

{{short description|English novelist and writer of Bangladeshi}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}} {{Use British English|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox writer  | name = Rekha Waheed | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = 220px | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = bn | pseudonym = | birth_name = Rekha Waheed | birth_date = | birth_place = Shepherd's Bush, London, England | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | occupation = Novelist, writer | language = English | nationality = British | education = MSc Economic Development | alma_mater = School of Oriental and African Studies | period = | genre = | subject = Arranged marriage in the Indian subcontinent, Bengali wedding, British Bangladeshi, British Asian women | movement = | notableworks = | awards = | years_active = 2005–present | spouse = | partner = | children = | relatives = | signature = | signature_alt = | module = | website = | portaldisp = }}

'''Rekha Waheed''' ({{langx|bn|রেখা ওহীদ রহমান}}; née '''Waheed''') is an English novelist and writer of Bangladeshi descent. She has written four novels including 2004's ''The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage'', and 2010's ''Saris and the City'' and ''My Bollywood Wedding''.

==Early life== Rekha Waheed was born in Shepherd's Bush, London, England to parents of Bangladeshi origin. She completed her MSc in economic development at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.<ref name="bbwhoswho08">{{cite book|last1=Karim|first1=Mohammed Abdul|last2=Karim|first2=Shahadoth|title=British Bangladeshi Who's Who|url=http://www.bbwhoswho.co.uk/Profile/Waheed,%20Ms%20Rekha.pdf|date=July 2008|publisher=British Bangla Media Group|page=224|access-date=18 September 2011|archive-date=22 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422102308/http://www.bbwhoswho.co.uk/Profile/Waheed,%20Ms%20Rekha.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="bbwhoswho09">{{cite book |last1=Karim|first1=Mohammed Abdul|last2=Karim|first2=Shahadoth|title=British Bangladeshi Who's Who|url=http://www.bbwhoswho.co.uk/whoswho_09.pdf|date=October 2009|publisher=British Bangla Media Group|page=133|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref>

Whilst pursuing her passion for writing she travelled the world as a corporate consultant. However, she soon caught the attention of a literary agent delivering public readings at the Harrow Writers' club.<ref name="bbwhoswho08"/><ref name="bbwhoswho09"/>

==Career== In October 2005, Waheed's debut novel ''The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage'' was published by Monsoon Press.<ref name="amazon1">{{cite book |title=Rekha Waheed – The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage|date=27 October 2005|id={{ASIN|0755215001|country=uk}}}}</ref><ref name="cybersylhet">{{cite news|last=Rahman|first=Emdad|url=http://www.cybersylhet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54:the-a-z-guide-to-arranged-marriage&catid=34:the-way-it-is&Itemid=61|title=The book launch that bridged the diversity divide|publisher=CyberSylhet.com|date=November 2005|access-date=1 August 2015|archive-date=25 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925001138/http://www.cybersylhet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54:the-a-z-guide-to-arranged-marriage&catid=34:the-way-it-is&Itemid=61|url-status=dead}}</ref> In April 2010, her second novel ''Saris and the City'' was published by Little Black Dress, followed by her third novel ''Adam Akbar – Master of Poverty'' by Perfect Publishers in June 2010,<ref name="amazon2">{{cite news |title=Master of Poverty|date=5 June 2010|id={{ASIN|1905399502|country=uk}}}}</ref> and then her fourth novel ''My Bollywood Wedding'' by Little Black Dress in December 2010.<ref name="amazon3">{{cite book |title=My Bollywood Wedding|date=9 December 2010|id={{ASIN|0755356144|country=uk}}}}</ref> Waheed says her natural writing style is first-person narrative.<ref name="theasianwriter">{{cite web |last=Shaikh|first=Farhana|url=http://www.theasianwriter.co.uk/2011/02/rekha-waheed/|title=Rekha Waheed|website=The Asian Writer|type=Blog|date=8 February 2011|access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref> Her distinct style has been described as "bridging the gap between old world traditions with new world savvy".<ref name="bbwhoswho08"/><ref name="bbwhoswho09"/>

In June 2005, Waheed co-founded Monsoon Press Publisher with Rabina Khan.<ref name="thenational4">{{cite news |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/the-veil-should-not-be-a-barrier-between-women-1.510142/|title='The veil should not be a barrier between women'|location=Abu Dhabi|newspaper=The National|date=29 August 2009|page=4|access-date=1 May 2012}}</ref><ref name="asiansinmedia">{{cite news|url=http://www.asiansinmedia.org/news/article.php/publishing/1737|title=Book week: Profile – Rabina Khan|publisher=Asians in Media|date=14 September 2007|access-date=1 December 2012|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203004320/http://www.asiansinmedia.org/news/article.php/publishing/1737|archive-date=3 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="silsilaproductions">{{cite web|url=http://www.silsilaproductions.co.uk/Behind%20the%20Hijab.html|title=Behind the Hijab|publisher=Silsila Productions|date=27 October 2005|access-date=18 September 2011|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211847/http://www.silsilaproductions.co.uk/Behind%20the%20Hijab.html|url-status=dead}} Rekha Waheed</ref> Through Monsoon Press, she works with the Arts Council and Penguin to raise the profile of British Ethnic and Muslim literature.<ref name="bbwhoswho08"/><ref name="bbwhoswho09"/> She has previously worked as a columnist for ''Bangla Mirror''<ref name="authorsonline">{{cite web|url=http://www.authorsonline.co.uk/viewauthor.php?pid=450|title=Biography for Rekha Waheed|publisher=Authors OnLine|date=27 October 2005|access-date=18 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121112102/http://www.authorsonline.co.uk/viewauthor.php?pid=450|archive-date=21 January 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and sat on the board of Women in Publishing. In addition, she has worked voluntarily as a treasurer for a Bengali community organisation. She is currently represented by MBA Literary Agency.<ref name="bbwhoswho08"/><ref name="bbwhoswho09"/>

In 2006, Waheed read at the London Literacy Event. In 2007, she read at the Spitalfields Literacy Event. In 2006, she was cited by ''Asian Woman magazine'' as one of the "Faces to Watch" and one of the fastest rising British Asians in media. She is regular guest on BBC Asian Network,<ref name="authorsonline"/> women's programmes,<ref name="fantasticfiction">{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/rekha-waheed/|title=Rekha Waheed|publisher=Fantastic Fiction|date=27 October 2007|access-date=18 September 2011|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073021/http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/rekha-waheed/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and literary and social events to debate social issues affecting British Asians in the west.<ref name="silsilaproductions"/>

==Personal life== Waheed is a Muslim.<ref name="theasianwriter"/>

==Novels== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Publisher ! ISBN |- | rowspan="1"| 2005 | ''The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage'' | Monsoon Press | {{ISBNT|978-0755215003}} |- | rowspan="3"| 2010 | ''Saris and the City'' | Little Black Dress | {{ISBNT|978-0755356133}} |- | ''Adam Akbar – Master of Poverty'' | Perfect Publishers Ltd | {{ISBNT|978-1905399505}} |- | ''My Bollywood Wedding'' | Little Black Dress | {{ISBNT|978-0755356140}} |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://myspace.com/rekha_waheed Rekha Waheed] on Myspace * [http://www.monsoonpress.co.uk/ Monsoon Press website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waheed, Rekha}} Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:English Muslims Category:English people of Bangladeshi descent Category:English columnists Category:English women columnists Category:Muslim writers Category:British Asian writers Category:Bangla Mirror people Category:Novelists from London Category:People from Shepherd's Bush Category:Alumni of SOAS University of London Category:English women non-fiction writers Category:21st-century English women novelists Category:21st-century English novelists