Uncle Sargam

Uncle Sargam
Kaliyan, Sargam Time, Daak Time, Siyasi Kaliyan, Sargam Back Home character
Farooq Qaiser and his puppet Uncle Sargam
First appearance1976
Created byFarooq Qaiser
Voiced byFarooq Qaiser
In-universe information
NicknameSargam
GenderMale
ReligionMuslim
NationalityPakistani

Uncle Sargam (Urdu: انکل سرگم) is a puppet character that first appeared in the Pakistani children's television show Kaliyan, aired on PTV in 1976.[1] Uncle Sargam was created and voiced by the award-winning puppeteer and television director Farooq Qaiser.[1]

Uncle Sargam and Maasi Museebtay are regarded as Pakistan's legendary puppet duo.[2]

The satirical Uncle Sargam was the most vocal critic on state television under General Zia-ul-Haq's dictatorship in the 1980s.[3] Later appearances were in the TV show Daak Time in 1993. The character reappeared and hosted a television talk show Syasi Kaliyan at Dawn News in 2010.

The character also appeared in a Pakistan National Council of the Arts-organised show in Islamabad.[1] Uncle Sargam later appeared in a charity show function organised by the NGO Mashal at the National Library of Pakistan in Islamabad in July 2013.[4] In March 2014, the Oxford University Press held an Uncle Sargam puppet show to help children differentiate between original and pirated books at Peshawar’s Archives Library.[5]

In 2018, a diorama of Uncle Sargam was inaugurated at Lok Virsa Museum in Islamabad as a tribute to both the character and Farooq Qaiser.[6][7]

  1. ^ a b c Shehrish Ali (17 June 2012). "Paying tribute: After decades, Uncle Sargam remains darling of the crowd". The Express Tribune newspaper. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  2. ^ Subba, Bhim (2000). Kidstuff: A Resource Book for Media Covering Children in South and South East Asia. Panos Institute South Asia. p. 62. ISBN 9789993330462. First, they called on the services of Uncle Sargam and Maasi Museebte, Pakistan's legendary puppet duo, to put on a command performance for the children of Thatta.
  3. ^ Awan, Nishat (2017). Diasporic Agencies: Mapping the City Otherwise. Taylor & Francis. p. 79. ISBN 9781317151272.
  4. ^ "Mashal school: Uncle Sargam lifts spirits at charity show". The Express Tribune. 7 July 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  5. ^ Farooq, Umer (27 March 2014). "First edition: Children learn about piracy from Uncle Sargam". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  6. ^ Kundi, Asma (9 February 2018). "Lok Virsa pays tribute to Uncle Sargam creator Farooq Qaiser". Dawn newspaper (Images magazine). Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  7. ^ Jabri, Parvez (8 February 2018). "Uncle Sargam Diorama inaugurated at Heritage Museum". Business Recorder newspaper. Retrieved 9 October 2023.