The prime minister had invited Jafri to accompany him on this trip but ill health prevented him from doing so. Sarhad is also an audio album dedicated to Indo-Pakistan amity produced by Squadron Leader Anil Sehgal and composed and sung by "Bulbul-e-Kashmir" Seema Anil Sehgal. Atal Bihari Vajpayee made history when he presented Sarhad, as a national gift, to the then prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, during the historic Lahore Summit, 20–21 February 1999. It was also a milestone in Jafri's life. In the course of his literary career spanning five decades, Jafri also edited anthologies of Kabir, Mir, Ghalib and Meera Bai with his own introductions. He also wrote two plays for the Indian People's Theatre Association, produced a documentary film Kabir, Iqbal and Freedom and two television serials: the runaway success, the 18-part Kahkashan, based on the lives and works of six Urdu poets of the 20th century he had known personally viz. Firaq Gorakhpuri, Josh Malihabadi, Majaz, Hasrat Mohani, Makhdoom Mohiuddin and Jigar Moradabadi; and Mehfil-e-yaaran in which he interviewed people from different walks of life. Both serials had tremendous mass appeal. In addition, he published his autobiography. He was also the editor and publisher of Guftagu, one of the leading Urdu literary magazines of the Indian sub-continent. He died on 1 August 2000 in Mumbai. To mark his first death anniversary, the book Ali Sardar Jafri: The Youthful Boatman of Joy'', edited by Squadron Leader Anil Sehgal, a close associate, was published in 2001. Excerpts from poems Awards and honours In 1998, Jafri became the third Urdu poet to receive the Jnanpith Award (for 1997), after Firaq Gorakhpuri (1969) and Qurratulain Hyder (1989). The Bharatiya Jnanpith said, "Jafri represents those who are fighting against injustice and oppression in society". He was also the recipient of several other significant awards and honours including Padma Shri (1967), Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship (1971), the Gold medal from the Pakistan Government for Iqbal studies (1978), the Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy Award for poetry, the Makhdoom Award, the Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award, the Iqbal Samman Award from the Madhya Pradesh government and the Sant Dyaneshwar Award from the Maharashtra government. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) conferred a doctorate (D.Litt.) on him in 1986, fifty years after he was expelled from the university. He was the fourth person to receive this honor, his predecessors being the notable Dr. Alama Iqbal, Mrs. Sarojni Naydu,