Tag Archives: Naeem Kausar

National seminar on Prof. Abdul Qavi Desnavi on Apr. 1-2 in Bhopal

Desna Village (Block Asthawan – Nalanda District), BIHAR / Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA / Bhopal, MADHYA PRADESH :

Prof. Abdul Qavi Desnavi (November 1, 1930 – July 7, 2011)

Bhopal:

A two-day National seminar is being organised on “Prof. Abdul Qavi Desnavi Hyat Aur Adabi Khidmat” here on April 1 and 2 at Mulla Ramuzi Sanskriti Bhavan, the headquarters of Madhya Pradesh Urdu Academy, (MPUA).

The seminar is being organised by Ilma Education Society, Bhopal under the joint aegis of National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language, (NCPUL) and MPUA.

Mr. Kailash Sarang, former Rajya Sabha member, will inaugurate the seminar on April 1 at 10 am which will be presided over by Urdu litterateur Prof. Afaq Ahmad.

AThe guests of honour on the occasion include: Mr. Aziz Qureshi, ex-member of Lok Sabha, Mr. Iqbal Majeed, Prof. Shakoor Khan, Prof. Muzaffar Hanafi and Prof. Ateequllah.

Prof. Afaq Husain Siddiqui will deliver the keynote address in the inaugural function while Kausar Siddiqui, director of the organising committee shall welcome the guests. Mr. Ali Mutaqqui Desnavi, the eldest son of late Prof. Abdul Qavi Desnavi will propose vote of thanks.

After the inaugural function there would be two sessions on April 1 and three on the next day. Two-and-a-half dozen scholars and writers from all over India will present their papers in different sessions of the seminar.

They include: Prof. Muzaffar Hanafi (Delhi), Mr. Ayub Waqif (Mumbai), Master Akhtar, Mr. Arif Aziz & Dr. Arjumand Bano Afshan (all three from Bhopal), Prof. Ateequllah (Delhi), Prof. Khalid Mahmood (Delhi), Maulana Syed Sharafat Ali Nadwi (Bhopal), Dr. Yaqoob Yawar (Banaras), Mr. Iqbal Masood, Mr. Rasheed Anjum & Dr. (Mrs.) Razia Hamid (all three from Bhopal), Dr. Saifi Sironji (Sironj), Prof. Manzar Husain (Ranchi), Prof. Afaq Ahmad (Bhopal), Dr. Maula Baqsh (Delhi), Mr. Naseem Ansari (Bhopal), Mr. Zia Farooqui, Mr. Ashfaq Mashhadi, Mr. Khalid Abidi, Dr. Mahtab Alam & Mr. Javed Yazdani (all six from Bhopal), Dr. Mohammad Nauman & Dr. Khalid Mubashshir (both from Delhi), Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan (Jabalpur), Mr. Naeem Kausar, Mr. Khursheed Akhtar (both from Bhopal), Dr. Shan Fakhri (Sironj), Mr. Habib Ahmad & Mr. Inamullah Lodhi (both from Bhopal).

Meanwhile, it may be stated here that Prof. Abdul Qavi Desnavi (November 1, 1930 – July 7, 2011) was an Indian eminent Writer, Critic, Bibliographist, Linguist and Scholar of Urdu language. He has authored more than 50 books on Urdu literature. His books were also translated in other languages. His important work was about Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Mirza Ghalib, Allama Muhammad Iqbal and litterateurs of Bhopal.

He was recipient of several awards. He received Senior Fellowship from the Union Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. His great treatise was a voluminous book on one of India’s frontline freedom fighter and first Union Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad over 900 pages titled “Hayat-e-Abul Kalam Azad” which he penned in the year 2000. It was acclaimed nationally and internationally.

Desnavi was born in Nalanda
Prof. Desnavi was born on November 1, 1930 in village Desna of block Asthawan in Nalanda district Bihar. He belonged to the family of Great Muslim scholar Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, who was one of the eminent historian and biographers of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), during his times. He was the second son of late Prof. S. M. Saeed Raza, who was Professor of Urdu, Arabic and Persian languages in St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. His elder brother was Prof. Syed Mohi Raza and younger brother was Syed Abdul Wali Desnavi.

Education
Prof. Desnavi had his primary education in Arrah town of Bihar state. After completing his graduation & post-graduation in First Division from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, he joined Department of Urdu in Saifia Post Graduate College, Bhopal in February 1961. He went on to become Professor and Head of the Urdu Department of Saifia Post Graduate College. He was well-known literary figure in India and in the Urdu world.

His shining disciples
Many scholars, poets and teachers of today such as lyricist Javed Akhtar, Poet Mushtaq Singh, Prof. Muzaffar Hanafi, Selani Silwatte, Prof. Khalid Mehmood, Prof. Mohammed Naumaan Khan, Prof. Afaq Husain Siddiqui, poet Iqbal Masood, Dr. Iqbal Masood Nadvi, Ahsanuddin Farooqui, Khurshid Akhtar, Mohammed Naseem, Dr. Qamar Ali Shah, Prof. Yaqoob Yawar, Maulana Syed Sharafat Ali Nadvi, Prof. Arjumand Bano Afshan etc. were under his tutelage during their student days in Bhopal and are now sparkling in the Urdu world. Under his guidance many students attained Ph.D. degrees.

He retired in 1990. He was also holding many Honorary positions such as: • Additional Principal of Saifia Post Graduate College, Bhopal.(1983–1985); • Secretary of Madhya Pradesh Urdu Academy, Bhopal (1991–92); • Elected Member Majlis-e-Aam Anjuman Taraqqui Urdu (Hind), New Delhi (1979–1984); • Member of All India Anjuman Taraqui Urdu Board, New Delhi, (1977–1978); • Member of Program Advisory Committee, All India Radio, Bhopal (1978–1979); • Member Executive Council, Barkatullah University Bhopal, (1980–1982); • Chairman of Board of Studies, Urdu, Persian & Arabic, Barkatullah University Bhopal, (1977–1980) and (1984–1985); • Dean Faculty of Arts, Barkatullah University Bhopal, (1980–1982) & • Member Working Committee, Taj-ul-Masajid, Bhopal (1997-2007)

Awards
Prof. Desnavi received many awards in his lifetime such as Shibli Award, Mumbai, 1957; Senior Fellowship, Ministry of Education & Culture, Government Of India for 4 Years, 1979-1983; Sanad “Imteyaz Meer” All India Meer Academy, Lucknow 1981; Nawab Siddique Hasan Khan Provincial Award, Bhopal 1986; Bihar Urdu Academy Award, for recognition of Urdu services (1988–89) & (1989–90); All India “Parvez Shahidi Award” West Bengal Urdu Academy, Calcutta 1998.

His books
The books Prof. Desnavi authored to enrich the Urdu literary world included: Ek Aur Mashriqi Kutub Khana (1954); Hasrat Ki Siyasi Zindagi (1956); Aur Hindustan Jag Utha (1963); Allama Iqbal Bhopal Mein (1967); Mazameen Lisan-un-Sidque (1967); Bhopal Aur Ghalib (1969); Ghalibyaat (1969); Nuskha-e-Bhopal Aur Nuskha-e-Bhopal Sani (1970); Qadir Nama-e—Ghalib (1971); Anis Numa (1973); Ek Shahar Panch Mushahir (1973); Nazr—e-Sajjad (1974); Mota’ala—e—Khotoot—e—Ghalib 1975, (Edition 2nd 1979); Saat TahrireiN (1975); Hindustan MeiN Iqbaliat (1976); Talash-o—Taasur (1977); Mehdi Hassan Efadi (1977); Iqbal Uneesween Sadi MeiN(1977); Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer (1977); Bachon Ka Iqbal (1978); Iqbal Aur Dilli (1978); Abdul Haque Banam Mahvi (1980); Nazr-e-Takhallus (1981); Mota’ala-e-Ghobar-e—Khatir (1981); Dhanpat Rai Nawab Rai Premchand (1981); Iqbal Aur Darul Iqbal Bhopal (1983); Iqbaliat Ki Talash (1984); Yadgar—e—Sulaiman (1984); Iqbaliat Ki Talash Publisher, Globe Publishers, Urdu Bazar Lahore, Pakistan (1985); Armoghane-Saifia (Co—Editor) (1986); Abul Kalam Azad (1987); Maulana Abul Kalam Mohiuddin Ahmad Azad Dehlavi (1988); Mahanama Lisan-un-Sidque (1988); Yadgar—e—Azad (1989); Mataihiyat (1989); Talash—e—Azad; Talash-e-Azad, Shaqsiyat, Khidmat, Chand JhalkiaN (1990); Jawaharlal—o—Azad (Co—Editor) (1990); Ajnabi Shahar (1992); Fakhernama (Co—Editor) (1997); Urdu Shairi Ki Gayarah AwazaiN; Masreen wa Mutaliqat Azad; Hayat Abul Kalam Azad (2000); Bombai Se Bhopal Tak (2004); Dur Dais Se (2005); MaiN Urdu Hoon (2006).

His books translated in other languages are: Abul Kalam Azad in Hindi language Translated by Janki Prashad Sharma, Publisher Sahitya Akademi (1987); Abul Kalam Azad in Punjabi language Translated Inder Singh Raz Publisher Sahitya Akademi (1988); Abul Kalam Azad in English language translated by Syeda Syedain Hamid Publisher Sahitya Akademi(1991); Abul Kalam Azad in Maithili language translated by Fazlur Rehman Hashmi, Publisher Sahitya Akademi (1994)

The awards Prof. Desnavi received on his books are: Saat TahrireiN – Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy Lucknow, 1975; Uneesween Sadi Mein Iqbal – Bihar Urdu Academy Patna, 1977; Mota’ala-e-Khotoot Ghalib – Bihar Urdu Academy Patna, 1979; Mota’ala-e-Ghobar-e-Khatir – Bihar Urdu Academy Patna, 1981; Iqbaliat Ki Talash – Bihar Urdu Academy Patna, 1984, Abul Kalam Azad Academy, Bihar Urdu Academy Patna, 1987; Yadgar—e—Sulaiman – Maghribi Bengal Urdu Academy Calcutta, 1984; Talash—e—Azad – Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy Lucknow, 1991; Talash—e—Azad – Bihar Urdu Academy Patna, 1991; Talash—e—Azad – West Bengal Urdu Academy Calcutta, 1993; Urdu Shairi Ki Gayarah AwazaiN – Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy, Lucknow, 1993; & Urdu Shairi Ki Gayarah AwazaiN – Bihar Urdu Academy, Patna, 1993.

Under his guidance the Ph.D. degrees were awarded by Barkatullah University to • Dr. Muzaffar Hanafi – “Shad Arfi Shaksiat Aur Fun” 1974 Published – 1977; • Dr. Hadiqa Begum – “Abdul Rehman Bijnori Hayat Aur Khidmat” 1981 Published – 1984; • Dr. Naseem Shanvi- “Urdu Tanquid Ka Marxi Dabistan” 1981; • Dr. Mohammed Ayub Khan – “Iqbal Aur Gazal Goi” 1982; • Dr. Safia Wadood – “Takhalus Bhopali Hayat Aur Khidmat” 1984 Published – 1993; • Dr. Arjumand Bano – “Riasat Bhopal Aur Mushahir Urdu” 1989; • Dr. Shan Ahmed Fakhri – “Sironj Ki Khidmat” 1990 Published – 1999; • Dr. Yaqoob Ali Khan – “Taraqqui Pasand Shairi Aik Jaiza” 1990 Published – 1997 and • Dr. Mohammed Naumaan Khan – “Bhopal MeiN Urdu Inzamam Ke Baid”1990.

Poems
The poems composed on Prof. Desnavi include: • Pasban-e-Urdu by Rahbar Jaunpuri; • Nazre Abdul Qavi Desnavi by Arshad Siddiqui; • Anjuman Ilm-O-Kamal by Zafar Sahbai; • Herf-e-Khuloos by Kausar Siddiqui; • Shan-e-Imtiaz by Zafar Naseemi; • Qandil-e-Hikmat, Abdul Qavi Desnavi by Wafa Siddiqui;

• Kharaj-e-Tehsin by Arman Akberabadi; • Pahchaan Hai Saifia by Kamil Baihzadi; • Prof. Abdul Qavi Desnavi by Mateen Qurashi Shaheed and • Aik Nazem by Iqbal Masood.

Last breath
Prof. Desnavi died at about 5 am on 7 July 2011 in a private hospital where he was admitted following complaints of old age related diseases. He is survived by his wife, three sons and four daughters and a large number of relatives and literary friends to mourn his loss.

(pervezbari@eth.net)

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim> Literature / by Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net / March 30th, 2012

The song lives on

Nizamabad Town (Azamgarh District) UTTAR PRADESH / Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

“Majrooh Fahmi” explores different layers of the celebrated poet’s luminous legacy

Majrooh Sultanpuri

Can a poet write more than 3000 songs hummed by millions without squandering his aesthetic subtlety and creative dexterity, partially? Does his ghazals, not many in numbers, expand and reinvent matrix of the traditional ghazal and go beyond the insatiable world desire? Can one juxtapose the well-wrought vocabulary of ghazal with the quintessential aesthetic sensibility and modern-day longing in a new idiom? These are the pertinent literary questions that are affirmatively answered by Majrooh Sultanpuri whose birth anniversary is being celebrated across the country, and this is what aptly articulated by a promising literary enthusiast and writer Asif Azmi in his astutely edited book “Majrooh Fahmi” that appeared recently.

Divided into three equally important sections, the book comprising 600 pages seeks to explore different layers of Majrooh’s luminous legacy with a marked sense of critical acuity. It tries to capture the brilliance of a poet who got wide acclaim both in literary circles and the film world. The book, through its discerning articles, zeroes in on Majrooh Sultanpuri’s oeuvre that remains unseen till date.

Not many Urdu poets can vie with Majrooh as far as literary acclaim and popularity are concerned, but it was hardly measured up to the expectation of the poet who remained disenchanted with the critics. It prompted Asif Azmi to initiate a critical dialogue to locate Majrooh in the larger collective consciousness, and the book also seeks to understand why his immensely popular film songs overshadow his awe-inspiring poetry.

Majrooh’s intent of creating new semantic space by using traditional metaphors and motifs was erroneously credited to Faiz and critics eternalised the critical injustice.

Majrooh has a point, but one must also realise that his poetic journey spanning over six decades produced less than 50 ghazals and such a small work of art cannot subvert the archaic form and cliché-ridden thematic mannerism of ghazal.

Spelling out the contours of his critical gaze, editor Asif Azmi says “One of the greatest exponents of the contemporary ghazal, Majroooh is yet to get his due even at the time of his 100th anniversary. It betrays a deep-rooted prejudice or a wilful ignorance.”

He, again, rightly asserts that Majrooh played a pivotal role in shaping popular Indian literature and popularising Urdu at mass level. Every notable Urdu critic has made a critical appraisal of his work and a plethora of books and special issues have appeared on his art.

Critical evaluation

The voluminous book is certainly more than a commemorative volume as it is not an assortment of flattering articles, but concentrates on a thorough critical appraisal of the poet. The editor turns attention to the best articles that emerge out of the rubble heap of the assessment of the poet, and the discerning evaluation of prominent Urdu critics such as Sardar Jafri, Mohammad Hasan, Waris Kirmani, Zoe Ansari, Waheed Akhtar, Wahab Ashrafi, Syed Hamid and Sidiqur Rehman Qidwai have been selected.

For Waheed Akhtar, Majrooh, for the first time, used the traditional metaphors of ghazal: morning, night, slaughterhouse, prison, autumn and spring as political symbols and it is Majrooh who made them as the distinctive feature of Progressive poetry.

Zoe Ansari opines that his poetry unravels a nuanced sense of civic lyricism which was not explored by any other poet. Several Urdu scholars castigated Majrooh for his bizarre, declamatory diction meant for instigating people to take up arms for the revolution

The book carries two perceptive essays of accomplished Hindi critics such as Jitender Srivastava and Rakesh Pandey. Mapping out semantic similarities between Kabir and Majrooh, Srivastava quotes a couplet of Majrooh and points out that Majrooh engages himself with the tremendous anti-establishment tradition of Kabir. He urges ordinary people to join him after burning their homes, and he does not address the capitalist and the people belonging to the powers-that-be.

Befitting tribute

The first section of the book puts together the reminiscences of Lata Mangeshkar, Mazhar Imam, Jagannath Azad, Kashmiri Lal Zakir, Ziauddin Shakib, Ali Ahmad Fatemi, Naeem Kauser and his seminal contribution as a lyricist has also been well documented by Nadeem Ahmad and Rashid Anwar, and S.S. Bhatnagar Shadab.

Delineating his contribution to films which fetched him the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Majrooh asserts, “I have no hesitation in saying that I, along with O.P. Nayyar, successfully used innumerable Persian and Urdu words and gave nearly 20 new words to the vocabulary of film songs. I invented a unique style with S D Burman which has been described as romantic comedy. It was widely believed at that time that duet songs would not become famous, but I wrote many duets that became immensely popular.”

The book is a befitting tribute a poet who creatively explored various genres including qawwali, bhajan, cabaret, folksongs and ghazal with remarkable ease and Asif deserves accolades to acquaint us with a world of the poet which is not shaped by hatred, suspicion and delirium.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books> Authors / by Shafey Kidwai / May 16th, 2019