By Dr. Md. Zahidul Haque, faculty in the department of Urdu
It was indeed an extremely nostalgic moment for the faculty members and students of the Department of Urdu, University of Hyderabad in particular and the university community in general to have Prof. Syed Mujavir Hussain Rizvi, Ex Head of the Department (1986-88) among them on 25th October 2013. Prof. Syed Mujavir Hussain Rizvi is among the founder faculty of the Department of Urdu, University of Hyderabad having served the university from 1979 to 1993. After his superannuation from the active service and a gap of more than two decades Prof. Rizvi came to the Department of Urdu for the first time.
Prof. Rizvi born in 1931 is a well known scholar and writer having equal command over classical prose and poetry. He excelled in the field of detective and scientific writing. He wrote 1067 romantic, detective fiction, fantasy, science fiction and historical novels (every novel having 112 pages) by the pen name of “Ibn-e-Saeed”.
The faculty of the Department of Urdu including the present head, Prof. Muzaffar Ali Shamiri along with a large number of students and research scholars welcomed the founding father of the department. A reception cum interactive session in his honor was organized with the staff and students of the department at the School of Humanities building. Prof. K. Muzaffer Ali, Dr. Habeeb Nisar, Dr. A. R. Manzar, Dr. Md. Zahidul Haque, Dr. Mohd. Kashif and Dr. Nishath Ahmed were present at the programme.
The programme was witnessed by many students and senior faculty members who include Prof. Aloka Parasher Sen, Dean, School of Social Sciences and Prof. Subhash Chaturvedi, Dean, School of Physics to name a few. They recalled their association with Prof. Rizvi. Prof. Subhash Chaturvedi recalled his association with Prof. Rizvi where they stayed together in a room of the university guest house (White House at Salarjung colony, Mehdipatnam) for months before moving to a regular quarter in the University’s formative years. Prof. Rizvi informed the gathering that Prof. Subhash Chaturvedi does not know Urdu language but has been a great admirer of this language. He revealed the secret that Prof. Chaturvedi used to recite the Ghazal of Jigar Moradabadi in an extremely mesmerizing voice. On his insistence Prof. Chaturvedi recited the Ghazal (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202273552342832&set=vb.1311541062&type=2&theater) before the gathering which impressed one and all. This was another proof of the reach of Urdu Ghazal across the discipline.
Prof. Mujavir Hussain Rizvi expressed his happiness about the growth and development of the department. He called upon the students to be dedicated and work hard for the development of self as well as the institution. He expressed his desire to the faculty members of the department to take it forward to new heights and become well-known in the country and abroad.
Dr. Habeeb Nisar, senior faculty in department of Urdu compered the programme and Dr. Md. Zahidul Haque proposed a vote of thanks.