Saturday, May 2, 2009

Alvida A distingished Alig - Prof. Qamar Rais

ASA All ,
The news of Prof Qamar Rais (Qamar bhai to many of us ) sad demise is a big loss to Alig community .Qamar bhai was a  towering personality in  the literary and cutural field .I have had the pleasure of knowing Qamar bhai since his student days .Of course he was much senior to me in age .I first lerant about him when he edited Aligarh Magazine Urdu .He was also ediror of Jamia Urdu's jourmnal Adeeb .Aftter completing his PH D  in Urdu under the guidance of Prof Rasheed Ahmad Siddiqui Qamar bhai  joined Delhi university .Prof Khwaja Ahmad Farooqui  the then Hear of Urdy Department of Delhi university recognized his potential and vwas instrumental in bringing him to Delhi university .Qamar bhai spent rest of his colourful life in the capital  and over the yeaers he bacame an integral part of  Delhi's intellectual and cultural life .After retitement from university he remained  avtively associated with so many organzations and institutions  like Delhi Urdu Academy ,Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu  Hind ,Ghalib Institute ,Urdu Council etc .It was a real pleasure to meet and interact with him at various litearsy functions and prrogrammes and he always met like an elder brother in a true Aligarh spirit ..My wife Salma was paricularly impressed when as Vice Chairman of Delhi Urdy Academy he  came forward to greet us  while he was surrounded by so many people and  many VIPs were around .This was the graetness of Qamar Bhai . which made him a loveable persona.llity .Incidentally our last meeting took place just before a week at a function of Urdu Academy .Qamar Bhai's death is a big loss to Urdu world ..and Alig community .Let us pray for his maghfirat .and offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved family .Alvida Qamar bhai .I find it hard to think of a literary programme in Delhi without  Qamar bhai .
Dr Saleem Kidwai
PHd  1976.

Dr Saleem kidwai
centre for Canadian,US and latin american studies,
School of international studies
jawaharlal nehru university
New Delhi-110067,India

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