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Institute of Persian Research
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
Established: 2005
Founder Director :
Prof. Azarmi Dukht
Safavi
Introduction
and Major Activities
The idea of establishing the
Institute of Persian Research, inclusive of Iranian studies, at the
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh was first discussed between Prof.
Azarmi Dukht Safavi and the then Hon'ble minister for Human Resource and
Development Shri Arjun Singh. A formal proposal was thereafter drafted
and was approved by the H.R.D. Ministry and the UGC. The Institute was
established in 2005 and has been functioning vigorously since
then.
The
Institute of Persian Research is a centre of advanced interdisciplinary
researches in Persian with main focus on Iranian studies, Iran
shanasi and the role this language has played in developing close
and meaningful ties between India and Iran. These ties can be traced
back to the dawn of history, originating from racial origin, tradition
and culture, history and philosophy, trade and architecture, language
and literature, art and craft. Keeping in view the changed perception
of modern-day researches, the Institute is aimed at providing a
contemporary, extensive, and wide-angled direction to Persian
researches, not confined to problems related with only literature and
poetry. For centuries Persian has been the medium through which the best
minds of India and Iran have expressed themselves. Enormous literature
bearing on the life and people of Iran and Hindustan has been produced
in Persian. Upanishad was introduced to Europe through Persian
translation. The Institute of Persian Research is the first centre of
its kind that targets this vast research material, still awaiting to see
the light of the day. It focuses on interactive researches, involving
Persian scholars and also of other disciplines, in order to establish
that Persian can be a source language for researches in Iranology,
Indology, medieval Indian social sciences, history, trade, commerce,
art, linguistic system etc. This is an aspect hitherto unexplored and
the Institute plays a pioneering role in bringing this to light. It
takes up Projects and Research Schemes pertaining to Iranology, history,
biography, travelogues, trade and commerce, language and literature,
mathematics, astronomy, tibb, philosophy, geography, wild life,
medicine, plants and trees, art of war, art of administration etc. that
exist in Persian. These research works are then published and made
available to scholars ad Persian lovers.
1.
Foreign Collaboration :
(i) Organisation of Cultural Heritage
Tehran, Iran,
(ii) National Documentation Centre, Tehran,
Iran.
(iii) Iran Culture House, New Delhi.
For collaboration in:
2. Publications : 10
-
Mukhkhul Maana :Sufistic Treatise
ed. Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi, 2006
-
Subh-e-Sadiq : History of Shahjahan's
Reign
ed. Prof. Amir Hasan Abidi, Professor Emeritus, Delhi University , 2007
-
Humanism and Universal Brotherhood in
Persian Literature Vol. I,
ed. Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi, 2007
-
Humanism and Universal Brotherhood in
Persian Literature Vol. II,
ed. Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi, 2007
-
Haft Ahkam : Sufistic Monograph
ed. Prof. Hafiz Mohd. Tahir Ali, Former Head Dept. of Persian,
Viswabharti
Santiniketan, 2008
-
India's Commercial Relations with
Safavid Persia
Monograph, Prof. Shah Mohd. Waseem, Aligarh Muslim University, 2008
-
Naqsh-i-Gazal Vol. I
ed. Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi, 2008
-
Naqsh-i-Gazal Vol. II
ed. Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi, 2008
-
Silkus Suluk, A critical annotated
edition
ed. Prof. Shoeb Azmi, Former Head Persian Dept., Jamia Millia Islamia,
New
Delhi, 2008
-
Chehel Namoos, A critical collated
edition
ed. Prof. Hz. Mohd. Tahir Ali & Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi, 2008
3.
Research Projects
Completed:
The Institute took up a number
of important research projects involving scholars, researchers and
professors of Persian and of other disciplines as well. Following
projects have been successfully completed in the last four years:
India's
Commercial Relations with Safvid Persia
Study of
Sufism in the works of Sheikh Muhibullah Allahabadi
Influence
of Persian on Bengali Language and Literature (with special
reference to Raja Rammohan Roy & Maharshi Devendra Nath Tagore) - A
Critical Study
Evaluation
and Critical Edition of Mukhkhul Maana
A Critical
and Annotated Edition of Subh-e-Sadiq
History of
Aurangzeb's reign - a Monograph
Silkus
Sulook A Critical Evaluation and Edition
Chehal
Namoos Treatise Unani Medicine- Critical Evaluation and Edition
4.
Ongoing Projects:
1. A'in-i-Akbari and its Provisions on
Agriculture, Industry, Finance and Trade
2. Mashaikh-e-Firdausia ki Ilmi wa Roohani
Khidmat ka Ek Jaiza
3.
Sanskrit Translation with commentary in Sanskrit
and poetic Sanskrit translation of the Persian
Masnawi-i-Charagh-e-Dair of Mirza Ghalib
4.
Persian to English Translation of Nima's Poetic
Works
5.
Persian to English Translation of Shaikh Jam's
Sufisitic Treatise of - Unsut Taibeen
6.
Contribution of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan to Persian
Language and Literature
7.
Critical Edition of Bahr-e-Zakhkhar
5.
International Seminar: 03 No.
Convener
:
Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi
(i)
"Humanism and Universal Brotherhood
in Persian Language and Literature" 5-7 March 2007
Foreign Delegates (USA, Iran,
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tajikistan) : 35
Indian
Delegates : 40
Inauguration by : Deputy Director, Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Organization, Tehran Iran
Papers
Presented : 70 (published in 02 Volumes)
(ii) '
Persian Ghazal : Tradition and Dimensions' 14-16 February 2008
Foreign
Delegates (U.K., Iran, Bangladesh, Pakistan) : 40
Indian
Delegates: 30
Inauguration : Dr. Abid Hussain (Renowned diplomat and former
Ambassador to USA)
Papers
Presented : 75 (Published in 02 Volumes)
(iii) "Indo
Iranian Heritage: Importance and Relevance of Persian Language and
Literature", 24-26 February, 2009.
Foreign
Delegates ( Iran, Afghanistan) : 30
Indian
Delegates: 45
Inauguration : Advisor to the President of Iran
Papers
Presented : 75 (under publication)
6. Scholar in
Residence :
Eminent scholars and professors were invited to
carry out research projects at the Institute :
Prof. S.
Amir Hasan Abidi, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Persian, Delhi
University, 2007.
Prof. Hz.
Mohd. Tahir Ali, Former Head Dept. of Persian, Viswabharti
University, Santiniketan, 2008
Prof.
Anwar Ahmad, Former Head Dept.of Persian, Patna University, Patna,
2009.
Prof. Shah
Mohd. Waseem Former Head Dept. of Commerce, Aligarh Mulsim Univesity,
Aligarh
7. Visits of Dignitaries to the
Institute:
Advisor to
the President of Iran, 2009.
Director, National Documentation Centre, Tehran,
Iran, 2009.
Director,
Central Library, Tehran, Iran, 2009.
Ambassador, Islamic Republic of Iran, 2009.
Cultural
Counsellor, Islamic Republic of Iran, 2008, 2009.
Delegation
from Academy of Persian Language and Literature, Tehran, Iran, 2008.
Delegation
from University of Tehran, Iran, 2008.
Ambassador, Islamic Republic of Iran, 2008.
Prof.
Mushirul Hasan, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi,
2007.
Dr. Shahid
Mehdi, Former Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi,
2007.
Deputy
Director, Organisation of Cultural Heritage and Research, Tehran,
Iran, 2007.
Ambassador, Islamic Republic of Iran, 2007.
Visiting
Team of Organisation of Cultural Heritage and Research, Tehran,
Iran, 2007.
8.
Library :
A well stocked library is the nerve centre of any
research institute. Great efforts are being taken to develop the library
of the Institute by procuring :
i)
Reference Books, Encyclopedias, Catalogues of different libraries,
Dictionaries etc.
ii) CDs,
photocopies of valuable manuscripts from different libraries of India
and Iran.
iii) Current
books and journals.
9. Facilities Available :
·
Television & DVD
·
Cable connectivity with Iranian channels
·
Computers
·
Scanners
·
Photocopiers
·
Printers
·
LCD projector
.
Electric pana board
·
Fax machine
·
Internet connection
Sophisticated digital camera for taking images of
manuscripts etc. Computers have been provided to all the research
personnel. All computers are connected with a network.
10. Research
Staff:
Project Associates :
i)
Dr. Md. Ehteshamuddin
ii)
Dr. Sarfaraz Ahmad Khan
Project Fellows :
i)
Mohd. Qamar Alam
ii) Azad
Hussain
iii)
Kahkashan Khalil
11.
Future Plans
:
A.
Research Schemes in following fields have been planned for future:
i)
Iran Shanasi
ii) Iranian
Studies
iii) Indo-Iran
Relations : Past and Present
iv) Socio-Cultural
and Politico-economic Conditions of India during Medieval period.
v) Impact
of Persian literature on Indian languages.
vi) Contribution
of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Aligarh Muslim University to Persian language
and literature.
vii) Status
of Persian in India during the 19th and 20th
Century AD.
viii) Role
of Persian in the Composite Culture of India and the Creation of a
Syncretic Society.
ix)
Importance and relevance of Persian as a
civil language in medieval India
x) Compilation
of region wise history of the development of Persian in India.
xi) Translation
in English/Urdu/Hindi of important Persian sources/ manuscripts.
xii) Edition
and Publication of important Persian manuscripts.
B.
Preparation of a descriptive
catalogue of Persian manuscripts available at the Maulana Azad Library.
C.
Media Studies in collaboration with
Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organisation Tehran.
D.
Establishment of a Resource Centre and
library.
E.
Organisation of Seminars/ Conferences/
workshops/ Orientation programmes/ Lectures / Group discussion etc.
F.
Scholar in Residence for assigned
research projects.
G.
Visiting scholars from Indian and Iran.
H.
Publication of annual / 6 monthly
research journal.
I.
Collaboration with Iranian Universities
/ Institutes/ Libraries/ Centers
J.
Annual Publication programme.
K.
Other activities as deemed appropriate
for the development of the Institute. |
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