Professor Hadi Hasan

An overview of his life and contributions

Prof Syed Hadi Hasan was born on September 3, 1896 in Hyderabad, a city famous for the origin of Urdu poetry. He inherited a highly distinguished and educated family. He belonged to a very prestigious family of Saadat-e-Barha. Among his ancestors, Ata Hussain, Tahseen, was a prominent Sholar of Etawah, Uttar Pradesh and his father Syed Aneer Hasan was a Commissioner in the then Hyderabad State under the rule of the then Nizam. He was the nephew of Nawab Mohsinul Mulk Syed Mahdi Ali Khan, a close associate of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

Hadi Hasan was refined to the depths of his being due to the early care and training by his Persian mother. He was able to cast the spell of his unique personality on whomsoever he met at the first meeting. He attracted all kinds of people around him with magnetic attraction. He bore upon himself the imprint of all the virtues of his aristocratic origin and emphatically sharp and discerning mind. He inspired confidence and affection among his colleagues and admirers and was always inspired by the spirit of charity and philanthropy whenever he saw someone in distress.

After receiving his early education in Hyderabad, Hadi Hasan joined Fergusson College, Poona to pursue a bachelor's degree in science. Being brilliant in education he was awarded the Hyderabad State Scholarship. Then went to England to confer his higher students. He took the Tripos in Botany from Cambridge. Hadi Hasan was studying his teachings very efficiently, but at the same time the Non-Cooperation Movement by Mahatma Gandhi and the Khilafat Movement by the Ali brothers were gaining momentum in India. Love for the country and his patriotic ideology compelled him to return and join the freedom struggle. He worked continuously for the liberation of the country from British rule. Due to his honest and selfless dedicated services to the country, he earned the praise of many senior leaders including Mahatma Gandhi.

Due to his undeniable achievements in the academic field, Hadi Hasan joined Aligarh Muslim University as Reader and Head in the Department of Botany. Apart from his accolades in botany, he soon distinguished himself as a good scholar of Persian literature.

Owing to his interest in Persian, he again went to England by taking a loan from the University to obtain a doctorate in Persian. During his stay he had very difficult days in England, but with strong determination he overcame all adversities and conquered all difficulties. He obtained a doctorate in Persian from the London School of Oriental Studies.

After returning from England he was appointed as Professor and Head of the Department of Persian. During his tenure he established separate departments for Persian in the University of Hyderabad, Patna Lucknow. With his impressive work he not only enriched Persian literature but also included it in the curriculum of Indian universities striving for the status of Persian teachers in the country. He played an important role in communication between Indian and Iranian intellectuals. He represented India at the millennium celebrations of Firdaus in Iran and his outstanding performance not only raised the image of Aligarh Muslim University but also strengthened the cultural and friendly relations between the two countries.

His contribution to Persian literature was enormous. He also received international acclaim for many of his works. Prominent among his works are Studies in Persian Literature (1923), History of Persian Navigation (1928), Falak-i Shirvani: His Life, Times and Works (1929), Diwan-i Falak-i-Shirvani (1930), Radi `d-Din-i-Nishapuri: His Life and Times (1940), Mughal Poetry: Its Historical and Cultural View (1952), Qasim-i-Kahi: His Life, Times and Works (1954), The Unique Diwani-i-Qasim-i-Kahi (1956), Majmu'ah-i-Makalat (1956), Shakuntala, translated into Persian (1956), Research in Persian Literature (1958) etc. He led his life as a devoted scholar till his last days. At the time of his death two of his works entitled, Golden Treasury of Persian Poetry and Qasim-e-Kahi, Volume II, were in the press. When his appointed time came he was busy in correcting the proofs of these works. After the death of the author, Masud A. Mirza Qaiser had the privilege of printing Qasim-e-Kahi in 1963, while Golden Treasury of Persian Poetry was revised and edited by his famous student, Dr. M. Shamoon Israeli in 1966. He dedicated one of his works to his beloved wife Begum Qaweir Hadi and commemorated her death as 19,5,7, which shows the complete chronology of her demise, also tells the 19 century and hour, tells the 5th month and 7th day, i.e. 1957 A.D., 7th May at 7 p.m. Hadi Hasan was not confined to Persian alone but he also had a keen interest in mathematics, history, astronomy and Sanskrit drama. He translated Kalidasa's 'Shakuntalaam' in England and used to play the roles of various characters himself while staging it. Professor Hadi Hasan is a great humanitarian, patriot and internationally renowned linguist and has been recognized by many institutions of the world.

In 1959 the President of India awarded him a Certificate of Honour along with an annual annuity of Rs. 1500. This award was instituted in 1958 to honour scholars of Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian languages. Thus Professor Hadi Hasan could be the second person to receive this prestigious award. In 1960, the Imperial Government of Iran awarded him its highest academic award, the Nishan-e-Danish for Scientific Order of the First Class.

Hadi Hasan rendered many distinguished services to Aligarh Muslim University but the ray of hope is marked by his contribution in establishing the Medical College in the University due to which our hall is named after this mega personality. At the behest of the then Vice Chancellor Sir Ziauddin Ahmad he travelled all over India and collected a sum of Rs. 30 lakhs. Establishment of Medical College in AMU was a long dream of his life and he saw his dream come true when he himself inaugurated the Medical College named after our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Apart from his academic contributions he also had remarkable administrative skills. He worked as Provost of V.M. Hall, Dean Faculty of Arts, Incharge Competitive Examinations and Employment Office. His method of working had a moral spirit and he gave it dignity by his honest and selfless work.

Due to his professional acclaim he was appointed as Professor for 2 years after retirement under the scheme of UGC. UGC also awarded him an award of Rs. 4000. per annum. He served AMU faithfully till 3rd September 1958.

Hadi Hasan was an excellent orator. His art of public speaking was not only admirable but also enviable. He could make his audiences drown in tears or laughter whenever he wished. He could speak English, Persian and Urdu, especially the first two languages, with remarkable fluency, ease and effectiveness. He was gifted by God with a marvelously tenacious memory and could quote anecdotes and excerpts of poetry costly without any halt or embarrassment. When the Shah of Iran Md. Reza Shah Pahlavi and Queen Suraiya Shah Pahlavi visited AMU, he welcomed the Shah in Persian on behalf of the Students' Union on February 2, 1956. The Shah and the Queen sat spellbound as Professor Hadi Hasan spoke. The Shah was so impressed that when he rose to address the students he paid tribute to the great scholar orator by saying that if his college days returned he would consider it a privilege to be Professor Hadi's student. Dr. Zakir Husain, who was the Vice-President of India and a close friend of Hadi Hasan, remarked.

Dr. Hadi Hasan was one of the most brilliant men I have met. Starting his career as a teacher of science, Professor of Botany, he allowed his passionate love for Persian literature, which he probably inherited from his Iranian mother, to pervade and subjugate his mind, so that he could go back to the University of London. for high research in Persian history, which he attained on his return to the Aligarh Muslim University and maintained till the end of his life. His valuable work as a scholar and teacher, his brilliant achievement as an orator, but above all, the paternal love and care he gave to his students, won him universal respect and affection. Although his physical life is over, he still lives on in the minds of his many pupils and friends.

Professor Hadi Hasan lived in name and fame throughout his life by reason of his brilliant qualities of mind and heart and brought great honour to the University and esteem to the teaching community. On May 23, 1963 he left this world for his heavenly abode and was buried the next morning in the University cemetery.

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HADI HASAN HALL

Hadi Hasan Hall

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