KARACHI: Professor Aslam Farrukhi was the guest of the evening organized by Daira-i-Adab-o-Saqafat and Dhaka Group of Institutions on Saturday.

The noted poets and writers who graced the occasion and paid lavish tributes to the learned doctor included Dr Jameel Jalebi, Dr Peerzada Qasim, Nazrul Hasan Siddiqui and Ms Shaheda Hasan. A paper, eulogizing the literary contribution of Dr Farrukhi, by Prof Saher Ansari was in his absence read out by Ms Fatema Hasan.

Dr Jalebi admired Dr Farrukhi for dedication, virtuosity, culture and elegance. His great literary contribution, Dr Jalebi said, was the work, produced in two volumes, on Maulvi Mohammad Husain Azad which will keep the professor alive for all the time to come.

Dr Peerzada Qasim was all admiration for Dr Farrukhi for being a learned teacher, incisive in his research, honest in his assessment, always keen to transfer his knowledge to his students, and also help cultivate their literary taste. He also praised him for his most admirable sketches, which will always be remembered in the annals of our literary history.

Prof Saher Ansari in his paper praised Dr Farrukhi for his ‘Azad Shinasi’ (understanding Azad) and found him a great academic and literary figure. Aangan mein sitarey, his collection of character sketches, is a remarkable contribution to literature, he said.

Dr Aslam Farrukhi in his address thanked the organizers of the evening and expressed his profound grief over the sectarian killing only a day before. While condemning in strongest words this cowardly act of terrorism, Dr Farrukhi said: “what essential in today’s world are the qualities of tolerance, endurance and softness in personal dealings.” He also read out some pieces from his sketches.

Talking about the present literary scene, Dr Farrukhi said that Urdu had immense capability to encompass academic and creative works in its fold and suggested that academicians should come forward to do more researches.

Earlier, two papers were presented by Ms Shaheda Hasan and Mr Nazrul Hasan Siddiqui, himself author of sketches published in book form and titled Deeda-i-beena. Mr Siddiqui highly praised Dr Farrukhi for his sketches in fine descriptive prose.

Saheda Hasan, an eminent poet, in her comprehensive essaycovered most of his personal and academic qualities, his sincere, pleasant and noble nature, a decent lifestyle, his devotion to soofis, particularly Hazrat Nizamudin Aulia, which had also enriched him spiritually and softened his heart, modelling his relationship with the humanity at large.

She also praised his critical examination of Azad’s life that “Urdu’s first literary historian, the founder of modern Urdu poetry and the greatest stylist in prose writing.” She recalled Dr Farrukhi’s contribution as a lexicographer.

At the outset, Mr Zafer Mohyuddin, editor Kahkashan, and one among the hosts presented a brief essay about the guest of the evening.—HA