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Renowned Urdu writer and scholar Jamil Jalibi passes away

Renowned Urdu writer and scholar Jamil Jalibi passes away

Jalibi is a literary legend for his four-volume history of the Urdu language and many other works
18 Apr, 2019

Prominent Urdu writer and scholar Jamil Jalibi passed away today after a long illness. He was 89.

While he enjoyed a diverse career, Jalibi is most known for his contribution to the Urdu language through his research and literary works.

Jalibi’s literary works spread over numerous fields and span about 70 years, but his Tareekh-i-adab-i-Urdu, or the history of Urdu literature, in four volumes, is the kind of work that has eclipsed almost all other literary histories of Urdu and has made Jalibi a legendary figure in the history of Urdu literature.

His research on the earliest literary pieces of Urdu, especially the ones written in Deccan in the 15th and 16th century, has pushed back the history of Urdu literature by one-and-a-half century. His discovery of Urdu’s first literary work, Masnavi Kudam Rao Padam Rao and some other classical works, such as Divan-i-Hasan Shauqi and Divan-i-Nusrati, have earned him the reputation as one of the most celebrated research scholars of Urdu.

His other books include Janveristan (an Urdu translation of George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm), Eliot Ke Mazameen (an Urdu translation of essays by T.S. Eliot), Pakistani Culture, Qadeem Urdu Ki Lughat, Arastu Se Eliot Tak, The Changing World of Islam, Tanqeed Aur Tajraba, Qaumi Angrezi Urdu Lughat, Adabi Tehqeeq and many others. He also edited Naya daur, a prestigious Urdu literary journal.

Born Mohammad Jameel Khan into a Yousufzai family on June 12, 1929, in Aligarh, UP, India, Jalibi received his early education at Aligarh and attended university in Meerut. In 1947, Jalibi migrated to Pakistan and did his MA (English) from Sindh University in 1949. In 1950 he did his LLB, in 1971 PhD (under the supervision of Dr Ghulam Mustafa Khan), and in 1973 DLitt.

In 1949, Jalibi worked as assistant editor for about six months for Payam-i-mashriq, an Urdu weekly published from Karachi. Between 1950 and 1953 he served as headmaster at Karachi’s Bahadur Yar Jang School. In 1953, he passed Central Superior Service (CSS) exams and became an official at the income tax department.

While busy with his official duties, Jalibi kept on doing his research work and writing articles and books. This earned him his position as Karachi University’s vice chancellor that he held from 1983 to 1987. He also headed the National Language Authority and served as the president of Urdu Dictionary Board.

For his services he has been awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Dawood Literary Award (four times), Baba-i-Urdu Award and Mohammad Tufail Award.

Comments

ABCD Apr 18, 2019 05:24pm
Why all Pakistani Urdu writers have roots in India only?
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M. Emad Apr 18, 2019 05:24pm
No Urdu language film made in Bangladesh after 1971.
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nkc nkc Apr 18, 2019 05:42pm
Dr Jalebi will be missed by his fans all over the world. Great loss for Pakistan.
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Must learn Apr 18, 2019 06:09pm
Jamil Jalibi Yousufzai, will be long remember for his thoughtful writings. He’was an icon and legend of Urdu literature, he also read chosen bnt great literature, philosophy, books from English writers, and he value the best literature or academic collection, and generously passed on to the Urdu speaking or Urdu knowling people. The optimum cool positive mind and thoughts he passed on to readers is the best human services he rendered. RIP.
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Hassan Apr 18, 2019 06:21pm
Rest in peace, Great person......
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Khan Apr 18, 2019 06:59pm
@ABCD. Answer is obvious because Urdu is our mother tongue. But besides Indians, Punjab has a great contribution to urdu Language, intact one of my friend who is Indian Sikh he re in US has beautiful urdu accent and vocabulary.
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Jamil Soomro, New York City Apr 18, 2019 07:03pm
@M. Emad No Urdu Films after 1971 because Rehman,Shabnam retired. And because of huge Hindu Bengali Population in Bangla Desh.
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Jehengir khan Apr 18, 2019 07:12pm
R.I.P....great person.....
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naji Apr 18, 2019 07:56pm
Great scholar, writer and legend of Urdu.
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Rashid Ali Apr 18, 2019 08:38pm
great loss.................will be a vacuum
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N abidai Apr 18, 2019 08:40pm
Urdu writers much needed,RIP ! However, there is a great interest in Urdu in the west. , However ,very out dated books. There is no Urdu writers left in Pakistan,or publishing houses ?
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Ayesha Apr 18, 2019 09:25pm
Very sad news. RIP.
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Khalid iqbal Apr 18, 2019 10:35pm
In Pakistan , urdu does not get the status it deserves, provinces are always worried , the provincial languages will loose it’s flavour , but that’s not true , the provincial languages will always be there , urdu works as cementing language for the people of Pakistan , all the provinces should give it a privileged status.
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Raja Idrees Apr 18, 2019 10:54pm
Rest in peace
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Khan Apr 19, 2019 12:30am
@Jamil Soomro, New York City . Soomro Saab, no offence but please make your facts right. Shanmam was working in Pakistani film industry long enough after the independence of revolt of Bengalis. 2nd Bangladeshi Hates Urdu and it was one of the main reason of the separation. and where the influence of Bengali Hindus came in by the way, Hindus are about 8% of Bengali population, if this was the case then how come Urdu is still glittering in Hindu Dominant country in India, especially Bollywood.
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AZAM AKBAR Apr 19, 2019 01:52am
Inna Lillaahe Wa Inna Ilaiehe Rajeoun.
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Shwetanshu Acharya Apr 19, 2019 02:09am
@Khan Agreed. +1
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Muslim Medina Apr 19, 2019 02:22am
@ABCD Some of the greatest writers are from province of Punjab and other parts of Pakistan. To name a few the great Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Fraaz and Qateel Shifai whose ghazals have been sung by Inndian singers.
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Naveed choudhry Apr 19, 2019 06:23am
@ABCD Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi and Manto were not.
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FAIRTALK Apr 19, 2019 06:55am
@ABCD Because none of the four Provinces of Pakistan are indigenously Urdu speaking. Inspite of that Pakistan has produced innumerable Urdu scholars whose mother tongue was not Urdu
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FAIRTALK Apr 19, 2019 07:08am
@Jamil Soomro, New York City Because Urdu is not the official language of Bangladesh.
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Salangi, Salman Apr 19, 2019 07:54am
He was a real Pashton from Yousafzia tribe the Afghan was created the Urdo language 70% of Urdo language I'd Farsi
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