HYDERABAD: Speakers paid homage to Mirza Qaleech Baig for his services for the cause of Sindhi language and literature on his 166th birth anniversary at a programme organised in Sindh University (SU) on Friday.

They said Shamsul Ulema Mirza Qaleech Baig was a great writer of the world, but he was not given due recognition at the official level even in Sindh.

SU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Mohammad Burfat said that no road or institution had been named after Mirza Baig in any city or town and the university took initiative in 2009 by establishing Mirza Qaleech Chair which, he said, was active. Defining the title Shamsul Ulema as the sun of education and light, he said Baig was a great scholar, but he was not given his due place in textbooks.

“In English literature, William Shakespeare wrote 37 dramas, but Mirza Qaleech Baig inked more than 457 books in 43 disciplines including chemistry, physics, biology, zoology, plant sciences, Sindhi literature and anthropology,” said Dr Burfat.

He said one could guess about his personality after seeing volume of his books in over eight languages including Sindhi, Persian, Arabic, English and other languages. Welcoming gesture of the Qaleech family of gifting the scholar’s personal library to the university, the VC said they would set up a special prominent corner at the varsity’s central library to honour Qaleech’s treasure of knowledge and allow his books widest possible readership.

Baig’s grandson Mirza Aijaz Baig said that his grandfather was a luminous emblem of modern Sindhi literature and he had served the cause of Sindhi language all his life. He lauded Mirza Qaleech Baig’s unmatched contribution to Sindhi language and literature and said it was unfortunate that people of Iran, England, India and Gulf countries did not know about Qaleech even in the era when the world had turned into a global village.

“I bet today’s students are not familiar with even the name of the late writer, but many of the teachers too do not have an inkling of Baig’s literary output,” he lamented. He said that his contribution and services had enlightened generations bringing about positive change in society and promotion of core human values.

Aijaz Baig announced to hand over as academic present to the SU the entire personal library of Mirza Qaleech Baig, observing that the SU was best place to preserve and promote treasure trove of knowledge left by the icon.

Writer Nafees Ahmed Nashaad said Persian had been official language of Sindh in Talpur era, but the language saw a gradual decline during the British rule. However, he said, literary figures, mystics, historians and other scholars of Persian language could still be found in Sindh. He said native Sindhi intellectuals’ works in Persian were available in abundance.

Prof Saleem Memon underlined the need for publishing more works of Baig and reprinting of published books and making arrangements for translation of his works in English, Persian, Arabic and other international languages besides Sindhi. He said Sindh had historically been a centre of literary activities frequented by scholars from Iran, Iraq, Turkey and other countries. Firdausi had made mention of Sindh in his Shahnama, he maintained.

Author Kazi Khadim said Mirza Qaleech was conferred with the title of Shamsul Ulema and Qaiser-i-Hind because he was one of the greatest writers, poets and historians of the subcontinent. There were 457 books to his credit while he translated certain rare English and Persian books into the Sindhi language.

Three newly-published books of Qaleech by Mirza Qaleech Baig Chair were launched.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2019