Dr Nabi Bux Baloch : Academic luminaries gather to pay homage to the late scholar
‘The government shall honour Dr Baloch by publishing his work’.
HYDERABAD:
The Sindh culture minister, Sassui Palijo, along with several notable writers, poets and researchers gathered at the Mumtaz Mirza Auditorium on Sunday to pay homage to the late Dr Nabi Bux Baloch. Amna Baloch and Ali Muhammad Baloch, children of the late scholar, were given shields while the culture minister announced a posthumous publication of his work, establishment of a special section in Sindh Museum and the renaming of the Bhit Shah Centre of Excellence in his honour.
The event was organised by the Sindh culture department in collaboration with Centre for Peace and Civil Society. Speakers at the event eulogised the services of the late professor for contributions in literature, research, lexicography, poetry and various other realms.
“In the pre-partition era, Dr Baloch was amongst a handful of persons who were fortunate to study in top-ranking international universities,” observed Jami Chandio, of the Centre for Peace and Civil Society. “However, in spite of the promise of a higher standard of life offered in the west, he preferred to return to his motherland and spend his entire life for its service.”
Jami wondered as to why Sindh had stopped producing icons like Dr Nabi Bux Baloch, Mirza Kaleech Baig, Allama Qazi, Shaikh Ayaz and Ustaad Bukhari.
“According to Unesco only four languages in the world have done extensive work towards its folk opus,” he noted. “These include French, Persian, Arabic and Sindhi,” pointing towards the contribution of these scholars.
Jami told the audience that Dr Baloch confided to him that there were three secrets of his health. These were a daily morning walk, eating fish and never allowing worry to creep up on him by keeping himself busy in work.
Dr Muhammad Qasim Bugio, Chairman of the Shamsul Ulema Mirza Kaleech Beg chair at Sindh University, remembered Dr Baloch’s aversion to quarrel and said he would always prefer humility, tolerance and patience whenever thrust into such a situation. “He would never let his temper fly by displaying meekness, affability and demeanour,” he said. Dr Bughio recalled that Dr Baloch was very patient to criticism about himself or his work. He would take it constructively and endeavour to improve his performance using that feedback.
Culture minister Sassui Palijo, speaking on the occasion, said that it was the responsibility of the culture department to preserve the magnum opus of Dr Baloch. The department would complete this task despite financial constraints in order to preserve the invaluable contributions to culture, heritage, history and literature by the scholar. She assured the audience that a chair for Dr Nabi Bux Baloch would soon be founded in Sindh University. “Dr Baloch was a person synonymous with research. We understand the urgency of chair in his name,” she stated.
Former vice-chancellor Sindh University, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, said that Dr Baloch’s contributions were a reflection of the love he had for his land, its people and its culture and history. “Sindh is bereft of scholars now. But let’s try and resuscitate it through our mutual struggle in the field of education and learning.”
Dr. Mushtaq Phul requested the culture department as well as other publishers to sell the books of the late Baloch at an affordable price. He said that a scholar like Baloch was hard to find in present Sindh, for he was a man who would practically apply his knowledge and work tirelessly to achieve his goals.
“Baloch was for Sindh what renaissance was for Italy, Reformation was for Germany and Voltaire was for France,” stated Agha Saleem, a contemporary writer and poet.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2011.
The Sindh culture minister, Sassui Palijo, along with several notable writers, poets and researchers gathered at the Mumtaz Mirza Auditorium on Sunday to pay homage to the late Dr Nabi Bux Baloch. Amna Baloch and Ali Muhammad Baloch, children of the late scholar, were given shields while the culture minister announced a posthumous publication of his work, establishment of a special section in Sindh Museum and the renaming of the Bhit Shah Centre of Excellence in his honour.
The event was organised by the Sindh culture department in collaboration with Centre for Peace and Civil Society. Speakers at the event eulogised the services of the late professor for contributions in literature, research, lexicography, poetry and various other realms.
“In the pre-partition era, Dr Baloch was amongst a handful of persons who were fortunate to study in top-ranking international universities,” observed Jami Chandio, of the Centre for Peace and Civil Society. “However, in spite of the promise of a higher standard of life offered in the west, he preferred to return to his motherland and spend his entire life for its service.”
Jami wondered as to why Sindh had stopped producing icons like Dr Nabi Bux Baloch, Mirza Kaleech Baig, Allama Qazi, Shaikh Ayaz and Ustaad Bukhari.
“According to Unesco only four languages in the world have done extensive work towards its folk opus,” he noted. “These include French, Persian, Arabic and Sindhi,” pointing towards the contribution of these scholars.
Jami told the audience that Dr Baloch confided to him that there were three secrets of his health. These were a daily morning walk, eating fish and never allowing worry to creep up on him by keeping himself busy in work.
Dr Muhammad Qasim Bugio, Chairman of the Shamsul Ulema Mirza Kaleech Beg chair at Sindh University, remembered Dr Baloch’s aversion to quarrel and said he would always prefer humility, tolerance and patience whenever thrust into such a situation. “He would never let his temper fly by displaying meekness, affability and demeanour,” he said. Dr Bughio recalled that Dr Baloch was very patient to criticism about himself or his work. He would take it constructively and endeavour to improve his performance using that feedback.
Culture minister Sassui Palijo, speaking on the occasion, said that it was the responsibility of the culture department to preserve the magnum opus of Dr Baloch. The department would complete this task despite financial constraints in order to preserve the invaluable contributions to culture, heritage, history and literature by the scholar. She assured the audience that a chair for Dr Nabi Bux Baloch would soon be founded in Sindh University. “Dr Baloch was a person synonymous with research. We understand the urgency of chair in his name,” she stated.
Former vice-chancellor Sindh University, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, said that Dr Baloch’s contributions were a reflection of the love he had for his land, its people and its culture and history. “Sindh is bereft of scholars now. But let’s try and resuscitate it through our mutual struggle in the field of education and learning.”
Dr. Mushtaq Phul requested the culture department as well as other publishers to sell the books of the late Baloch at an affordable price. He said that a scholar like Baloch was hard to find in present Sindh, for he was a man who would practically apply his knowledge and work tirelessly to achieve his goals.
“Baloch was for Sindh what renaissance was for Italy, Reformation was for Germany and Voltaire was for France,” stated Agha Saleem, a contemporary writer and poet.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2011.