A book titled ‘Chand Tasvir-e-Raftagan’ that comprises brief biographical accounts of scores of prominent poets, scholars, critics, researchers and fiction writers would be launched at a ceremony at the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) on July 1 (tomorrow).
Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq would be the chief guest on the occasion, whereas SSUET Chancellor ZA Nizami would preside over the ceremony. The book has been compiled after several years of research by Ahmed Hussain Siddiqui, former director general of the now defunct Karachi Development Authority and former chief controller of buildings.
This would be the seventh book authored by Siddiqui. Earlier, he wrote books like ‘Sayahat-e-Maazi’, ‘Gauhar Baheera-e-Arab’, ‘Kishwar Aulia-e-Amroha’, ‘Dastan Khatam Par Thi’, and ‘The Pearls of Arabian Sea’, an English translation of ‘Gauhar Baheera-e-Arab’.
Prominent speakers Dr Jamil Jalibi, Dr Aslam Farrukhi, Dr Waqar Rizvi, Dr Syed Javed Iqbal and Dr Fatima Hassan would speak at the book launching ceremony.
The ceremony is being held under the aegis of Literary Arts and Culture Forum of the SSUET.
In his foreword, Nizami described the book as a memorable pictorial album in the history of Urdu literature and hoped that it would benefit not only our literary forums, but also the future generations.
He paid tribute to Siddiqui for his talented work and efforts in compiling this album, particularly in the selection of photographs.
The chronological lists of 445 noted personalities contains names like Amir Khusro Dehlavi, Kabir Das, Quli Qutub Shah, Sauda Dehlavi, Mirza Muhammad Rafi, Mir Muhammad Taqi Mir, Inshaallah Khan, Atish Khwaja Haider Ali, Zafar Bahadur Shah, Momin Dehlavi, Akbar Allahabadi, Sajjad Hussain Munshi and Amir Minai.
