Wahab Ashrafi passes away

Muslim Saleem (Bhopal, July 15, 2012) Dr. Syed Abdul Wahab Ashrafi hailwd from Bibipur (Kako), Jehanabad, Bihar and was born on 2nd June 1936 and died at Patna (Bihar) on July 15, 2012. He was Ph.D. (Urdu), MA in Urdu (Gold Medalist), M.A in Persian (Gold Medalist), M.A (English), LLB. Received Sahitya Academy Award for Urdu in 2007 [highest award for literature in India. The highest honours came for his book Tareekh-e-Adab-e-Urdu (Criticism), a masterpiece literary work recognized as such, the world over. He was chairman of University Service Commission in 1992-1997 and then Chairman of Intermediate council 1999-2004. Dr Abdul Wahab Ashrafi received Sahitya Academy Award (Urdu), for 2007

Dr. Syed Abdul Wahab Ashrafi's books have been included, for long time, in University Post-Graduate courses, viz., Gujrat University [Tafhimul Balaghat], Banares Hindu University [Qutub Mushtari ka Tanqeedi Mutalia and Ma Bad-e-Jadidiyat Muzmarat-o-mumkinat], Mysore University [Teesri Aankh], and many more.

He added chapters of new entries & introduction in Ganga Ram Garg’s International Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature. He was one of the editor of Birla Foundation’s “Encyclopaedia Indiana ”. K.M.Garg’s famous “Comparative Indian Literature” also include his 2 full length research papers. He was also co-editor of literary magazine “Commitment” published from London .

He was president of Progressive Writer Association in year 2001. He attended and chaired many international seminars as a delegate of the Govt of India. He visited London , Qatar and Mauritius recently for attending seminars and presenting papers.

In Urdu he wrote and published about 3 dozen books, some ran to five to ten editions. One of his major literary achievements is “History of world literature” in 8 volumes, which is already published.

Presently he is busy in writing his biography of which 800 pages are already written. He has prepared biographical sketches of about ten thousand poets and writers for the Bureau for promotion of Urdu, Govt. of India, New Delhi . He acted as literary expert for the Bureau for promotion of Urdu on the panel for preparation of terminologies.

He received many prestigious awards such as (a) Ghalib Award in 2001, (b) Bharatiya Bhasha Samman – the first and only recipient from Urdu so far, (c) President award for the promotion of Urdu language, (c) Urdu academy awards, etc.

His education started from Madarsa in Kako, Graduated and obtained Masters Degree in English from Bengal University and later he post graduated in Urdu & Persian from Bihar University , Muzaffarpur. He was placed first class first in the university exams in M.A. for English, Urdu as well as for Persian. He has done Bachelor of Law also.