India: Eminent Aligrah Professor Asloob Ahmad Ansari passed away

Aligarh 4^th May –Zakaria Virk

Eminent teacher of English Literature, famous critic and expert on Allam Iqbal, a long time professor at Aligarh Muslim University, Asloob Ahmad Ansari passed away in Aligarh. He was 91. He was born in Delhi, educated at Oxford, taught at AMU and retired in 1985 after an illustrious career.

He was editor of a renowned magazine Naqd-o-Nazar. He was a versatile critic who was adept both English and Urdu languages as critic and foremost researcher. His writings on Allam Dr. Muhammad Iqbal are a testimony to his penmanship. He was also an authority on Mirza Ghalib & Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.

Professor Ansari was given many prizes and award including Sahitya Academy and Urdu Academy. He was given an honorary D. Litt degree by Gorakhpur University in 2006. in May 2013 Delhi Urdu Academy awarded him its prestigious Bahadur Shah Zafar Award.

Many of his books were published from USA and Canada like Arrows of Intellect, a study in William Blake’s gospel of the imagination 1978 and William Blake’s Minor Prophecies. His Atraf-i Rashid Ahmad Siddiqui was published from Pakistan in 1998.

Prof Ansari is survived by two daughters, both professors.

He was buried in AMU cemetery, where besides Chancellor of AMU Lt. Gen Zamiruddin Shah and others dignitaries were present.