Professor Muhammad Hasan, who passed away recently, will be remembered as a leading Urdu critic.
But Prof Hasan [1926-2010] who was associated with the Progressive Writers’ Movement was also a poet, a playright and a multi-facted personality.
He had penned a biographical novel ‘Gham-e-Dil, Vahshat-e-Dil’ on the ‘Keats of Urdu poetry’ Majaz Lakhnavi. The novel is considered a gem.
Dr Hasan wrote several plays including the famous drama on Ghalib. His play, Zohak, centred on the sensitive subject of emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the seventies.
A former chaiman of the Centre for Indian Languages, JNU, he wrote 75 books, which include his collection of poetry Zanjir-e-Naghma apart from some unpublished works.
A Lucknowite, his creativity bloomed further in Delhi after he joined the JNU. He paid special attention to drama and wrote several plays. His book on Iqbal, which was published in English, is regarded highly by scholars.
Filed under: Urdu World: News & Views
Dear Adnan,
Thanks for publishing the piece on Prof Mohamed Hasan sahib. While reading the article, I was hit by a wave of nostalgia because he was my teacher. Besides being a writer and critic, he was once a journalist also and worked for the Time of India briefly. He had great knowledge about journalism and taughts the basics of media to the students of JNU’s Diploma for Mass Media of Communication WITHOUT the help any book! He also taught us about writing radio drama, and about making films and TV documentaries, besides the nuances of print journalism. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen. Thank you again.
Nasir
good post