Home > Society > Personalities in India > Syed Ahmed Khan’s Association with Mirza Galib
Syed Ahmed Khan’s Association with Mirza Galib
Syed Ahmed Khan’s book had a foreword written by Mirza Galib, where the latter loathed the former for supporting the policies of the West.

Share this Article:

Syed Ahmed KhanSyed Ahmed Khan`s Association with Mirza Galib was rather very cordial and affectionate. In the year 1855, when Sir Syed Ahmed Khan finished his highly researched and scholarly work of Abul Fazl`s Ai`n-e Akbari (which in itself is a difficult book), he approached the great Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib to write a taqriz (in the convention of the times, a laudatory foreword) for it. Galib, the humble person that he was, kindly obliged.

Ghalib obliged, but what he did produce was a short Persian poem castigating the Ai`n-e Akbari, and by implication, the imperial, extravagant, literate and learned Mughal culture of which it was a product. The least that he said was that the book was of little value and did not have much worth. Galib highly reprimanded the works of Syed Ahmad Khan for wasting his talents and time on dead things. What was even worse was that he praised sky-high the "sahibs of England" who at that time held all the keys to all the a`ins in this world.

Galib was greatly aware of the changes that were brought about by the Europe politics. Sir Syed, it can be said that, was highly annoyed with Ghalib`s admonitions, but he would also have realized that Ghalib`s reading of the situation, though not nuanced enough, was basically accurate.

Sir Syed later felt that he was the one who was better educated in English language ans well aware of the western society. Hence should have, by him, seen the change that now seemed to be just round the corner. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan never again wrote a word in praise of the Ai`n-e Akbari and in fact gave up taking active interest in history and archaeology, and became a social reformer.

This article is a stub. You can enrich by adding more information to it. Send your Write Up to [email protected]


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Personalities in India


Bollywood Personalities
Bollywood Personalities have contributed immensely to the success of the Hindi film industry in India
Theatre Personalities of Independent India
The different personalities in Indian theatre after independence reshaped the very form of "Indian Natya"
Hindi Theatre Personalities
Hindi theatre personalities are recognized all across the nation for their immense contribution in the field of Indian Theatre.
Sanskrit Theatre Personalities
Sanskrit Theatre Personalities was the main elements of Indian theatre with culture, customs and ethnicity.
Indian Golf Players
Indian Golf Players in the recent years have brought laurels to our country by winning some of the major international golf titles. The most successful Indian golfers in India are Jeev Milkha Singh and Anirban Lahiri.
Indian Badminton Players
Indian badminton players, for their brilliant performances and consistency, are popular across the globe. Several popular Indian badminton players have made India proud in international circuit.
Indian Prime Ministers
Indian Prime Minister is the Chief of the Government. He is the head of the Council of Ministers and leader of the major party in Parliament.