Contents My Life.pmd
Transcription
Contents My Life.pmd
MY LIFE B. Sheik Ali Knowledge Society Publications Saraswathipuram Mysore MY LIFE Copy Rights Knowledge Society Publications Saraswathpuram, Mysore Book Name : MY LIFE Author : B. Sheik Ali Year of Publication : 2009 No. of Copies : 1,000 Publishers : Knowledge Society Publications Publication : No. 59, 7th Main, 3rd Cross, Saraswathipuram, Mysore - 570 009 & : 0821 - 2543439 DEDICA TION DEDICATION Dedicated to the fond memory of my mother, a lady of indomitable courage, of inexhaustible energy, of unflinching integrity and of immense fertility of mind whose sacrifices made me what I am. Preface For a long time a good friend of mine was pressing me to write my life, and I was evading, thinking what have I got to say which is not already said before by thinkers, leaders, philosophers, sufis and saints? But a student of mine, Shri Putte Gowda, now Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in the State, made me change my decision. What he said was, Sir, when you write it, it wont be merely your personal life, but it would be the history of the 20th century, as your life has spanned a good part of it. This was a different angle of thinking and I reflected on it. From that day, early in 2007, I took to pen only for half an hour every day, immediately after my morning walk, not touching the news paper before scribbling something on paper. This I did religiously only for 100 days, and lo ! there was a volume of 500 pages. While walking I would reflect on my past, and soon after, at the desk, it was in black and white. Life of any individual or nation, worthy of record, is like history which begins from an invisible point, makes its circles larger and larger and its flights swifter and swifter, until at last it shoots like a flaming comet from star to star, ultimately to turn closer to infinity. This sums up my life, born as a non-entity some where in a village, struggled hard to come up in life, faced challenges limitless in number, gained something in the realm of knowledge, shared that with all others, and adopted a simple principle of do good and be good. God was good to me every day. If some one were to ask me what was the goal of my life, I would say, live for others ; hold talent and wealth as a Trust from God ; be thankful to God for lifes responsibilities; do not be crazy for awards or rewards ; they too would come in Gods good time, if you deserve them ; kindle the conscience with the torch of learning and then you would know the responsibility you owe to the society ; do your duty at all times and in all circumstances ; earn the daily bread by the sweat of your brow ; nothing descends from the heaven ; you have to pay a price for every little thing ; it is the hard work that is the key to sucesess ; life leaps like like a geyser if only your cut through the rock of intertia ; the heights great men have reached are not sudden flights ; they have toiled hard night and day ; happiness is out of the reach of laziness; work is the best anti-dote to sorrow ; the best witness to Gods truth are those who show its light in their life. This is also my message to the youth. When I look back on life certain things strike me. The inexorable law of nature is the finest source to learn good morals. Nothing exists in the world for its own sake. Everything is for everything else. The cow grazes the green grass to give milk for others. A candle burns itself but gives light to others. A tree does not deny shade even to a wood cutter. The honey bees work hard to produce honey for others. The pearl in a shell and the musk in a deer are all for others. Man too should conform to this law of nature. He should know everything in the world moves towards a fulfilment stage, and that he too should rise from the fleeting pleasures of life to the maturity, to the nobility, and to the sublimity to realise everything is in a process of development and he too should become a part of that development. Life is something more than defending the borders of breathing where one should know the greatest good is the knowledge of the union the mind has with whole nature. When man links himself with whole nature, with the creativity of this universe, with the functioning of this universe how there is harmony, order and system everywhere in nature, he would start understanding the mystery of life. There is no security anywhere in life, but there is always an opportunity everywhere ; make the best use of the opportunity and you would be part of the development. When desires, emotions and ideas are harmonised, cosmos take place. When disharmony exists in them, chaos take place. Therefore, thoughts should not lack the heat of the desires nor the desires the balance of harmony. The man who gives himself wholly to things of beauty becomes a part of that beauty. Things closer to nature are things most beautiful. I made some of these principles a part of the philosophy of my life. In short I regarded the whole world as an open book for discerning minds to pick pearls of wisdom. Who can excel the industry of an ant, the fidelity of a dog, the gentleness of a cat, the calmness of a duck or the patience of a camel ? When even a pebble is polished, it shines like a diamond. A diamond is a stone that has both weight and glow. It is its glow that matters. How nice it would be if man too were to acquire the glow of a diamond present in him in the form of intellect ! The more you cut the diamond the more it shines. Likewise the more you reflect, brighter would be the glow of your intellect. Life is a gift of God, but good life is the gift of the good use of intellect. I thank God for blessing me with a profession which involved sharing the finest fruits of mans intellect through the ages, that is to teach histoy and write history. Finally, I have to acknowledge that I owe a good deal to several and several benefactors, to my parents, to my er teachers, to my guardians, to my alma-mat alma-mater er,, to those who helped me to rise in life, to go to Britain, to U.S.A. and to different parts of the world for lectures and to those who gave me an opportunity to establish not one but two new Universities. Apart from these there are numerous individuals, friends, associates, kith, kin, near and dear who assisted me in several ways in my social and eduactional work as also for my personal welfare. It is difficult to spell their individual names as they are so many and so many. They figure in the text that follows. I salute them all with the sicerity of my soul. However, I name only three persons here, one who funded the work, the second who typed it, and the third who printed it. It was my own son, Dr. Zakir Hussain, now Medical Officer in Brunei, who offered himself to meet the cost of publication. I sincerely pray for his and his familys health, happiness, peace and prosperity. It was Shri Shivamallu who typed the work, and Mr. Fairoze Ahmed who saw it through the press, I thank them immensely for they have become a source of great help to me. - B. Sheik Ali Mysore 22 January 2009 Contents 1. Refelections on Life 1 2. Education 25 3. Higher Education in Mysore 53 4. Graduation 67 5. University Service 95 6. Aligarh Muslim University 109 7. Married Life 135 8. Experiences in England 171 9. Professorship 205 10. Experiences in America 239 11. Vice-Chancellor of a New Universities 265 12. Vice-Chancellor of yet Another New University (Goa) 299 13. Social Service 325 14. Intellectural Pursuits 395 15. Epilogue 435 16. Personality, Traits and Estimate 241 1 Refelections on Life Life is a gift of God, a kind of radium that emits light and heat. It is also a mass, which you can put it to any use you like, turn it into a jewel or make it a pebble. It is like a river, with twists and turns, in continuous flow until it joins the mighty ocean. Its source is love; its pride is intellect; its glow is knowledge; its urge is desire; its tool is labour; its passion is wealth; and its goal is peace. To exist is to change, to change is to mature; to mature is to make progress, and to make progress is the purpose of life. In the evolutionary process man has now landed on moon; he is scanning the stars; sweeping the floor of the oceans; reviving a collapsing heart; and splitting atoms to release energy. Along with this control of nature, man has made some progress in the realm of higher thought as well, such as compassion and kindness, truth and justice, beauty and love, patience and perseverance, but not enough progress. It is a pity that his conquest of physical nature has not kept pace with the conquest of his own selfish desires. In the evening of life when a person reflects on his own past, strange, thoughts cross his mind. He gets puzzled at what he did, and what he did not do; what he gained, and what he lost; who helped him, who deceived him; what he should have done, and what he should not have done; what 2 My Life were his moments of joy and exuberance, and what, of agony and regret; and what thrilled him most when he was a child, when he was a youth, an adult and now an old man. When he reflects on these, he is overwhelmed by a feeling either of what Shakespear has said that life is a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing, or by a feeling life is a precious opportunity where every moment is a digital dot that adds to the sum total of a grand picture, which could be even of a Mona Liza. There is so much variety and complexity in the universe that no two leaves of a tree are identical, and no two individuals are the same in thoughts, deeds, feelings and emotions. One wonders at the harmony, the order, the balance and the interdependence that persist in things created. Nothing exists in isolation. A blade of grass and a grain of corn would not grow until all the potentials of the earth together with the heat and the light of the sun do not lend their support. If that is the case with a tiny seed, how much more the supreme of the creation, the man owes to his parents, to the society, to the State, and to the whole nature for his sustenance. Let alone all other things, if only one element of nature, the air is not available, he would be choked to death. Could he sufficiently thank God for the wealth he possesses, the eyes to see, the hands to work, the lips to speak, the mind to think, and the heart to feel ? If nothing else, his physiognomy would be enough to reflect on the wonders of the universe. Has he at any time reflected on this? With all his knowledge, skill and wisdom, can he produce a drop of water, unless nature gives it to him? With all his technology, can he create a single cell of human life? He cannot. Then, why should he kill others, why should he extinguish life of others? No beast does this, but look at his record. It is awful. This does not mean that man is missing graciousness and nobility. Far from that. Sometimes he reflects on the My Life 3 aspects of divinity, kindness, compassion, love, creativity, wisdom and understanding. He has learned a lot from nature and excels in the industry of an ant, the gentleness of a cat, the fidelity of a dog, the calmness of a duck or the patience of a donkey. When he is good he surpasses angels and when bad, he beats devils. That is why we find in his society high and low, rich and poor, princes and paupers, enlightened and ignorant, wisest and fools. Over the centuries he has witnessed sages and savants, artists and scientists, inventors and discoverers who have built great cultures, and also invaders and marauders, dictators and fascists, terrorists and extremists who have caused havoc. Of all the creations of God man is the most unstable, most unpredictable and most puzzling. In this complex world each individual is in a frantic race to be a bit better than before. He is struggling hard to rise high in his field, and his success would depend upon two factors, his own potentials and the environment. Some reach meteoric heights, some remain where they are, and the condition of some deteriorates. Their own abilities, skill, love, labour, patience, perseverance and imagination, together with circumstances determine their success or failure. They say there are three types of people, the Wills, the Wonts and the Cants.The wills accomplish everything; the wonts oppose everything; and the cants fail in everything. Fatalists say destiny decides who should be where in these three categories; rationalists say it is your will-power; biologists say it is your gene; and moralists say, it is God. The truth is we do not know, for life is a mystery. Why should Brutus stab Caesar? Why should Jesus go up the cross? Why should the apostle of non-violence, Gandhiji be a victim of violence? The more you ponder on life, the more mysterious it becomes. Pursuit of good life is the purpose of life. Each individual has a purpose of his own. Some are crazy about wealth; some seek knowledge; some exist for service; some 4 My Life want power and authority; some like sports or music or painting or art or craft; some sit in the foothills of Himalayas and brood and reflect on the realities of life, and some others indulge in the fleeting pleasures of life. The goals of individuals are as varied and different as are the individuals. The success of their goal would depend upon the intensity of their desire, the quantum of their labour, the quality of their skill, and quite a few external factors. When one goal is achieved, they target the next, and the next. Each conquest becomes the beginning of a new venture. They would feel the pursuit of the goal was more thrilling than reaching the goal, and hence the chain of pursuits. At the end of the day, they leave behind only the footprints of their journey. I. Childhood Of all the living beings, the human child is the most helpless. The moment a chick comes out of an egg, it begins to pick, but human baby is so helpless that it cant sit up, cant walk, cant talk, cant even eat until fed. At best it may swallow something. The future conquerors, emperors, leaders, orators, teachers, doctors or inventors are so ignorant at that stage that they know nothing. Yet they are the attractions of all, the focus of all attention, the centre of all care, love, affection, pride and joy. The baby is so cute, so lovely, so charming that it becomes the darling of all. People rejoice at its birth, more so if he is a boy, or a feeling of alright if he is a girl. At that time they do not realise what excellence is there in a son which is not there in a daughter. Perhaps, they expect a Bush or Blair would bring glory to the land. This humble self was also born as a boy, and hence the darling of the family. I was the youngest in the family of three children. I had one sister and one brother, the sister being the eldest, so elder that I was a baby when she got married. There was My Life 5 a wide gap between myself and my sister, but my brother was just three years elder to me. Considering our other uncles and other families in the village, Belagodu of Hassan District in Karnataka, where I was born, our family was the smallest. My brother passed away in 1949, and my sister lived long to reach for a ripe age of 97. She died recently in 2005, and her husband too lived long to cross a century. My parents did not have children for long. I heard them saying that they got married when Queen Victoria was still on the throne. That was the year 1900. My father, Gulam Mohiyudin, of revered memory was 23 years old when he married my mother, Kulsum Bi, who was just 13. My maternal grand father, Haji Fakhr-u-ddin, was a coffee planter in Nagenahalli village of Belur Taluk in Hassan District, perhaps the only Haji in that area. He had a large family of five sons and two daughters, my mother being the eldest daughter, but second in the family. My grand-mother died early leaving behind young children. My grandfather never married again, and hence my mother had to take care of all the children. She was almost the mother to them. My mother was a remarkable lady. I could recall her hard work, courage, foresight, love and management skill. She would work fingers to her bone. A very bold, frank and honest lady but not much literate, she possessed remarkable memory. Her common sense was amazing and her approach to problems was very pragmatic. She was a very principled lady, systematic and painstaking in all her work. Her fund of Kannada proverbs was so profuse that she could quote aptly on any issue. For a very long time my parents did not have any children. Seven years after they got married my sister was born in 1907 after many prayers, penance and pilgrimages. Then again there was a gap of twelve years before my brother was born. Being the youngest, I became the object of great love. My mother was very fond of me. She used to say that when I was in her womb she would get 6 My Life whatever she wished. If she wished to have a fish-dish, from somewhere it would be available to her. My father was a very learned man, almost a Sufi. He was very sober, calm, wise, mature and a man of great understanding. People in the village looked to him for advice and guidance whenever they faced any problem. He was called a Patelor chief. He looked after the affairs of the mosque which was just in front of our house. The village did not have a regular Imam to lead the prayers. Any pious or learned man could do it. There was a Qazi family which would normally do it, and read the Friday qutba or sermon. But my father would lead the main prayers. We owned about 15 acres of coffee land and 5 acres of wet land. This was quite sufficient for a lower middle class family to lead a happy and contented life. The coffee lands were in three different places, six acres within a radius of one mile, another six acres within four miles, and another three acres about fifteen miles from our village. My father would manage these lands quite efficiently, and we were supposed to be affluent people from the prevailing village standard. My father would have some surplus money and he would lend it those who needed it for small business. It was just to help them without any expectations in return. This was interest free loan and hence people had high regards for my father. This picture of a moderately good life changed in the late 20s and early 30s of the last century. My mother became a bit more ambitious to add more properties, and hence forced my father to buy one more house which was adjacent to us and another four acres of coffee land. We incurred debt for this. Suddenly the coffee prices crashed and in the depression of early 30s when England went off the gold standard, the world plunged into a crisis. We too were caught in that web. Coffee prices suddenly came down from Rs.20/- to Rs.4/-. We were not able to pay even the interest of the debt that was due. My father was a very My Life 7 sensitive man, who had never faced economic misery. He was greatly concerned how to discharge the debts. Moreover, the education of the two sons was also there. Our village, Belagodu, had only two primary schools, one Kannada medium, and the other, Urdu medium. The village had almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims, about 40 houses each in two separate localities. The Muslim populated area was on either side of the road that goes from Saklespur to Belur, and the Hindu locality was a compact Block of its own in a separate area. There was a lot of amity and concord between the two communities, and they lived like brothers. Occupation of both was the same, namely plantation or small business. The Hindu locality consisted of two castes, Lingayats and Brahmins. Brahmins were very few, only one or two families. I still remember the elderly, very sage like person, Mylaraiah, who was a friend, guide and philosopher to every one. He and his son, Gundu Rao, were the persons to draft and write all property documents. They were Shanbhogs and hence very respected people. They were very helpful also. It was the four acre coffee lands of Mylariah that we bought for Rs.1,000/and incurred the debt which we could not pay. The other community was of the Lingayats, and they were in trade and business. One of them was Basappa Shetty, who was a money lender. He charged heavy interest. We too became his victims. My father had borrowed just about Rs.100/-. He could not pay it back. The interest accumulated over the time. My father passed away. Basappa Shetty brought our house for auction. My mother got perturbed. I was a student of IX standard at that time. My mother had some jewellry, gold necklace and bangles. She gave them to me and said, go to Hassan and sell them, bring some money, so that we can wash off our hands from this affair. I took them and went to Hassan. I contacted a benefactor, Janab Jamal Saheb, who was a social worker of great repute known for his sympathy and help to any needy. He understood the 8 My Life problem, and helped me to contact several jewellers. I could still recall that experience going from jeweller to jeweller who would quote a little less than the previous buyer. I got exasperated. At last, the fourth or the fifth jeweller offered a price and I struck the deal. By that time it was already late in the day. My village from Hassan is about 20 miles, but it is not on the direct line to Hassan. The bus would go from Hassan to Sakalespur. Five miles before Saklespur there is a place, Baggi, where one had to alight and walk two miles to reach my village on the road to Belur. By the time I got down at Baggi, it was past 10 p.m. utter darkness, all alone, cash in the pocket, fear of a sort that would chill the bone. Again, there was a bush on the road, famous as a haunting place of devils that was the common belief at that time and I was walking reciting all Quranic verses to take me home safely. What is important to remember is not my agony but the anxiety of my mother. Poor lady was feeling miserable all day long, having sent a boy with the treasures of her life, the wedding bangles, necklace and savings of her life. The boy had not yet returned even late in the day. Every minute seemed an hour to her, and he was no where to be seen. She was anxiously waiting and waiting. He would not turn up. At last when she spotted me coming, it remains to be imagined with what glee she hugged me, Oh! my dear you have come back. That scene is still green in my memory, when I recall the tears that bubbled out of her eyes. There is nothing like mother in this world; nothing is equal to her love, and none but God could gift the bliss of love, for love is the source of all life. Love is the hunger of the human soul for divine beauty. Love is the manifestation of Divinity in man. Love is the movement towards sublimity. Love is not the feeble emotion or passing sentiments, but an attitude of life, mind and feeling which are strong, deep and enduring. God created mother to make it known what love is. Nothing has struck so hard on my mind as that hugging of my mother My Life 9 to me on that horrible night. I could recall several instances of my mothers love, courage and boldness. My father was soft, saintly, gentle and noble, but my mother was very dynamic. My uncle, fathers elder brother, was very terse, hard working and our immediate neighbour. In fact, his house and ours had only a common wall separating the two houses. My uncle was very harsh, aggressive and quarrelsome. He would demand many things from my father. Relatively we were more affluent and he was poor. I have witnessed frequent quarrels between the two brothers. My uncle would give blows to my father. Once I saw my uncle sitting on the chest of my father and giving blows. My mother would not tolerate. She took a broom, went straight to my uncle and said, leave him alone or else... She lifted her hand. Suddenly, my uncle released my father, but said not a word to my mother. Such was the culture that my uncle did not utter a word to a lady, for he respected the ladies, the quarrel was with the brother, and not with the sister-in-law. Next day, my uncle again would come to our door and call Mohidin Sab that was the name of my father go and get something for me to eat. My father knew shooting. We had a muzzle-loading gun; he was a good shot; the request was to go for hunting and bring something from the forest. My father would immediately start loading the gun, and my mother would start her sermons. Yesterday, you were receiving blows, and today you are going hunting for him. My father would not listen to her, and he would disappear soon, only to come back with a fowl or a rabbit in his hand, which he would hand over to my uncle. The barometer of my mother would rise high, but she could do nothing, for my father believed in the philosophy, do good to them that hate you; bless them that curse you; and pray for them that persecute you. My uncle was also a very fascinating man. He too was learned. Once he would start explaining something, he 10 My Life would do so much that you would be itching to get released from his clutches. He knew smattering English. Once he asked me, when I was in Upper-Primary class, what is the difference between dative and subjective predicate. I could not answer; he explained to me the difference. A farmer, a rustic, and one who never had any formal education would know so much about English grammar. He was so hardworking that in the process of digging in his paddy field at least one spade should lose its blade before the year was over. Another instance of excitement I could recall is the outbreak of plague in 1929. People had to move from their houses to temporary sheds somewhere in open fields. We shifted to our own dry land in the outskirts of the village ; down below lay our own paddy fields. It was a picturesque place, up and down water flowing everywhere, all greenery, plenty of playing ground, which we enjoyed. My father built zinc sheet shed of one big hall which was to serve all purposes, cooking, dining and sleeping. In the summer it would become very hot and we would come out and sit under the shade of trees. It was a kind of picnic to us, but my mother had to work very hard. We had a helper. My mother, had adopted a girl, Fatima, who was with us as a family member. She was with us for long until we got her married. She would do all hard job such as fetching water from a well, grinding, washing and so on. Holidays had been declared for the school. My sister had her shed in a different place, quite far, more than a mile, and some time we would go there. Any way, we enjoyed the life as it was quite different from the routine. Yet another instance I could recall of my childhood which was interesting was the annual fair at Hassan. It was a cattle show held in the last week of December every year. It was quite well-known in the State as one of the finest cattle-shows. Hundreds of the finest bullocks were brought for sale from all over the State. It was held for eight or ten days. It was not only a cattle show but a kind of My Life 11 super-market where all sorts of shops were installed. There were rows of sweet-meat shops, childrens toys, hosiery, copper vessels, fruits, dates, but for children the greatest attraction was the circus. My father once took me to the fair. Obviously, the circus was surely in the agenda. Nothing delighted more than the pranks of the joker. We were dumb-founded when the ring-master entered the lion-cage. Every item of the circus is still green in my memory. My father got me a pair of sandles, called chadavay but my brother got shoes. I became furious, for I too wanted a pair of shoes. I got so angry that I threw away the sandles. My father had no alternative but to get me also a pair of shoes. These little things of childhood are unforgettable. Yet another time of excitement was Ramzan, and the Eid-festival. Although the parents did not desire that small children should also observe fasts, we insisted. We would get up and would do our Sahri. My father would console us that elders observe only one fast a day, but children have the advantage of three fasts in a day. You eat with us now, and then at 12 noon, and then at 4 pm, and then at 7 pm. And thus you would have three fasts in a day. He had wonderful ways to please every body. Eid-day was a great day when we would have new clothes and go to Eid-gah, a place about a mile from the village, all in a group, chanting takbir and returning from a different route. In the evening there used to be sports. It was quite thrilling to see people with beards playing Khakoo. The playground was just opposite to our house. This affair in the evening after Asar prayer until Maghrib prayer was very enjoyable. Another delightful day was Good Wednesday in the month of Safar. Nearing the shopping centre of the village there was a tree which would suddenly become the centre of attraction. Merry-making youth would bring long ropes, tie them on the top of the tree, joining the bottom ends to a bamboo ladder, making a kind of swinging cradle. They would drag any one 12 My Life walking on the road to have a swing. The villagers would get quite annoyed, but the mischievous would enjoy. In the Indian traditions whether Hindus or Muslims or Christians, almost every month of the calendar is a month of feasts and festivals. Islamic calendar begins with Muharram. Though the month is meant to mourn the great tragedy of Karbala, somehow it had been over the centuries turned into the celebration of a peculiar type. Alava is dug, a pit in which fire is kindled, Tazias are made and on the tenth day processions would take place, boys dancing and shouting. It would remind us of the Ganesha festival of the Hindus. Young men would colour their body to make them look like a tiger, and they would dance. Wrestling would take place. All people, Hindus and Muslims, would join in the processions. The Shia community would celebrate Muharram with greater fervour. Lucknow was known for it. All those rituals have now disappeared but they were very much in vogue in my childhood. The second month of Muslims, Safar, would have the good Wednesday whose reference has come above. The third month is Moulud, the month of the Holy Prophets birth on the 12th day of that month. That is celebrated with great fervour even to-day. On all the twelve days people would sit in the mosque after maghrib prayer, that is after sun-set, and listen to the life and teachings of the Prophet. That tradition continues to this day. The fourth month witnessed the remembrance of the great Sufi saint, Khwaja Abdul Khadar Jeelani, who is greatly revered as saint of the saints (Peerane-Peer). He was from Baghdad and belonged to the Qadariya order of Sufism, which reconciled temporal and spiritual forces within man to acquire moral personality. Sufism is a doctrine which relates to the purification of heart, ascension to higher knowledge through penance and piety, and to indulge in great devotion so as to experience what is Divinity. A Sufi is so My Life 13 much lost in the love of God that in the ultimate analysis, he becomes a part of that spiritual force. Sufism is mysticism, and mysticism is a part of every religion whether Hinduism or Buddhism or Christianity or Islam. The fifth and the sixth months are blank, significant in the negaqtive sense that no good things are undertaken, no marriages are celebrated. The seventh month, Rajab, is the month to remember one more saint, Jafar Sadiq, of the scion of Hazrat Ali. I remember my mother would celebrate it with great zeal, the house was white-washed or at least the room where Fateha or prayer would take place. A special sweet called Puri would be prepared. They would be put in earthen bowls called Kundas. No meat was to be served. It was pure vegetarian feast. The eighth month was Shaban whose fifteenth day was Shab-e-Barath supposed to be very sacred. We celebrated it as our Diwali day with crackers and other fire-works. The ninth month was Ramzan, the month of fasting which would bring great joy. The whole month was a month of rejoicing, although it imposed restrictions in touching any eatable. Getting up in the mid-night, eating at that time and preparing nice dishes for Iftar in the evening together with special congregation prayers in the night called Taraveh were all items of great relish to every Muslim. Very very special night is the night of 26th Ramazan, when Quran was supposed to have been revealed to Holy Prophet. A good part of that night is spent in prayers. That night reminds us of the Christian celebration of Christmas eve. The first of the tenth month, Shawal, is Ramzan festival, the greatest day of the Muslim calendar when all faithfuls celebrate it with great gusto, with new dresses, with special prayers in Eid-gah and with special dish called Khurma. Citing the new moon the previous evening is considered as a moment of great excitement and joy. The year closes with the Bakrid festival, the month of pilgrimage to Mecca, the obligatory duty of every Muslim 14 My Life who could afford the cost, to go to Mecca at least once in life and pray at that sacred place of the origin of Islam. Millions from all over the world gather to rekindle in their mind and conscience the unity of God and the unity of man, the two cardinal revolutionary principles of Islam. It is also the festival that links the three great religions of the world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Kaaba was built by Abraham, the Prophet respected by all the three great Scematic religions of the world. It is significant for the supreme sacrifice intended to be performed by Prophet Abraham, namely to sacrifice his own son, Ismail, in the name of God. It was a testing time for the father to show whether he was willing to sacrifice his own dear son. When the son and the father actually demonstrated that they would not hesitate to do so, God was so pleased that he spared the life of the son, and placed a goat in his place whose throat was cut. It is a single example in the entire history of mankind where the father went to the extent of cutting the throat of his own son, but God being pleased with this action, not only saved the life of the son, but blessed the family with such glory and honour that Abraham became the founder of the three great religions of the world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Thus, the Islamic calendar starts with the supreme sacrifice of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Holy Prophet Muhammad and ends with the intended sacrifice of Ismail, the son of Abraham, imparting a lesson to mankind that life is suffering and suffering is life. You achieve nothing without paying a price for it, and the value of what you achieve would be in direct proportion to the value of what you sacrifice. Sometimes the value of your sacrifice would be manifold higher, as in the case of Abraham who became immortal. His name is recited by Muslims every time they perform Namaz or daily prayers. Another instance I could recall of my childhood is the Muslim Educational Conference that was held at My Life 15 Chikmagalur in 1933. The foundation of that Conference was laid way back in 1887 by the founder of Aligarh movement, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. It was one of his instruments apart from the Aligarh College and the print media to bring about social change among Muslims, turned them towards modernity, forced them to have western learning, and made them change their ways of living and thinking. Very rightly he thought that modern education was the key to lead a good civilised life. One such instruments he used was this annual educational conference which was religiously held from 1887 every year in some important city of India. It was a conference of three days when people from all sorts of sections, rich and poor, enlightened and ignorant, traditionalists and modernists, men and women, rural and urban, all gathered to take stock of the Muslim situation, devise ways and means how best to improve their lot, and plan methods how best to implement them. It was the turn of Chikmagalur in 1933 to host that Conference. The general or local Secretary of that Conference was Janab G.S. Abdul Hameed Saheb, who was no other than my own cousin, and later on my own father-in-law. Messrs Hameed Brothers were top coffee planters in those days owning coffee lands of over a thousand acres in three different places, Gadabanahalli, Hetkekool and Gundikan. They were three brothers, G.S.Abdul Basith, G.S. Abdul Hameed and G.S. Mohamed Yahya. Mr.Abdul Hameed was very prominent in political circles also, as he had been elected to the Mysore Legislative Council from the Planters Constituency. He had studied up to graduation level from Presidency College, Madras. He was an educationist and a social reformer in his own right, an enlightened and dynamic leader. He was the Local Secretary of the Conference. My father decided to attend the Conference, for it was being organised by his own nephew, sisters son. Moreover, my father had great attachment for that family which was reputed 16 My Life all over Malanad not only as an affluent family, but also as an enlightened one serving the cause of the community. My uncle, that is father of Janab Abdul Hameed Saheb, was named Sheik Ali, and my father had named me after him, indicating how much regard he had for him. It seems I was born after his death; to perpetuate his memory I was given that name. He was also a social reformer being influenced by Sir Syed whose renowned periodical, Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq, he had subscribed and had its full file. He had adopted his neighbouring village, Hosahalli, which he named Islamabad, and which he had improved a lot. The whole village was prosperous and progressive. It was he who sent his son to Madras for graduation. Any way, when my father decided to attend the Conference, my mother said I would also come with you. My brother was away for Higher primary in another place called Gullanpete and I was the only child in the house. As children are not desirable in such Conferences my father cajoled me to stay back with my sister, and I agreed. Just when the bus came for them to get on, I jumped into the bus refusing to get down, a promise which I broke. Willy nilly, my parents had to take me. We went to Gadabanahalli bungalow where my aunt, elder sister of my father, and the whole family lived. Janab Abdul Hameed had a large family, four sons and five daughters, the eldest of whom, Sufia Bi, I married later on. I was just a boy of 7 or 8 years at that time when I visited Gadabanahalli, which had so much to do with me in later life. My aunt hugged me and got me a coat (Jacket) which was blood-red in colour. I had never seen in my life such a big bungalow, with such fine furniture, cutlery, crockery and several items of luxury. I attended the Conference also which was held in the open ground of Government High School, Chikmagalur. Delegates from all over the country had come. A lady from My Life 17 the Punjab by name Miss Hijab delivered a very forceful lecture on Muslim customs and the urgent need for educating women. Professor Abdul Wahab Bukhari Saheb of Madras was very prominent. People paid particular attention to his address. My father-in-law was the Local Secretary who was very busy organizing the entire show. He was a very good friend of Mirza Ismail, the Dewan of Mysore, who had visited Gadabanahalli more than once. Any way, that Conference was memorable, and it is still green in my memory. I never thought at that time that destiny would link me with that house where I reached accidentally, despite the unwillingness of my parents. Another instance of my early life is the kind of experience I gained after the death of my father. In my childhood I was more attached to my father. I lost him when I was still in my teens. His loss was a terrible thing. The sorrow persisted for days and months together. Every moment his figure stared my imagination. I would simply sit and brood why destiny denied me his company. I would not reconcile to his loss. Now I understand why there are so many passages in the Quran stating none could gauge the emotions or feelings of an orphan. I used to be depressed so much as to feel that life was not worth living. This state of affairs persisted for long. Added to this misfortune was the economic misery that besieged the family. My cousins took advantage of our situation and started harassing us. The creditors made our life miserable. My brother became mentally unsound and my mother would not allow me to discontinue my studies. One could imagine how brave was that lady. She had to manage not only the household affairs but also the landed property in three different places, one was a mile away, another four miles away and the third fifteen miles, two acres of coffee land called Tumbekad, our ancestral property near Henly Estate. 18 My Life It may be of interest to say something about this ancestral property. My grandfather from the paternal side, Janab Gulam Nabi Saheb, was a very rich coffee planter owning nearly a hundred acres of coffee and several acres of paddy land. He had four sons, and three daughters. My father was the third in line, and my aunt of Gadabanahalli, whose grand daughter I married was the third in the line. After the demise of my grandfather, my eldest uncle named Henly Lala Saheb seized all property, gave nothing to the three younger brothers and drove them out to Belagodu village where they got some wet lands. With great difficulty my uncle from Gadabanahalli, brother-in-law of my father, my name sake (Sheik Ali) intervened and forced Henly Lala Saheb to give two or three acres each to the younger brothers. That is how we got that Henly land where we had two acres of coffee and two acres of wet land. After the death of my father, my mother had to manage this coffee land, fifteen miles away, where apart from coffee there was cardamom also. In fact cardamom was more and coffee was less. In the first year after my father passed away, my aunt in Henly (wife of Lala Saheb) allowed my mother to stay in their bungalow and pick the cardamom crop. But my aunt served notice to my mother in the following year that she should not stay in the bungalow any more, and that she should make her own arrangements. My mother bought a hut in an open field for Rs.40/- and started living all alone along with a little girl, who was her grandchild, named Sarabi. This little girl was the only support to my mother. They lived in a deserted place all by themselves, picking cardamom, drying them, selling them, and managing the whole show. Even in this situation my mother would not allow me to discontinue my studies. She would say, go, do your work and I would do mine. My Life 19 During the holidays I did something which is memorable. We had more than two months of holidays. My brother-in-law (sisters husband) named Belagodu Abdul Sattar was also in great economic distress. He had a large family and it was difficult to support them. We decided to do something. That was the season in April and May of soap-nut crop. We took sacks and a measure, went door to door in villages. Buy them and carry on the shoulders. If the load became too heavy, keep them in some ones house to pick some other time, take a fresh bag and hunt for the commodity in some other place. Like this we worked hard for more than two months. I would get exhausted. It would be nine or ten in the night by the time we would reach home. Once it so happened that walking all day long, I got so exhausted that I declared to my bortherin-law in the forest that I would not move an inch further and that I would stretch this sack as a bed under this tree and go to sleep. I did exactly that. Both of us on that dark night, only two of us, slept under the tree and never knew how quickly the time passed. It was early dawn when we woke up. Then we moved on doing the business as usual. At the end of our business project, when we calculated our gain, it was a grand sum of Rupees eleven each. Out of that money I got one quintal of ragi for the family, and bought a copper pot to fetch water from the well. The old one was so leaky that I got all my shoulders wet by the time I brought water home. It should be said at this stage that I witnessed such hard days that I would not have 25 paise to pay for the bus tickets from Hassan to Belagodu. I have walked the distance. It was about 18 miles almost 30 Kms. Even now I know every twist and turn of the road between Hassan and Belagodu. Adversity is really a good school, for the rich experience of that school brings good dividends in later years. When I became a Professor I bought an old Austin car. My daughter, 20 My Life Shahida, to whom I would take her to the college once remarked, Daddy, my friends tease me saying that we have a pre-historic car. It touched me so much that I sold my ancestral property of Tumbekad and bought a new Ambassador car to please my daughter. Getting a new car after selling the old one is not that significant or unique as the turn of events, nor how the same person who did not have a few pennies to pay the bus fare would go to the extent of buying a new car just to please his child. It makes us think that change is the law of nature. Constancy is death. Life leaps like a geyser if only you cut through the rock of inertia. Success requires love labour, patience and perseverence. Being a student of history it makes me think history is liquid philosophy which is in motion. Life is not subject to physical laws of cause and effect, but it is subject to Divine Law where what happens, good or bad, is all for our own benefit; if adversity comes, it has its own advantages and disadvantages, if prosperity, it has also its plus and minus points. Curzon planned his life. It went on as per his schedule to some extent. His ultimate goal was to become the Prime Minister as per his plan, but he never became one. We have to have faith in the dictum, man proposes God disposes. It does not mean that cause and effect do not operate in life, but beyond cause and effect there is that logic and reason which is best known only to God. That is necessary, for man would have caused many more havocs. Another instance I could recall is the last phase in my mothers life. She was all alone in a jungle only with a little girl, doing the hard job of picking the cardamom from the garden, never allowing me to do anything except to prosecute my studies, and it was her dogged determination and supreme sacrifice that made me what I am to-day, or else I too would have been one among the unknown. I had reached the College level at that time and was in the First year of History Honours course. When Dasara holidays came My Life 21 I went from Mysore to see her. First I went to Belagodu and then I went to see her in Tumbekad. I got up early in the morning, did my morning prayer, and started walking briskly. She was living at a place which was twelve miles by the nearest route and fifteen miles by the road. I had to be back at 11 a.m. in Sakleshpur to catch the bus back to Hassan, so that I could get the train to reach Mysore. Starting around 6 a.m. I walked so fast, and in some places even ran that I was with my mother by about 9 a.m. covering a distance of more than 12 miles. My mother was immensely pleased, served me my breakfast, and we talked all mundane things. My thoughts were all on time how to get back to Saklespur which was four miles away to be on time at 11 a.m. to catch the bus. I said her good-bye around 10 am. This good-bye is historical to me, because that was the last meeting before she fell ill and passed away. The tears that were bubbling in her eyes to say me good-bye are enough even to day to make me emotional. Mother, mother! What a gift God has granted to man! Could there be anything greater! In my work on the life of Maulana Azad I have sketched the parting scene of Azad with his wife, Zulekha, on 3 August 1942, when he left Calcutta for Bombay for presiding over the historical Working Committee meeting of the Indian National Congress to pass the memorable resolution of Quit India movement on 8 August 1942. His wife said good-bye (Khuda-Hafiz) but Maulana said, She was not saying good-bye because I was on journey but because she was herself about to start a journey. The same thing was true of me. My mother was not saying good-bye because I was on journey, but because she was about to proceed for her eternal abode in the celestial world. Great moments in ones life are not those when one earns laurels but those when he begins to understand the mysteries of life. This parting was in the month of October 1942, the same year of Quit India movement. The next news I got of my mother was a few weeks later 22 My Life that she was very ill, and that my cousin, Henly Abdul Wahab Saheb, got a bullock cart and sent her back to my sisters place in Belagodu. That was in the second week of December 1942. I rushed to Belagodu. She was in the last leg of her journey. I saw her and she exclaimed, Oh! you have come back. Thank God, I saw you before I breathed my last. That scene still haunts me. The billion favours she had showered on me, the love, the care, the suffering she had suffered on my behalf. More than all her grip over her determination, let what may, I would not make my child discontinue his studies. Special connotations are there for the meaning of love, affection, service and sacrifice in the dictionary of a mother. She was critically ill of pneumonia. We did not have enough resources to take her to a good hospital. We got her admitted to Belagodu Dispensary. There was a ward where she was kept for a day. The Doctor said her blood must be examined. There was no laboratory in the village. I was asked to take the slide to Hassan General Hospital, get it tested and bring the result. I borrowed the bicycle of one coffee planter, Abdul Majeed. In the village all are relatives. This Abdul Majeeds family now is very prosperous. All of them are living a good life, and one of them is doing social service running a High School, called Al-Ameen Hilal High School in Saklespur. Having taken his bicycle I started peddling to Hassan, about 18 miles, got it tested, and brought back the result to the Doctor. I covered 36 miles of distance, up and down, in about 3 hours. The result was chronic pneumonia. She did not survive. Doctor said, she is breathing her last, take her home, let her not die in the hospital. We took her home. Early next day, at the moment the Muezzin was saying Allaho-Akbar she breathed her last. She was a wonderful day, who did the greatest service to the society, undergoing all sufferings herself, but inscribing on the sands of time the idea that greatest wealth on earth is knowledge My Life 23 and greatest poverty is ignorance. Herself an illiterate she had the perception and the insight to realise the value of learning. That is why they say nations are not renewed from the top, but from the bottom, and that history has definitely established the fact that the real wisdom of human life is compounded by the experience of ordinary folks. A poor lady did what many wealthy people had not done. Sacrifice yourself to educate your child. 2 Education If life is a gift of God, good life is the gift of good education. Knowledge is light, knowledge is life, knowledge is power and knowledge is Divine. God is all knowing and He gave man intellect to know the mysteries of life and the realities of this universe. Man has made both good and bad use of knowledge, good use resulted in skill and wisdom, new attitudes and values, new humanism and peace, and bad use is to create instruments of human destruction like bombs, and tanks and guns. Nevertheless, man is fully engaged in acquiring knowledge and the result is the modern age of science and high technology. As my father was a very learned person he was keen to give good education to his children. All three of us, one sister, one brother and this humble self, were fairly good in studies. My sister who had passed just primary level was highly literate; she could not only read but also explain any difficult book of theology or philosophy. Her memory was amazing, her hand writing was very attractive. In our family the hand writing of all of us is very good, perhaps in the genes. My father used to write beautifully well, and instructed us also to pay particular attention to our handwriting. Not knowing what graphology is, that is the 26 My Life science of hand writing that would reveal even your psychology and your temperament, he took particular care to see that his children should cultivate this art. My brother would write well. I have four children, two boys and two girls, and all of them write so well that people may say they are calligraphers. My eldest son, and my eldest daughter write so well that it looks like a print. My grand daughter, Shama, won All India Gold Medal for calligraphy. It was all because my father sowed the seeds into this field and all of us are reaping the fruit. Our primary school was just in front of our house, within a stone-throw. The primary school had two-teachers, and sometimes only one. It was only a lower-primary with four classes, and the strength never exceeded forty. Apart from this Urdu Primary there was a Kannada Primary School and both schools had all four classes in one single big-hall. There were only a few benches, not sufficient to seat all children. First year and second year children would sit on planks, third and fourth year, on benches. Head Master had a chair and a table and also a big wooden box in which he kept registers and stationery. The Assistant teacher just had a chair. I had heard a good lot how harsh and severe were teachers on rowdy boys. Caning was normal, frowning was usual. Not in my days, but earlier there was one teacher by name Rasool Saheb whose very look would terrorise the children. I had heard awful stories how he used to beat the boys. Standing up on the bench, bending down and holding the ears through the two legs like a monkey, twisting the ear-lobes with a tiny pebble, were all different types of punishments for misbehaving or not learning the lesson. Spare the rod, spoil the child was the principle. Caning was the technique then to teach. Days have changed. Now teachers have to carry toffees to cajole the children When I was four or five I was put into school. I still remember I would hide somewhere in order to avoid going to school. My father is to hunt for me in order to drag me My Life 27 to the school. From the lap of the mother to the glare of the teacher is a journey from heaven to hell. If mother appears to be an angel to the child, the teacher, at least in those days, seemed to be a devil. This lasts until the child settles down to the routine. In the text book there was a lesson on a horse which belonged to Radha. That silly lesson I could not follow. My sister would take a cane, make me sit with a slate and ask me to write, Radha-ka-Ghoda. I would not write and she would beat me until my mother would come to my rescue. That Radha-ka-Ghoda still sticks in my mind. My father was very affectionate. He would go to the river and bring reeds to make a pen and would teach how to write Urdu. He would first write a line on top and would ask me to copy exactly like that. He would daily spend some time to teach me both reading and writing. Along with Urdu my father would make me read the first para of the Quran, how to perform Namaz and so on. I did not receive any punishment from my teachers for not studying well. I was the brightest student in the class. When I went to primary fourth year, we were only four, that means I was on the top of the class which consisted of four children. Even at that time I could recall I loved history. Even now I remember how much I liked Delhi Sultanate, particularly that mad king, Muhammad- bin-Thughluq, who is called the mass of inconsistencies, the mixture of opposite and the bundle of contradictions. The lessons of Queen Razia, Chand Bibi, Nur Jahan and Tipu Sultan were of special interest. I liked mathematics also, and I used to draw a kind of special pleasure doing the sums. When I passed primary IV class I could not be sent to Middle School, because there was no such school in Belagodu, and I could not be sent elsewhere because our parents could not afford that much money. Moreover, my brother was studying for Upper Primary in Gullanpet at my 28 My Life uncles place, (my mothers sisters husband) and hence my father put me in Kannada Primary School where I started from Kannada alphabets. Very quickly I started reading second and third year text books. One year I passed in Kannada and my brother finished his Lower-Secondary. He passed that examination which was in those days very creditable. That was the year 1933. My father decided to continue my education. The nearest Urdu Middle School was in Arehalli Village of Belur Taluk. There was a Hostel for out-station students built by a planter, Habibullah Saheb, a rich coffee planter, who had realised the need to promote education of rural children. There were about twenty boarders in the hostel, and the Warden was K. Abdul Rahman, a relation of our own. Even in Arehalli there were many families who were some way or other related to us. I joined the first year of Middle School and got interested in studies which were no problem to me. What struck me most of those days was the heavy down pour. The monsoons were so rigorous that on several occasions holidays were declared because children could not reach the school. I remember once we went to a place, while returning we were caught in a quagmire, the road became so marshy that our feet were knee-deep in the slush. Perhaps we might have covered a furlong in one hour. My maternal grand-fathers place was Nagenhalli which was hardly six miles from Arehalli, and I would often go there in holidays. There were two or three cousins of mine there with whom I used to have good time. We had five uncles there, who were planters. The eldest of them, Abdur Razaq Saheb, was a very learned person. He was the only one who was equal to my father in oriental learning. My father was very sober and saintly, but my uncle was more daring and dashing. It seems he confronted for a very long time a rival family in the village, which was Qazi Ghrana, and fought legal battles for a long time. I remember my mother telling me all his My Life 29 exploits, and how he won the court cases. He would ride a horse and had quite a few acres of land. There were very big bungalows in Nagenahalli, and I used to be greatly impressed by their grandeur and beauty. Even my grand fathers house was very big and impressive. The village Urdu Primary School was also just in front of that bungalow, as was the case in my own native place, Belagodu. In holidays other cousins of ours from Gullanpet (my mothers sisters children) would also come, and we would all have gala nice time, good food, care free roaming about, visit to several other uncles houses, having dinner parties there, going to the garden where a kind of ripe jack-fruit, small, wild variety, very juicy which we used to call, Pad-Phanas, we used to enjoy. We had at that time four uncles, Abdul Razaq, Abdul Sattar, Abdul Kareem and Abdul Wahab, and the fifth uncle, Abdul Quddus, had passed away. I remember how we had rushed from Belagodu when we got the news of his death. Perhaps I might have been just five or six at that time. It was a rainy season. A car had come from Nagenahalli which belonged to Hirehasadi planters. They were cousins of my grandfather, Haji Fakhruddin of Nagenahalli and my uncle Sheikh Ali of Gadabanahalli. The car belonged to Mahboob Ali, one of the sons of Hirehasadi Sahukar whom we called Pasha Saheb. This Mahboob Ali was the son-in-law of my eldest uncle, Abdul Razaq Saheb, married to his eldest daughter, Zulekha Bi. This lady was a little elder to my sister, Khateja Bi, and both of them excelled each other in knowledge and learning of that time, very good in reading and writing, and in remembering great events of the past. This Mahboob Ali was very fair, handsome, well-built, sober and looked like a prince. I could still recall how gently he broke the news of the death of my uncle, Quddus Saheb, and how he consoled the grief of my mother when she became emotional at the news. Perhaps for the first time I had a ride in a car along with my mother. We went to Nagenahalli. 30 My Life The scene of the funeral rituals is still green in my mind. This Quddus Saheb had two sons, one of whom was of my age, and we called him Pachalal. I was called Sabulal. Pachalal later became a Doctor and had a large family. The other son, Showkat was dumb and deaf. We stayed for quite a few days in Nagenahalli at that time.The deceased uncle, Quddus Saheb, was the most dynamic of all my uncles. My mother, who had brought him up, used to love him immensely, and would tell me a lot about his adventures. He was a good-shot, and had lately bought a fine rifle made in England. The beautiful catalogue of that rifle carried hundreds of pictures relating to guns. It was quite thick in size and we used to admire the taste of our uncle. He had bought a gramaphone as well. I had not seen a gramaphone before. Our hobby was to listen to the records and wonder how music would come from black discs. Any way visits to Nagenahalli even in later days were a source of great joy and merriment. When I was in Middle School at Arehalli, I got the news that another uncle of mine, the third in line, Abdul Kareem, whom we used to call Ajji Mamun, passed away. I rushed from Arehalli. My mother and father too had come there. A year or two later, another uncle, Abdul Sathar Saheb, also passed away. The other two uncles, Abdul Razaq and Abdul Wahab lived for long time. Abdul Razaq Sahebs son, Nazir Ahmed, is junior to me by year or two. He is still alive. He became a Doctor and made three of his sons Doctors and one engineer. All his children are very bright and even his grand children have come up very well in life. They have made a mark in the educational sector and have topped the list in this competitive life. Dr.Nazir Ahmed, my cousin, is deeply religious and belongs to a group called Tabligh-e-Jamat which believes in the propagation of faith. All his children subscribe to this group. In our family from maternal side, My Life 31 Dr. Nazir Ahmed is the only person who has done very well in life. With great difficulty my father was able to maintain me in the Hostel for one year. Adversity was such that he could not afford for the next year, and at the same time he would not allow me to discontinue the studies as well. He thought of a plan to seek the help of his affluent nephews of Gadabanhalli. The eldest of them was Janab G.S.Abdul Basith Saheb who lived in Chikmagalur. His house was located in the heart of the town on the main road and it was a twostoreyed building quite close to Jamia-Masjid, Sangeen Masjid and Lababeen Masjid. He agreed to have me in his house and I joined the second year of Middle School. His eldest son, Iqbal Ali, was quite senior to me, and he was in First year of High School. His second son, Sarvath Ali, was much junior to me, and he was in Primary School. There was one more daughter, Asma, who was senior to Sarvath Ali. After I left their house, two more children, Amir Ali and Fatima, were born. They treated me very well and I was quite happy. It so happened that the eldest son, Iqbal Ali, fell seriously ill suffering from small-pox. His mother was a very wise, far-sighted, frugal and gentle lady and she was very affectionate towards me. I was as if one of their children. She realised that small-pox was a contagious disease, and it could infect others also. Therefore, she decided, not to send me back to my place, Belagodu, but to send me to her Estate, Hetkekool, coffee garden, about 20 miles from Chikmagalur towards Tarikere Road. It was a very nice, big, spacious and beautiful bungalow built in the midst of picturesque landscape down below the Bababudhangiri Hills. It was built by my uncle, Janab Sheik Ali Saheb of Gadabanahalli whose reference has come earlier in this book. One should appreciate the spot he chose for the Bungalow, the design and plan of the bungalow and its beauty. Coffee lands have a glory of their own, tall 32 My Life shade trees, everywhere greenery, coffee plants of about four or five feet spread over the entire land, as if a green Persian carpet is spread over the entire area, and the hilly tracts of ups and down. A Keats or Shelly or Byron would be prompted to burst out into lyrics, which might touch and stir the soul. I was there for more than a fortnight doing nothing but enjoying. There were brooks whose running water made a kind of sweet melody; there were birds and cukoos whose fluttering and chirping would be a kind of delightful music. The Middle School was located about one Km. from the house. Strength in each class was not more than eight or ten. There were four teachers, one of them was Wasey Saheb, a poet in his own right. He lived for a long time and we had good contacts in later days. He was very affectionate towards me. I remember how he would teach geography. In order to make us understand the causation of night and day he would bring a globe and a candle, shut all the windows, make the classroom a dark-room, lit the candle and say the bright part you see is the day, and the back of it is the night. He would turn the globe and say how God in His wisdom has blessed every part of the earth with night and day. We had another good teacher who would teach English and arithmetic. There were some dull boys in the class. He was very harsh on them. There were bamboo sticks covering shade plants on the road. Every day he would bring a stick and break it on the back of the boys. During my stay in Chikmagalur I remember the visit to the Urus of Bababudhangiri Hills.It was a gala affairs, hundreds of people both Hindus and Muslims would gather there. The fakirs would perform miracles, they would cut their belly and join it. It was unbelievable. It seemed so to us, whether it was true or not, or just a show or magic, we dont know. Another point of interest I witnessed was the swimming competition.There was a lake very close to Chikmagalur Town. My Life 33 On a particular day all competitors would gather and show their skill in swimming. Prizes would be distributed at the end. The house I lived in Chikmagalur belonged to the three sons of my uncle of Gadabanahlli, namely Janab Abdul Basilh Saheb, Janab Abdul Hameed Saheb (who later became my father-in-law) and Janab Mohamed Yahya Saheb. The last two brothers had married two sisters of the same family, they lived together in Gadabanahalli, and they had joint properties. They had become very big planters owning coffee lands of nearly a thousand acres in four different places, namely Gadabanahalli, Koonmakki, Hetkekool and Gundikan. The two younger brothers were very dynamic, progressive, western educated, very informative both in politics and in plantation, possessing qualities of leadership. My father-in-law, Janab Abdul Hameed Saheb, was in politics also having been a member of Legislative Council and a good friend of the Dewan, Sir Mirza Ismail. He had good connections with the big planters of the area. Very ambitiously they had expanded their empire of coffee land to a thousand acres at a time when there was boon in coffee prices. This they had done borrowing heavily from the Banks, particularly from Mysore Bank. Suddenly there was a crash and coffee prices came down from Rs.20/- a maund to Rs.4/-. They were all in soup. It was a disaster. They could not pay even the interest. In 1934 when I was in Chikmagalur the crisis had not reached the peak. They were still struggling hard to make both ends meet. The two younger brothers had their differences with their eldest brother, Janab G.S. Abdul Basith Saheb. They were not even on talking terms. They would come from Gadabanahalli, go up straight to the First floor of our House, hold their meeting or Darbar, when all sorts of people would come there to meet them to discuss social, economic or political matters, have refreshment there and proceed further after an hour or two to their coffee estates in Hetkekool or 34 My Life Gundikan. This was the routine twice or thrice a week. While holding their darbar they would get all sorts of snacks or biscuits or fruits from the bazar. They would not eat all of it, and they would leave a lot behind. After their departure it was our turn, the children, who would fall on the residue and enjoy to our hearts content. I still recall those nice biscuits from England. Any way I had good time in Chikmagalaur. There was another cousin of mine by name Abdul Ghafoor Saheb, who was the eldest son of Henly Lala Saheb, my uncle. He had not married. He lived all his life with Basith Saheb taking care of his affairs and more so of his children. Every one called him Taya Saheb. His main duty was to take the daughter of Basith Saheb to school and bring her back. One year I spent in Chikmagalur in 1934-35 studying second year of Middle School. It was not Arehalli or Chikmagalur where I completed my Middle School Education. It was at Hassan which became the main centre both for the Middle School and High School education. In those days Mysore State consisted of only eight districts of an area of about 29,000 sq. miles. Except in Bangalore and Mysore where there were more than one High Schools, the rest of the District headquarters had just one Govt. High School. S.S.L.C. was almost a terminal course for most of the students, College being a privilege of only a microscopic minority of the rich and the influential. There were only two Colleges in the State at that time, one Central College which was for science in Bangalore and Maharajas College, which was for Arts in Mysore. This was the liberal general course, for professional studies Bangalore had an Engineering College and Mysore had a Medical College. Thus Bangalore and Mysore were the only two prominent places for Higher education, which most of the people would not afford. I had to leave Chikmagalur for personal reasons. I My Life 35 complained to my parents that Iqbal Ali, eldest son of Janab Abdul Basith Saheb is not very happy with me. He teases me, frowns upon me, and once he threw away all my books and trunk into the street. My mother and father got worried and thought of the alternatives.They did not like to discontinue my studies as well. The only idea that occurred to them was to think of another relative who would be willing to take me. My father thought of her niece in Hassan, who was the daughter of Gadabanahalli Sahucar, Janab Sheik Ali Saheb of revered memory, who was his brother-in-law, with whom he had very close relations in the past. If I could recollect those relations narrated to me by mother, they would be very interesting. This Gadabanahlli Sahucar was a very rich planter, well-known in whole of Malanad for his wealth, for his progressive ideas and for his humanity. His first wife died and he was hunting for a new bride. It seems my aunt, fathers elder sister in Henly, was a beauty queen. He had heard of her and wanted to see her before believing the stories of her beauty. He disguised as a stranger and went to her house saying he was thirsty and he needed water to drink. People in the family asked this girl to quench his thirst. She took water in a jug and not in a glass, perhaps he disguised himself as a beggar. The girl came before him. He sat on his knees, joined two hands together like a cup to get water and drink. It was customary in those days that untouchables should not touch the vessels and hence water would be poured into their hands. This man who had gone not seeking water but seeking beauty did not fold his hands property to receive water, but being seated on his knees had focused his eyes up on the girl. He was amazed at the stunning beauty of the girl, at once fell in love with her and got married. My mother had told me the events subsequent to this love affair. He was a rich man, and my grand father, Janab Gulam Nabi, was not so rich. After the wedding Sheik Ali Saheb, the new groom, asked his father-in-law what dowry he 36 My Life would give him. My grandfather was very resourceful. He said Take these two sons of mine, keep them as your boys and bring them up. This is my dowry to you. The two sons that joined their sister and went to Gadabanahalli were my uncle, Mahmood Shah Saheb and my father, Janab Gulam Mohiyuddin Saheb. Thus my father stayed for long in Gadabanahalli, When he married he took my mother also to that place. They spent two years of their married life at that place where one of the babies that was born, namely Janab Muhamed Yuhya Saheb (younger brother of my father-in-law, Abdul Hameed whose reference has come earlier) was nourished by my mother. It was my mother who took care of this baby. The youngest and the last child of this family was Fahimunnissa, popularly called Bee-jan who became my next patron at Hassan. She was married to a planter, Janab Abdul Rahim Saheb, who owned a Rice Mill at Hassan. He was known as Mill Abdur Rahim. He was a graduate, very enlightened, sober, a person of only a few words, very gentle, noble and affectionate. My father contacted this family and they were glad to have me in their house. That was the year 1935. He had a large family, ten children, seven daughters and three sons. When I was with them the sixth child, Firoz Nusrat Rahim, was born. All children were young, the eldest being not more than seven or eight. I was the eldest among the youngsters. I would do very happily all odd jobs, going to Mill, keep accounts, do shopping, help children and so on, besides my studies. Janab Rahim Saheb was very kind, and my cousin (Bijan Bu) was also very affectionate. Janab Rahim Saheb had very small circle of friends, but they were of high society, lawyers and others. He was a tennis player. He would play tennis with his pyjama on. He was very fond of cross-words puzzles which he would diligently attempt to solve My Life 37 that which appeared in the Illustrated Weekly of India, very popular periodical of those days. He would read The Hindu newspaper for a good part of the day. He would smoke and he was fond of fish. My cousin would fry the fish in a way that would become very delicious. He was fond of good food, very punctual about meal times, very knowledgeable in world affairs. Those were the days when the British monarch, Edward VIII had abdicated the throne and his younger brother George VI had ascended the throne. That was big news and he would discuss that. That was the time of the rise of the Nazis and the Fascists, the invasion of Abyssinia, and the expulsion of Arabs from Palestine, the great depression, unemployment and human misery. We had four teachers in Middle School, the Head Master, Janab Mohamed Ghouse Saheb, popularly called Mujeeb Saheb, was a double graduate, B.A., B.L. and another teacher was also Mohamed Ghouse, popularly called Sabulal which was also the nickname I was called. He owned a coffee estate also. He was a very good teacher. The English grammar he taught us still remains fresh in my mind. Urdu Munshi Saheb excited great interest in language and literature. Our Kannada teacher would explain the meaning of Sarvajnaya poet so well that the whole class would listen attentively. He was a very orthodox Brahmin. A mischievous boy once did a horrible thing. He brought an egg and broke it before the teacher, who almost collapsed by the shock. The result of this school was very poor. In those days passing Lower Secondary examination was something like passing a competitive examination of the present days. When we were in the fourth year or final year of Middle School a new teacher by name Syed Abdul Ghaffar joined the school. He was a very strict and disciplined teacher. I still remember the way he taught us geography. He would say South America is divided into A, B, and C; A means Argentina, B means Brazil, and C means Chile. We would remember all the great 38 My Life mountains in the world, all the great rivers, all the capitals, and so on. Nearing the examination, he said, Boys, after your dinner, come to my residence exactly at 8 p.m. We took our bedding also. We were eight of us. He would teach us in a separate room of his until 10 p.m. He would make us go to bed exactly at that hour by switching off the light. He would make us get up exactly at 5 a.m. He would call us once. If we did not get up, he had a long twisted rope like a hunters and he would use it forcefully on us. We were all nervous at his glare whenever he got angry. But the way he tutored us was so effective that it would stick in our mind. The result of his hard work was such that out of eight seven passed in the examination that year which was a record in the history of the school. I could recall an instance of this great teacher in my life. He had passed just SSLC of those days, and seven or eight years later it occurred to him that he should become a graduate. He passed his Intermediate and then joined Maharajas College for B.A. He took History as one of the optionals. By that time I had become a Lecturer in Maharajas College and was teaching European History to B.A. class. He used to be seated in the front row. It was a strange phenomenon. A humble pupil of his was on the stage, who was once shivering at his sight, and that mighty teacher who was once, was now listening to the lectures of his own student. He would listen attentively to my lecture on French Revolution how Rousseau had harnessed the horses of reason and how Voltaire had unchained the tigers of emotions, and how Montesquieu had warned humanity, dont cut a tree to get at the fruit. After the class he would meet me, and say, My boy! You have done well. Those were the moments of my blissful joy. I remember I had joined the Scouts Movement. There was a rally in Chitradurga. Pattabhiraman was the My Life 39 State Scouts Chief, a very impressive personality. We boarded the train from Hassan to Arsikere, changed it to Poona line, got down at Chikjajur and took the train to Chitradurga. We reached in the evening around 7 p.m. In big open ground large number of tents had been pitched. One of them was given to our school. We were four of them. Perhaps that was the first time I boarded a train. Dinner was served at 8 p.m. I still remember how I relished HuliAnna Our trip to the Hill where Haidars troops faced defeat at the hands of a lady is still green in my mind. Why he could not conquer that fort, and the great jamboori of the rally are all fresh in my memory. Our school was known for sports, particularly football. There were a few very good players and we used to beat the High School team and bring shield and prizes. That was something great. Things were going on smoothly. Studies was no problem to me. But something else happened which was very disturbing. I was in my cousins place quite happily doing the routine work, both household and studies. Along with me the nephew of Janab Abdur Rahim Saheb by name Abdul Lateef was staying in the house. He was studying in High School and I was in Middle School final year, examination being hardly two-three months away. Mr.Lateef and I were in the Veranda; suddenly I was called in to go somewhere and fetch something for the house. I left the place and went to the market. Next day I was told that the wrist watch Mr.Abdul Lateef had was missing. They suspected me I had taken it. That was the height of disgrace. All people in the house doubted, because they consulted an astrologer and he gave a hint, they said, that fitted me. I was annoyed when they persisted in doubt, despite my forceful denial, taking even an oath. In the open Veranda who stole the watch no body knows, for ever so many people could come and go. Lateef Saheb had kept it by his bed-side and had gone to sleep. By the time he got up, it was not there. Things 40 My Life became unbearable for me. I ran to my place, all the 18 miles, and reported the matter to my parents. My mother who was a very sensitive lady said, let what may happen I am not going to send my child again to the same house. My father was puzzled, but the voice of my mother prevailed. To her, honour was more important than studies, death should be preferred to dishonour. She compelled my father to go to Hassan and withdraw her child from the school. My father met the Head Master, Mujeeb Saheb, and narrated the whole story why discontinuation had become inevitable. The Head Master said, Your son is the brightest boy in the class, and I would never allow you to discontinue his studies. My father asked him what was the alternative. Mujeeb Saheb said I will adopt him, I will make all arrangements. You dont bother about it. My father took his advice, left me to his care and went home. Mujeeb Saheb Hazrat put me in his eldest brothers house, Janab Jaffar Mohiyuddin Saheb of revered memory. He was a retired Police Sub-Inspector having a large family of eleven children, and my addition made it a full dozen. His house was just opposite to Jamia Masjid called Sangeen Masjid, which was later on renewed by the kind interest and funds of Janab Ziaulla Sheriff Saheb, the renowned chairman of India Builders.The house we lived in Navayatwadi was not a large one, but one big hall and two other small rooms. There was no water connection to the house. We had to fetch it from the public tap, which was quite close by. Our schedule was quite regular. We would get up early in the morning, study our subjects as the examination was not far off, then go to the school. In the evening after dinner we would go to Hazrat Syed Ghaffars place, spend the night, and study until 8 or 9 a.m. come back home, take breakfast and go to class. One of the sons of Janab Jaffar Mohiyuddin, my new patron, was Abdul Ghani, My Life 41 whom we called Nawab Saheb, was my class-mate. He was a very good football player, younger to him was Daulat Saheb, who later got a chance to enter Mysore Civil Service, but after partition, he left the country and went to Karachi. It was a very lively large family of eleven children, five daughters and six sons. Daughters were Naseeba, married to Nazeer Ahmed Mecci Saheb, who was in a good Gazetted job of the Government of Mysore, Talia married to a very rich contractor, Ahmed Jan Saheb, Sughra, who had not been married at that time I was with them. Mahmooda and Nurjahan, they were junior to me still studying. The sons were Baseer Saheb, the eldest in the family who lived for a long time. Aleem Saheb, who became a graduate, got a good job, but left for Pakistan, the third was Nawab Saheb, my class-mate and good foot-ball player, Daulat Saheb, mentioned above, Shaukat Saheb who retired as a Principal of a Politechnique and Shuja Saheb. The mother of the family was a very gracious, gentle and noble lady. She was very affectionate towards me. She took care of me as if I am one of their family members, perhaps a little more than that. For a long, long time thereafter our relations remained very cordial. I never missed visiting her whenever I had a chance to be in Hassan. I remember the routine of breakfast we would have every day. It was exactly two small Dosay with a tea-spoon of ghee and nothing else. Hot dosays straight from the oven would be served to us, and that with ghee would make delicious dish. For lunch which was served early, almost daily a piece of meat cooked with leafy vegetable, dal and rice would be available. Large family, small pension needed extra income for the family which Janab Jaffar Mohiyuddin Saheb supplemented by hard work in his dry farm land which was six or seven miles away from the town. Thus, I had a different taste of life in the company of new set-up, new people which nevertheless added much to 42 My Life the rich experience. We never anticipate what is our destiny, who are our friends, who are our foes, who are our rivals, who are our benefactors. Our blood-relations, first cousins gave a hell of time making our lives particularly of my mother, miserable. They went to the extent of suspecting robbery on my part. Strangers came to the rescue, and helped a boy build his future. In particular I am grateful to Mujeeb Saheb Hazrat, whose humanity, help and vision, shaped the destiny of a poor boy. High School Life : There was a sudden change for good in my life as a student the moment I entered High School. My parents were delighted that their child had moved up on educational ladder. Perhaps I was the first child in our village who saw a High School. Although our family affairs in the economic matters were growing from bad to worse, with more pressure from the debtors, more depression in the coffee prices, and so on, my life as a student was on a stable-footing, with no probolem of any sort until I became a double graduate, because from High School to College level, I got Govt. scholarship, which was good enough to maintain myself. At some stage later, I would save something out of this also, and send it to my mother when my father passed away. My father died in the very first year of my High School when I was 13 years old. He died on Wednesday the 11th of April 1938. I still remember the date and the day. For a long, long time some foolish and superstitious thought had ingrained in my mind that both 11th day in the month and Wednesdays of every week are bad, because they stand for the death of my father. As I have indicated earlier, nothing in life had depressed me so much and so much as the death of my father. I could not reconcile myself to his loss at all. Every conscious My Life 43 moment of my life, he would be glaring in my vision. His picture, his face, his talk, his behaviour, his kindness, his goodness, all would haunt me, as if from a bliss a person is thrown into hell-fire. Emotional attachment that I had with my father knew no bounds. Life in the High School became quite different from the four years of Middle School. That seemed to me the end of my tribulations to find support for the continuation of my studies. The State took over that responsibility. From High School I year to Post-graduate level I got Govt. Scholarship which was good enough to maintain myself both in Hassan Hostel and later in New Muslim Hostel in Mysore, which became my life-long link to this day. In a way High School became a turning point in my life, when I need not have to bow before others, need not be at the mercy of others, and need not wash dishes to get two meals a day. The scholarship amount was small at the High School level but it was quite a bit at the college level, when I could send a fraction of it to my mother as well. Hassan High School had a vast open field, which was a play-ground, for foot-ball and other games. Abdul Wahab Saheb was the Head Master. He was Bar-at-Law from London, very disciplined and hard task master. He ordered that the School open-field and play ground was not a thorough-fare and the public should not take it that way. He spotted a lawyer crossing the field, he sent for him and warned that he should not do it again. Next day the same lawyer was doing the same thing. Again the Head Master showed a cane he had in his hands and told him frankly he would use the cane on him if he repeated his habit a third time. The lawyer was shivering in his shoe. That was the last the lawyer was seen on the field. Those were days when Spartan discipline was maintained in the Schools. I joined High School I year in 1937. That was the 44 My Life year when the curriculum was changed. Before that all courses were general. From that year optionals were introduced in three streams, Humanities, Science and Commerce with two papers each, apart from languages, general science, mathematics and social studies.I wanted to take science stream, but my friends frightened me that Maths would be tough. I did not go for Humanities as well, but chose commerce in which I did very well in the Final examination when I scored 84% which was supposed to be very high in those days. We had Sri Narasimha Iyengar for Mathematics, a very good teacher, thin, lean, tall, fair and smiling. I loved Geometry, particularly the theorems and solving the problems. I was good in Mathematics also. Needlessly people scared me at that time. Perhaps destiny had a different turn for me or else with science I might have gone for engineering or medicine, ending myself with mundane engineers and doctors. In life we have to believe man is not a master of himself; he is controlled by several other external factors like company, environment and more than all destiny, which means Will of God. We had Somasundaram who taught us English. He was a fat man who excited a lot of interest in English language and literature. The Science teachers were Parsarthy who later became a Professor in Central College and Aradhya who taught us Biology. All these three teachers, Somasundaram, Parasarthy and Aradhya became good friends of mine later when I became a teacher at Maharajas College. Once Somasundaram attended a lecture of mine in Bangalore at Theosophical Society on Philosophy of History, appreciated it so much that he patted on my back and said, Oh! Boy you have done very well. Both Parthasarthy and Aradhya would often greet me and recollect our past at Hassan High School. Our Commerce Teacher was Shama Rao, and he was very good in his subject, and would make such a dull subject like Accountancy very fascinating. The sense of interest, My Life 45 involvement and love for the subject was there in those teachers, who would take teaching not as a profession but as a privilege. Our Hostel life was quite unforgetable. There was a tank called Beeranahalli tank quite nearby, which is now dried up and houses have come up there. I was very fond of swimming. I would daily go there, attempt to learn swimming, but would not be successful. Others who were proficient in it would laugh at me. There was one very senior person from Arehalli by name Abdul Ghani, a very nice man who later became a great social worker and a rich Coffee Planter. He was also a student, but quite senior to me. He said to me, you would never learn to swim, come here I would teach you how to do it. He dragged me into the water, kicked me and pushed me far into the water. I started struggling, not to get drowned. Suddenly I felt I was swimming. I learned the art, and later that became a passion with me. I would never miss swimming. I loved it so much that I continued it for long in Mysore as well, where in Kukrahalli tank I would not only swim but also float. There were electric poles over the bund, each at a distance of 30 or 40 metres. Some of us in the Muslim Hostel would daily go there and challenge each other that I would do a pole more than you. At one stage we would swim to six or seven poles along the bund. It was a wonderful exercise, quite enjoyable. When the strength of the students increased in the High School, the authorities built not a pacca building but temporary sheds with open windows and no bars on them. The mischievous students particularly Muslims, would sit in the class until the teacher took attendance, and then quietly slipped out through the windows unseen by the teacher. Their next resort was Beernahalli tank when in the hot sun they would swim to their hearts content, until the lunch time. I remember our Urdu classes; Maulvi Abdul Ghafoor Saheb was 46 My Life our Urdu Munshi, very pious, religious, dignified Maulvi. The first question he would put was whether we performed our morning Fajar Namaz. Fearing God we would not utter a lie, and would confess we didnt. The only reaction of the Maulvi Saheb was, tears would flow down his cheeks. At least next day we would not miss Fajar namaz. That was how our teachers taught us morals and manners. Another good Urdu teacher was Ruknuddin Salik Saheb, a poet in his own right, quite different from Maulvi Abdul Ghafoor Saheb. Salik Saheb Hazrat used to like me very much. He would ask me to visit his house. I would take lunch or dinner with him and Salik Saheb would instruct me on several affairs. My High School days were eventful both from personal point of view and in world affairs. Personally I lost my father at that time which was the greatest tragedy that befell me. On the world affairs it was crucial period almost a turning point in history. The great depression persisted causing misery all over the world. There was a serious crisis in British monarchy when an Emperor had kicked a throne, empire, pomp and power for the sake of a foreign beauty, an American divorced lady Mrs. Simpson causing a sensation all over the world. That was the time when the Nazis were rising, and Hitler was emerging as a terror to the colonial powers. That was the time when Mussolini had invaded Abyssinia causing concerns in the chanceries of Europe. That was the time when the Jews were displacing the Arabs in Palestine, demanding a separate home in the Biblican land that had been for over a thousand years under the control of Arabs, ever since Hazrat Umar, the Second Caliph, entered Jerusalam, leading a camel on which his servant was seated, and he was on foot. That was the understanding between the servant and the Master that they would cover the entire route from Medina to Jerusalam, when the servant and the Master would ride the camel alternatively by turn. When they entered Jerusalem it was the turn of the servant to ride. My Life 47 When the Jews saw this scene, they surrendered without a word saying that no social order could excel this kind of equality. Ever since 1916 when a Jewish Minister of Great Britain, Balfour, conspired with Jews to hand over Jerusalem after the Mandatory Powers would withdraw from that zone, the British had sown a seed of discord which is still yielding bitter fruits of Arab-Israeli conflict. In 1936 the Jews forcibly occupied Palestine land causing great tension in the Arab world. I still remember how in our village we had offered sincere prayers to Almighty God to help the Arabs to retain the sacred place, which is next only in importance to Mecca and Medina. This was also the time when I felt miserable not only by the death of my father but also two greatest Islamic personalities of the world. One was Allama Iqbal who had stirred the imagination of the Indian Muslims by his exciting revolutionary poetry, and the other was, Mustafa Kamal Pasha of Turkey who had saved Turkey from total disintegration and had Europeanised and modernised his country to such an extent that it had become a good part of Europe as also of Asia. But more important than these was the declaration of the Second World War in 1939 which changed the very picture of the world. Ever since the British Prime Minister Chamberlain surrendered to the dictates of Hitler and signed at Munich, which compromised the superiority and authority of the British who were supreme for over a century, there was consternation in Great Britain. But the last straw was the invasion of Germany over Poland, which forced both Britain and France to declare war. That was the beginning of the Second World War which resulted in the utter disintegration of the British empire. In India there was an imperceptible glee over the successes of Hitler, for the freedom movement in India ever since the birth of Indian National Congress was struggling hard to gain independence. In fact, many people in Bangalore started 48 My Life learning German language hoping English was no good and the German language would be an asset in days to come. With these international affairs, at home the political scene was vastly changing. The British Government in India had implemented the Government of India Act of 1935 by which dyarchy had been introduced at the Provincial level. The Congress had formed Ministries in several provinces, and the League was displeased because the Congress had ignored it. It led to the rise of Mohamed Ali Jinnah who raised the slogan of Islam in Danger, organised the League so effectively that it passed in March 1940 the Lahore Resolution that sowed the seeds of Pakistan. The decade from 1937 to 1947 is very crucial in the history of Indian national movement. That was the time when with diarchy at the provincial level to full independence was achieved, with the horrible holocaust of partition. It started with tussel between the Congress and the League for sharing political power. The seed for partition was sown by the small step the Congress took to deny the League a place in the U.P. Ministry. Jinnah said at least two ministers of the League, Choudhry Khaliq-uz-Zaman and Nawab Ismail Khan be taken into U.P. Cabinet as League quota. Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru said he would take them provided they subscribed to Congress ideology, and not that of the League. This infuriated Jinnah who said that would be death knell to the League, for what would remain of the League if its ideology were to be lost. Punditji would argue that the British parliamentary system of government would require joint responsibility and perfect harmony where conflicts of ideology had no place. The idea of coalition governments had not matured at that time. The League Members were not taken. That widened the gulf. The Peerpur Report was prepared by the League which was an indictment of the Congress. The League was left out of power which humiliated Jinnah so much My Life 49 that he thought of the partition of the land. Hardly three years later in 1940 the Lahore Resolution of Pakistan was passed. Meanwhile, the Second World War broke out in September 1939, when the Congress Ministries in several provinces resigned as they refused to cooperate with Government in the prosecution of the War. The subsequent events of seven years from 1940 to 1947 are very eventful which witnessed the dawn of freedom. They would be discussed later in their proper context. My Hassan life makes me recall that there was no electricity in the town before 1935-36. When the first street-lights were lit we were delighted, and greater was the wonder when connections were given to houses. Sir Mirza Ismail was the Dewan at that time. Electrification of the State was his big programme. I remember a few important Muslim personalities of Hassan. One of them was Haji Muhammad Hussain, a Coffee Planter, originally from Arehalli, who became such a big planter as to own ten thousand acres of coffee land. He was perhaps the biggest planter excluding the colonial corporate concerns. But in the depression all his assets were washed off, and he fell into huge debt. All his income was not enough to meet the interest of the debt. But he was a very remarkable person, taking a lot of interest in social reforms. He donated his own bungalows for the residence of the Muslim students. The Hassan Hostel where we resided was his property. The Chickmagalore Muslim Hostel was his property. The New Muslim Hostel, Mysore came into existence because he met half of its cost. The Central Muslim Hall of Bangalore which Kalami Saheb and Abbas Khan Saheb built were out of the donation, at least a good part of it, he gave. His Ford Car would be like a public conveyance which provided a lift to any one known to him on the road. Whether any one built a house or school or a mosque, the wood of his coffee estates was available free for doors and windows. 50 My Life Our own village Belagodu mosque and Golgonda mosque were built by him. He was popularly called Sahukar Saheb. He was a social reformer advocating frugality and simplicity in the celebrations of the wedding. Formerly, wedding celebrations would go on for three days. He reduced them to one-day. The groom had to go to the brides place just on the day of wedding and leave soon after the lunch. The Mehar or the grooms obligation to the bride as per the religious sanction used to be a fancy figure, much beyond the ability of the groom to pay, and many a time it was never paid. Sahucar Saheb made people fix a reasonable figure, sometimes it would be as small as Rs. 97-50 p popularly known as. Sahukar Saheb would never go to any wedding unless these conditions were fulfilled, and the presence of the Sahucar Saheb was a privilege to the family. The status of a person in Malanad was determined by the fact whether Sahucar Saheb attended the wedding or not. It was his policy not only to promote education through his deep interest in it but also to financially support those who were needy. In fact when my father died, he came a few days later to offer his condolences to my mother, and asked her whether I was studying or not. When she said it was difficult for her to maintain me in the Hostel, he said I would help you. Consequently, he looked at me and said, my boy, come to our House once a month and collect something. I used to go and he would give me a rupee which meant a lot in those days. He did not survive for long. He died in 1939, a year after my fathers death. Another dignitary I remember of Hassan was Amir Hussain who was an Assistant Commissioner, a very big post in those days for Muslims. He was a retired person for having drawn the pension for over three decades. He had a beautiful bungalow, it was a piece to see, with tall greenary and trees all around. He was very charitable and had plenty of 25 paise coins always available and 25 paise in those days My Life 51 had quite a bit of value he would give it to any one who came to his door. Another big officer, an Assistant Commissioner, who was still in job was Janab Abdul Razaq Saheb, whose sons Asif, Manzoor, Marghoob were all known to me. Manzoor Saheb got married to Amina Bi, my wifes cousin, daughter of Janab Mohamed Yahya Saheb, younger brother of my father-in-law. Marghoob who was junior to me was a good foot-ball player. Both Asif and Manzoor were senior to me. Their sister, Mateen later on became my student and did her M.A. in History. Manzoor Saheb educated her children very well and they are all abroad in USA in good positions. Yet another personality of Hassan who was once very popular was Mohamed Jamal Saheb, owner of a Shoe shop. He was a great social worker, and once very rich having a fleet of buses. Spending much time on service and neglecting his own affairs resulted in the loss of everything he had. He too had a large family, but people would go to him for any help. He was the right hand man of Sahukar Mohamed Hussain Saheb. The most famous Lawyer of Hassan was Nanjundaiah. He had a very spacious plot of land for a big house that remained still incomplete. His son was Pattabhi Ramaiah, Scouts Commissioner whose reference has come earlier in the diary. 3 Higher Education in Mysore With my shifting to Mysore city for college studies came a big change in my life. That was the turning point of my life which shaped my destiny. I never moved basically from this city to this date, and perhaps, I may breathe my last here. Mysore city is a beautiful city called the paradise of pensioned people, nay to others as well. Its salubrious weather, its enchanting environment, its cleanliness, its quiet life, its wellplanned structures make it so fascinating as to attract lovers of beauty from the four corners of the world. Apart from other things it had in those days three important land-marks, one the Chamundi Hills, the second the Maharaja and his palace, and the third Maharajas College. Of these only the first has survived as the solid gift of God, and the other two, creations of man, have lost much of their glory. The Maharaja is no more what he was with the advent of political changes, and the Maharajas College too has faded into insignificance, because of the shifting of the campus to Manasagangotri, the great University Centre of to-day. Besides, Mysore had become famous for a few more things. One is Dasara which was renowned world over. Secondly, it was de-jure and not defacto capital of the princely State of Mysore, for the effective power was all there in Bangalore, where the British Resident resided and where the Govt. Secretariat was located called Atthara-Kacheri. It was from 54 My Life Bangalore, the administrative Head Quarters from where the Dewan or the Prime Minister of Maharaja exercised his authority. But the Head of the State was Maharaja, who resided in Mysore, and he was not only the constitutional Head, but also the final authority, the Sovereign, within the implications of the Subsidiary System. When I first came to Mysore in June 1940, the Maharaja, Krishna Raj Wodiyar IV, was still the ruler, and Sir Mirza Ismail was the Dewan. My first landing in Mysore was exciting, for I had not seen anything so fine, so nice, so beautiful in my life. When I got down at the Mysore City Railway Station, it seemed to be a wonderland; it was so impressive and so big. In those days there were Shah-Pasand Tangas, some of which have survived to this day. That was the main instrument of transport for common man. Four of us could ride on it.I went to New Muslim Hostel, Saraswathipuram, Mysore, the famous residential Home for Muslim students from all over the State. There were only two colleges at that time, one in Bangalore for Science and another for Arts in Mysore. I was lucky that I got a seat in this Hostel with which I have had life-long connection. Even to-day, I am associated with it as the President of its Executive Committee. The Hostel life was exciting for me. This Hostel was built in 1927 by the generous gifts of two great philonthropists, one was Arehalli Muhammad Hussain, whose reference has come earlier. He met half of its cost, and named it after his younger brother, Mohamed Imam Saheb, who passed away during his Haj Pilgrimage in Mecca. The elder brother, who loved knowledge so much, that he donated a handsome figure for the construction of this Hostel. When depression came and coffee prices crashed to rock bottom, he sold the timber of his Estates to meet the cost of construction. Such was his zeal to promote Muslim education. The other donor was Haji Sir Ismail Sait, the great philonthropist, who had My Life 55 generously donated seveal institutions in the State. The plot of land, quite spacious, almost five acres in extent, was gifted by Sir Mirza Ismail to the Muslim community, along with it to three other backward communities. Altogether about 20 acres of land had been granted to those who were educationally backward, so that students from those communities could find residential facilities to prosecute their higher studies in Mysore. When the plot of land was granted, the task of putting up Blocks was taken up by Sadiq Z. Shah, who was Private Secretary to the Maharaja of Mysore. It should be said to the secular character of this State that not only the Dewan, the Chief Executive Head, was a Muslim, but also the Personal Assistant of Maharaja himself was a Muslim. Sadiq Z. Shah was also from Iran, just as Sir Mirza Ismail was. Incidentally, it must be said that Sir Mirza Ismail was a class-mate of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, and that Sir Mirzas father was Ali Askar, a very influential Iranian settled in Bangalore, who played a significant role in the Rendition of Mysore in 1881. That means what Lord William Bentinck had done in 1830, namely taking over Mysore State from the hands of Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, and establishing direct British rule under Commissioners, one of whom was the famous Mark Cubbon, in whose memory Cubbon Park was formed, was annulled. After the events of 1857, the British had learned a lesson not to be arrogant towards Princely States, as Jhansi, Sitara, Nagpore, Oudh and other States had taught such a bitter lesson that the British had almost lost in a week what they had gained in a century. Ali Askar took advantage of these historical factors, went to England, pleaded with people who mattered most there and thus played a key-role for the transfer of power from the British to the Maharaja. Thus Chamaraja Wodeyar came back to the throne, for which the Wodeyar family remained grateful to Sir Mirza Ismails father. This service perhaps was one of 56 My Life the factors for the elevation of Mirza to the highest post in the State. For the construction of this Hostel, not only Sadiq Z. Shah, but also one of the local leaders, a social activist, Janab Sattar Sait Saheb, father of Aziz Sait who rose to be a prominent political leader and Minister in Karnataka in subsequent days, took great part. This Sattar Sait was the younger brother of Muhammad Abba Sait, a dynamic Muslim leader of Mysore State. He was very close to the palace. It seems they were cloth merchants, and the palace people were also his customers. The Sait family played a great role in the social service of the community. When the Hostel was built, a Managing Committee was formed with the Principal of Maharajas College as its President, and one of the teachers of Maharajas College as its Secretary, and the Warden of the Hostel. When I came to the Hostel, the President was J.C. Rollo, the Principal of Maharajas College, and the Warden was Janab H.R. Abdul Majeed, Lecturer in Persian of Maharajas College. He was from Hassan, a relative to Hazrat Mujeeb Saheb, whose word about me to Majeed Saheb extended good support to me. Majeed Saheb became our Urdu teacher in the College as well. He belonged to Persian Department whose Head was Agha Abbas Shustri, a Persian himself from Iran. In those days Persian was given more importance than Urdu. Shustri Saheb had written in Persian a book on Lord Krishna, which was a course-book in the syllabus. This indicates how liberal were the days when there was so much of respect and regard for oriental cultures, whether of Hindus or of Muslims. Greatness was respected wherever it existed irrespective of caste, creed or class. I entered into this Hostel and was allotted a seat in Block A Room No.1. There were six Blocks of two rooms each together with a long Central Block which had a Dining Hall, behind which were built a Kitchen and six bath rooms. Behind this Kitchen Block were located toilets. These were My Life 57 all tiled structures, but the timber was teak. These were separate Blocks built as if to take the entire spacious open ground into possession, and also to facilitate quiet atmosphere for serious studies. In my room the two other boarders were Mr. Syed Shah Ali and Mr. Mohamed Haneef. The former was in Urdu Honours which was started just that year in 1940, and the latter was in Philosophy Honours, the reputed Department of the University, headed by the renowned scholar, Prof.A.R. Wadia. He was a Parsi, and was held in very high esteem in the scholarly world. His Department was lifted so high that the entire Maharaja College was called Philosophy College. It had a band of very distinguished scholars, like Raghavendrachar, an authority on Vedic studies, Yamunachar, very erudite and profound teacher whose lectures would become magnets to attract large crowd ; Raghavachar, who had done research on Hegel and Raja Rao, who had a very sweet tongue, whose melodious voice was a treat to listen. Mr.Haneef, who had joined this course, was no other than the son of Janab Muhammad Imam Saheb, in whose name Sahucar Mohamed Hussain Saheb of Arehalli, had built three Blocks in the Hostel. Mr.Haneef was quite sober, refined, gentle and deep in his thoughts. He was very punctual and regular in his habits. Mr.Syed Shah Ali was altogether of a different temperament, a bit assertive, dogmatic, ambitious and demanding. He became my preceptor, almost guardian, giving and helping me in everything including morals, manners, habits and behaviour. He was in Urdu Honours and he would bring Urdu books, and I would read them. Later on when he did his Ph.D. from Lucknow University, he took a lot of help from me. In those days there were no Urdu typewriters and the thesis had to be written by hand. As my hand-writing was better than his, I wrote the thesis. After partition, he left the country, went to Karachi, settled down there, became a Professor in one of the Universities, and recently he passed away. 58 My Life Mr.Haneef contested for the Vice-Presidentship of the College Union, and won the post. It was a very prestigious position. The College Union in those days was on the models of Oxford and Cambridge University Unions. Only very dynamic, competent, imaginative, sociable and popular students could win high posts of the Union. When I was a student, I knew two Muslims who held high posts in the Union, one is this Haneef, and the other was Mr.M.Abdul Khader who became the College Union Secretary, the most important position. He was a student of Prof.Abbas Shustri of the Persian Department. He had taken English as one of the optionals, and hence a student of J.C. Rollo. He was a very good orator with a lot of organizing ability and skill. Later on he went to Aligarh and did his M.A. in Urdu under the renowned Urdu Professor, Janab Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqui of great repute in the scholarly world of Urdu. He tried his utmost to become a Professor in the University, but was not successful. He joined St. Philomenas College and did great service to Urdu language and literature. Hostel life was exciting and exhilerating to me. Students from all sections, rich and poor, of different age, of different places, of different disciplines and of different habits and thoughts lived together. It was a good social mingling where academic cross fertilisation would also take place. Mr. Baig was in Economics Honours, and we would hear a lot about Matlhus or Keynes or Marshall. Prof. V.L. DSouza was the Professor of Economics, a very witty, jovial and sociable Professor. His talk would be hilarious. In those days academic functions, whether special lectures or debates or talk by visiting dignitaries, were very exciting and we would not miss them. Any function presided over by A.R. Wadia or Prof. DSouza, or Rollo, or Yamunacharya or Narasimha Shastri of Sanskrit Department would be exhilerating. Likewise, we would get benefited in the discussions on subjects like Philosophy, Psychology, Literature, History, My Life 59 Politics or Economics. These were the main disciplines taught in the College. One, Mr.Abdul Quddus Patel, was a student of Philosophy, a boarder in the Hostel. He was unique in several respects, very gentle, refined taste, soft spoken, very jovial. He had a lota or a mug of his own which he always carried. He was very punctilious in his dress, very clean, neat, spick and span. He was well built, quite stout, an impressive personality in his own right. Another Urdu scholar by name Muhammad Haneef, wrote a very hilarious article in the Hostel magazine, called Patel-Ka-Lota caricraturing the habits of Mr.Patel. He suffered from epilepsy. Whenever he had very hot water bath, not very often, he would be attacked by this ailment which would make him miserable and at that time he needed particular attention. The Hostel life in the first year of my stay underwent a peculiar phase of confrontation between two groups. The butt of attack was on the administration. Some supported the existing system and some opposed it. Lively discussions would take place in the dining Hall, which would become a battle ground between two rivals. The strife went on for a year which affected the examination results so much that many did not pass. This taught them a lesson. When they came next year, the first thing they did was not to repeat the performance of the previous year, not to indulge into any confrontation, and to be friendly with one and all. That was the last of the bitter experience. Since I was in Junior Intermediate it did not affect me. A few more instances of this Hostel life could be narrated. There was a medical student, Mohamed Amin from Channapatana. He had brought a basket-ful of mangoes which he would bring to the dining table and eat himself without sharing them with others. One day when he was away, we robbed that basket and nothing was left for him. He would 60 My Life bring a bottle of ghee and samething would happen to it. The menu in the Hostel was rice and dal with vegetable palya. Dr.Amin would help himself with the dal so lavishly that Dr.Nasiruddin, another Medico, would remark, Amin Sab, are you hunting for grains of rice in the pool of dal in your plate ? This Dr.Nasiruddin Saheb who had done earlier his L.M.P., who was already in a job, and who had married the daughter of Abdul Razaq Saheb, Assistant Commissioner (brother-in-law of Manzoor Saheb, married to Amina Bi, cousin of my wife and also a student of mine) had come to Mysore to do his M.B.B.S. He was a remarkable person. He had a large family, and all of them were highly educated, some of them are now well-settled in USA. Later on Dr.Nasiruddin became a member of the Hostel Managing Committee, but more solid work he did was the establishment of Azam Bait-ul-Mal, a charitable institution that collects funds for helping the needy and the poor. Even now this Institution exists in Mysore rendering yeoman service. Another tradition of this Hostel was a very fascinating way to see-off boys going to public examination on the first day. All boarders would gather to garland them, not with flowers, but a string of leaves, and they would march in procession chanting and greeting as far as the college premises. It was a sight to see pumping up the spirit of the boys in a real comradery of social solidarity. During the Dasara or Christmas or summer holidays, the boys would go to different places to collect funds from the public to help the poor boys with free-boarding. Deserving boarders would get this help. I would actively participate in this venture. An interesting personal experience of mine in the Hostel could be recalled. Once when all boys had gone home in summer holidays I was all alone in one of the rooms. Suddenly the weather changed and took a cyclonic trend. It was night time. There was a huge eucalyptus tree quite close to the Hostel Block. In the dead of the night, the gusty winds My Life 61 became so severe that a big, quite heavy, branch of the tree fell on the roof of the Block. All tiles of the Block littered the whole room. It was a big crash, as if a bomb was exploded. Suddenly when I woke up I found it was all dark, lights were off, leaves, twigs, branches were there all over the room, but not a single tile, not a twig, not a branch had fallen exactly on the spot where my cot was placed. I was safe, as if destiny had taken care to protect the area where I had slept. I could recall another instance in my life, much later of 1959 when I was in London. On a particular day when I was crossing a road near the Trafalgar Square in London, I never noticed a bus was fast rushing. Suddenly a powerful hand, as if of a Gama Pahlevan, came across my chest and made me stop. A second later the bus passed. Had he not prevented me I would have been no more. The English man having done this great service did not look at me, for I may stop him and waste his time thanking profusely for saving my life. Forget the politics of the English, as a race they are a gem of people. All qualities of high character are concentrated in them. That is why they ruled over the world for quite a long time, nearly for two centuries. Life in Intermediate College : Mysore had only Degree College that was Maharajas College. The present First Grade College, adjacent to Maharajas College, was in those days only an Intermediate College of Arts and Science for two years. That was the only Intermediate College, apart from one in Bangalore, in the entire State. I joined that College in 1940. For all purposes both this College and the Maharajas College were regarded as one unit having one common Union, common canteen, common play-ground, and all facilities being common. The teachers of Maharajas College were taking classes of 62 My Life Intermediate College, and the teachers of Intermediate College were taking classes in Maharajas College. We used to attend all functions of the Maharajas College. J.C. Rollo was the Principal of Maharajas College and Nagaraja Rao was the Superintendent of Intermediate College. He used to wear a close-collared coat with turban. He was popularly called Coachman. My subjects of study were History, Economics, Logic (HEL) as optionals with compulsory English and Urdu as languages. In history, we had British History, Greek History and Roman History. I used to like Greek History taught by a very good teacher, N.Kasturi. He would make the subject so interesting, as if it was a romance of the bye-gone days. The Pelopennesian Wars, the Marathan Battle, the Legislative Assemblies, the art, architecture, Philosophy, literature, drama, politics, every thing of Greek history would be made so interesting by Sri N. Kasturi that we would not feel how the hour passed. He was called Nataka Kasturi (His initial was N) and this talent was manifest in the art of his teaching. In the Final Intermediate examination I scored the highest marks in History (72%) which they say was a record, for no one had scored earlier more than 70%. British History was taught by M. Seshadri, and he was also a very good teacher with his own peculiar pronunciation of English. Later on he went to England for higher studies and became the Director of Archaeology. Another History teacher was Dr.B.S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, later rising to Professors Chair in Manasagangotri. He would utter Umm, umm at the end of every word. Some one asked him, why he did so. He shot back Is it so omm ? In Economics we had, Principles of Economics and Economic History of England. S.L. Rama Rao would teach us Principles of Economics. Those teachers had a knack in making the students understand the essence of a subject, and even today we have not forgotten the basics they taught. The kind of examples they gave us for supply, for want, for demand, My Life 63 for the agents of production, land, labour, capital and entrepreneur are all still fresh in our mind. Logic was a dry subject, both Deduction and Induction. Sri Hanumantha Rao would teach us Latta and Macbeath were the authors who had written a text book on Logic and we would make it a Bible. We developed taste in Logic as it made us think what to infer, how to infer, and how important was what inferred. We observe the phenomenon what is created is sure to perish. Man is no exception. We observe X, Y, Z, all die. X is a man; he will also die and hence all men are mortal is the inference, a reality that is writ so large in the scriptures. Hence logic is that reasoning that would stand firm in mind to help us to take right decisions. Our language teachers were wonderful. English language was on top of all subjects in those days. Europeans were still there in the University at that time, such as Mcalpine, Macontosh, Rollo, Eagleton and others. Indians too were superb in the grasp of that language. B.N. Shama Rao, Rangauna, B.M. Srikantaiah, Narasimha Murthy, Govinda Rao, Mallaraiah, Keshavan, and a host of others were there to excite our interest in English, which even to-day is the lingua-franca of the world. Shakespears dramas were compulsory. We had Merchant of Venice in the Intermediate Class and Hamlet in the Honours Class. We still remember how the character of Portia, of Shylock, of Antonio, of Bassanio were drilled into our ears, and how exciting it was to listen, to discourse from our teachers All that glitters is not gold, Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing; To be or not to be, that is the question, and so on. We have learned that drama or poetry or good piece of prose is that which touches, stirs and teaches us delightfully. There were occasions when we would be waiting when the English hour would come. 64 My Life If this was the case with English, much more so was the case of Urdu language, which we loved from the bottom of our heart. It was so, particularly because our Urdu teacher, Maulvi Muhammad Khan Saheb was unique in several respects. His depth of knowledge, his wit and humour, his way of explaining, his perception of men and events, his diction, and his inimitable way of presentation were all such that it was a life-time experience to listen to him. Our text was Chand Hum Asar biographies of some great Indian personalities written by Baba-e-Urdu. Maulvi Abdul Haque. Maulvi Saheb had an unique incisive ability to judge, fathom, estimate and assess the potentials of great personalities, and he would throw light both on the positive and negative aspects of the achievements of those people. Urdu Drama was another feature of those days. There was an Urdu Association which would put up every year a drama which was very popular. I remember in 1941 they presented Shakuntala drama which was very much appreciated. A boy by name Nazeer Ahmed, a very handsome figure, whose features were feminine, became the heroine, Shakuntala, and Urdu Honours student, Mohamed Haneef Kaleem, became the hero, Dushyanta. Both these characters acted so well, and so well, that they attracted repeated applaus. I was also allotted a minor role in that drama. That was the first time I appeared on the stage. In the Urdu Department of Maharajas College the photo in which I too had figured was hanging for a long time. Kannada dramas were also very popular in which teachers too would take part. Our History teacher, N. Kasaturi, was a very popular figure in that field. Union activities, functions, debates, sports, public lectures, gymnasium, and Coffee House were the other sources of great attraction of those days. In the Hostel life we would not miss any great movie of those days. Hindi films were very popular. Saigals tunes would be reverberating in the bath rooms next day. Mr.Baig My Life 65 would be singing and singing So ja, so ja, meray raj dulare etc. The standard of movies like Pukar, Sikandar-e-Azam Dunya-na-Manay, Shadi etc, would be very popular. Woodlands, or Prabha, or Olympia theatres would screen these Hindi films. English movies were not much in vogue those days in Mysore. Swimming was yet another important past-time. In those days in Saraswathipuram there was Mekhri garden which houses at present JSS Womens College and other institutions. Tall cocoanut trees, betel leaves, and betel-nut trees with running water would make an exceedingly pleasant and ideal spot in hot summer to prepare for the examination. We would go there in day time to prepare for the examinations. Some of our class-mates were very bright. There was keen competition among us to excel each other. Mr. Muneer Ahmed (whose elder brother, Abdul Hameed, was my teacher in Hassan High School) was a very bright student. He had taken geography and I had taken history. Geography was first introduced in the University at Intermediate Class level in 1940, and a year later in Maharajas College, where Janab Nazeer Ahmed, fresh from Aligarh Muslim University, had been appointed. He played an important role in motivating our community to take up to higher studies. He was a fine gentleman deeply interested in social service, and in helping the community. Mr. Munir became his student, later on went to Aligarh to do his M.A. in Geography. He left the country, went to Baghdad, and then to USA where he settled down. He is no more now. He married the daughter of Ismail Shariff Saheb, who had retired from a high post in the State service. He was the first Muslim to pass Mysore Civil Service. His sister, Dr. Habeebunnisa, became Professor of Urdu later in Manasagangotri. 4 Graduation My entry into Maharajas College was yet another mile-stone in my life. I was linked for ever with that institution which stood for knowledge and learning. I was associated with that College for over two decades either as a student or as a teacher. That was the College that shaped my destiny. It was a wonderful College of high repute with men who possessed both aristocracy of intellect and sublimity of soul. An idea, a great desire, lurked in my mind and soul that I should also be one among those. They rightly say that if one concentrates more and more on a particular point, one becomes a part of that point. I had scored high percentage of marks in optionals, History, Economics and Logic at the Intermediate examination. My mother was still alive at that time and she was very happy that I was doing well in studies. She encouraged me to go ahead. Maintenance was no problem, as from High School I was getting merit scholarship and that was enough for the purpose. When I passed the Inter exam, two choices were there, either to go for Pass Course or for Honours Course. I decided the latter, for in the sub-conscience it was working you would not be a college teacher unless you did M.A. The next issue was which Honours to choose. I preferred at that time Economics Honours. People said it had better prospects in 68 My Life life. I filled the form for Economics Honours, saw Prof.V.L.DSouza, who became later my great benefactor, guide, philosopher and friend. I had contact with him until his death. He liked me very much. Later on, he became the Vice-Chancellor also. After retirement he shifted to Bangalore, where he had bought a bungalow in Cantonement. I used to visit him there and he would highly appreciate my respect and regard to him. He was too happy to give me a seat in Honours, both because I had scored high marks in Economics and because there was a trend in those days to encourage deserving boys from the backward communities, more so minorities. At that time some one informed Prof.M.H.Krishna, Professor of History, that a Muslim boy had scored record percentage of marks in History (72%) in the Inter examination. He sent for me, looked at the Marks Card, got up, hugged me, and said, My boy! You must do History Honours. I was nervous. I had been warned by friends not to go for History Honours, for I would not get a fair deal at the hands of Prof.M.H.Krishna. He is communal. He is bitter on the Muslim rule in Indian History; he poures poison on Aurangzeb; not a single soul belonging to Muslim community had joined History Honours till that day. This was the information that had been drilled into my ears, and hence I was nervous, and in two minds. But the affection with which he greeted me touched my soul and I promised that I would join History Honours. In Economics Honours there were over twenty students, but for History only six had joined, and they too were not of high calibre. The brightest of the students would join either English Honours, which was in high demand with European staff, or Economics or Psychology or Philosophy. These Departments were headed by stalwarts.If English Department had a galaxy of brilliant stars, the Psychology Department was headed by Prof.M.V.Gopalaswamy, a psychologist of international repute, whose book was a text My Life 69 in England. He was perhaps the first in the country to start experimental psychology at the college level. He was the one who coined the word Akashvani for radio transmission. He started this in his own residence, broadcasting usefu educational information. Dr. Kuppaswamy was another good teacher of Psychology Department. Philosophy was headed by Prof. A.R. Wadia, who was held in very high esteem in the scholarly world. Both Wadia and DSouza were popular icons in the eyes of the students. History Department too had very good staff. Prof.M.H.Krishna had a London Ph.D. having worked under Rapson, who had edited the First Volume of Cambridge History of India in six volumes, regarded world-wide as an example of high-class European research work. Prof.M.H. Krishna became the Director General of Archaeology a year later after I joined the Honours Course. Dr.Venkatsubba Sastri, who too had done his Ph.D. from London joined the Department. Earlier he was in Bangalore. Dr.Sastri had worked on Munro System of British Statesmanship in India. If M.H.Krishna was a specialist in Archaeology and ancient Indian History, Dr. Sastri had worked on modern India touching Constitutional History. History Department too had very distinguished scholars like Radha Kumad Mukherji who had written History of Indian Shipping and Unity of Indian Culture. Venkateshvarlu also had served this Department and had written Essentials of Indian Culture. In fact, what Oxford is to Great Britain, Maharajas College was to Mysore State, the Centre of higher learning that gifted superiority of mind to our youth. It excited in them the thought that living is not merely defending the boundaries of life but also to make them creative, committed and cultured. It was a great institution that humanised man with new attitudes and values to face the challenges of life. We could say, it was a kind of power-house that converted 70 My Life the Chemistry of man into moral energy. We felt that this college was a centre where the past, the present and the future melted to mingle in order to inject the wisdom and the knowledge of the past into the mind and conscience of the present generation so as to build their future. This college was busily involved in advancing, diffusing, conserving and examining knowledge. They rightly say that any institution is organised energy that perpetuates an impulse through time, and this institution perpetuated the impulse that if you suck the honey of pure thought then you would know the meaning of real life. This college stood for that high ideal. I joined the History Honours course, whose importance I realised later that history is the vital magistrate that passes the final verdict on men and events. Here I learned that history is the memory of man without which a man would ever be a child, and that a nation that forgets the past would be condemned to re-live it. A galaxy of brilliant teachers made me love this subject so much that I made it my profession to eke out my existence through it. I was a student of Maharajas College at a time when such European Professors as J.C. Rollo, Mcontosh, Macalpine and Eagleton were still on the staff. Macalpine was the ViceChancellor and Rollo was the Principal. It was an intellectual treat to listen to Rollo, particularly on Shakespears dramas. He was so diligent in his work that he would correct the composition exercise books meticulously, bring them to the classes, and point out how grave were the mistakes we had committed in not knowing the difference between pass by and pass away. His alacrity and smartness are still green in my mind how he hopped over the stairs of the college. It was an admirable scene to watch the Principal rushing up from the ground floor to first floor. He would not hold a drama text in his hands to teach, for he knew the whole text by heart. My Life 71 Our own Indian Professors whether A.R. Wadia, or M.V. Gopalaswamy or V.L. DSouza, or M.H.Krishna, or B.M. Srikantaiah, or K.V. Puttappa, or Narasimha Sastry, or Yamunacharya, or Purushottam, or M.V. Krishna Rao, or B.N. Shama Rao were second to none in the excellence of pedagogy. It was all music to listen to them how they would pour out wisdom and knowledge in rhythmic melody. They would touch, stir and move the hearts of the students to teach delightfully.If it was a class of B.N. Shama Rao on Wordsworth, daffodils would dance in the heart of the students. If it was a lecture of Purushottam, the lava of Vedantic philosophy would bubble up in the soul of the students. If it was a debate on the current problems of the day, the hilarious talk of V.L.DSouza would fill the hall with mirth and laughter. If it was a symposium, the diction of M.V. Krishna Rao would recall the memory of Dr.Johnson. If it was a Kannada play, N. Kasturi would steal the show. In any walk of life, the college had such illustrious stars as to outshine any in the world. The Union of Maharajas College was a training yard of democracy for the youth to learn the art of election campaign. Commencement of academic year would always be so exciting as they would herald the dawn of election fever in the Union. The entire student community would get excited to know who among them would be a winner.The candidates would put up a tough show, would work hard to canvass their case, and would excel each other in asserting their merit. It was almost a replica of either Oxford or Cambrdige union. The European staff encouraged the boys to show their persuasive power, debating ability and organizing skill. The hub of activities would be College canteen at that time whose contractor, Krishna Iyer, would harvest a bonanza in his business. The candidates would empty a good lot of their purse to win votes. 72 My Life The major programme of the Union was to organise good functions, debates, dramas, lectures and cultural programmes. They would invite local, national and foreign dignitaries. Any V.I.P. to Mysore would not miss visiting the College Union. These functions would take place either in the Junior B.A., or Senior B.A. Halls or in the Quadrangle. Even Arnold Toynbee visited Maharajas College. I was associated with this College nearly for a quarter of a century, ever since I came to Mysore in 1940. Those were hectic years of the Second World War, the Cold War, the exciting era of national movement, the trauma of partition, the period of national reconstruction, the era of Jawaharlal Nehrus regime, the educational reforms, and the phase of the linguistic re-organization. The College was actively involved in the academic discussion of all these issues. I have witnessed the phase when the students of this College plunged themselves deep into Quit India Movement of 1942. J.C. Rollo was the Principal, a great disciplinarian who would not allow any agitation in the campus. The students were defiant and would not listen to any. There were two powerful student leaders, one M.V. Krishnappa from Mulabagal who later became an Union Minister and the other was Ghaffar Khan, whose fiery speeches attracted large crowd. Tension was built up until we saw with our own eyes the Deputy Commissioner, Nagaraja Rao, shooting with his own pistol a young boy by name Ramaswamy, who died on the spot, and in whose memory the present five-lights circle in Mysore near 100 ft. Road is named as Ramaswamy Circle. Those were indeed very exciting days. Let me recall my own History Department. The College was well-known for two disciplines, Philosophy and History. Such great scholars as Dr.Radhakrishnan, who became Rashtrapati, A.R. Wadia, Purshottam, Raghavendrachar, Yamunacharya, Raja Rao, Hanumantha Rao, Raghavachar taught philosophy, and such renowned teachers My Life 73 as Denham, who became the first Registrar of the University, K.T. Shah, C.R. Reddy, Radhakumud Mukherji, Venkateshvarlu, M.H. Krishna, Venkatasubba Sastri, Srikanta Sastri, Pranatharthi Haran, P. G. Satyagirinathan, B.S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, N. Kasturi and M. Seshadri were connected with History Department. M.H. Krishna was a student of Rapson of London, the Editor of the First Volume of Cambridge History of India. Prof.Krishna was a great Archaeologist who had done extensive excavation of Brahmagiri, Chandravalli and Siddapura. He would teach cultural history of India stressing its salient features of unity in diversity, identity in multiplicity, continuity in change, and reconciling the irreconcilable. Venkatasubba Sastri and M. Seshadri also had studied in U.K. In those days, a dip-inTigris, meaning a Degree from U.K., was absolutely essential for promotion in academic field. I too became crazy that I should have one such Degree from that country which had become a Super star in those days. We were lucky to have a galaxy of brilliant teachers. We had Pranatharthi Haran who would teach British Constitutional history, particularly the Documents, in such a manner that the terse language of the Documents, which would otherwise be unintelligible, would become fascinating tales of a fairy land. We had P.G. Sathyagirinathan, who would teach European history in such an inimitable way that what he taught on French Revolution is still ringing in our ears. If Voltaire harnessed the horses of reason, Rousseau unchained the tigers of emotion. He was so witty that we would be longing for his class which seemed to pass so quickly. He would be spending half the time in general talk which was all full of rich experiences of mankind. We had Srikanta Sastri, an erudite scholar of encyclopaedic knowledge on Karnataka History. We had Raghavendra Rao, a Maratha gentleman, who would glorify Maratha exploits, as if they were heroes of the land. 74 My Life We had N. Kasturi who would teach Greek History making it a romance of a foreign land. We had B.S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, whose style of teaching was amusing, as he would utter Oom at the end of every sentence. When some one asked him why it was so, he retorted, Is it so oom? We had M. Seshadri who would teach British History where Henry VIII, his romance with Anne Bolyne and Reformation chapters were most fascinating. These teachers gave us an insight into the nature of history that it is liquid philosophy teaching through examples; that it is unfolding the drama of human freedom; that it is a science, no less and no more; that it is a barometer of the rise and fall of man and that being the quintessence of wisdom, happens to be the only philosopphy and the only psychology. Maharajas College was a place where those who studied or taught became Rashtrapati of the land, Chief Ministers or Governors of State, ambassadors, lawyers, thinkers, teachers, poets, artists, diplomats or beareaucrats. This College has played a vital role in the development of individual personality, in the promotion of new attitudes and values, in the enhancement of knowledge and skill, in the quest for new humanism and peace, and in the integration of science and culture. This College had a great hand in helping our youth shine in all sectors of life such as moral, material, intellectual, aesthetic and physical. This College attempted to objectify the main purpose of higher education, namely to bring up to surface the best an individual possesses, to make him live harmoniously and graciously with his own fellowmen, and to give him creative vision, good conduct, finer taste and nobler aims.With the rise of a new campus in Manasagangotri, the glory of Maharajas College faded out into the limbo of the past, and yet as the custodian of our culture, the promoter of higher values, and the inner conscience of our society it played a vital role in the recent past. I am very proud I was a product of this College. My Life 75 In December 1942 when I was in I Year Honours, my mother passed away. Earlier I have sketched that situation. The personal bond which was once connected with ambilical chord was severed, and the only link that remained with my native place, Belagodu, was my eldest sister and my elder brother, who unfortunately had lost his mental balance. After the death of my father perhaps the shock aggravated his conditions. He was three years elder to me and there was a gap of over twelve years between him and my sister. As it has been mentioned earlier my parents did not have an issue for seven years when my sister was born, and there was again a gap of a dozen years before my brother was born, whose name was Altaf Hussain. He was very good in his studies, he passed his higher primary and then Lower Secondary examinations, became the Shanbhog of the village. I remember a Muslim Assistant Commissioner came to Belagodu from Saklespur for Jamabandi. In those days all Govt. jobs were the monopoly of only the Brahmins, for they were the only literate people. When the Asst. Commissioner came to know that a Muslim boy had passed Lower Secondary, and that he knew Kannada, he wanted to encourage him. He made him a Shanbhog, but my brother could not discharge the duties properly, as he was not cut out for that job. My father made him earn something by putting up a small stall in the Weekly Shandies (bazars) which were held in Bikkodu on Tuesdays, in Saklespur on Thursdays and in Belagodu on Saturdays. He started small business and earned a tiny bit, but the job was too heavy. He had to carry goods, the betel nuts which he sold, on his back, walk to the Shandies for 8 or 9 miles, spend all day long there, and come back exhausted later in the night. I remember how anxiously my parents waited for him, each minute seemed an hour. It was very hard job; he could not carry it for long. It occurred to my father that a primary school teachers job would suit him better. My father went to Hassan, and met 76 My Life D.E.O. fortunately one, Abdul Gafoor Saheb, who appointed him as a teacher in Hassan. He was happy with that job. When my father died, and when my mother did not like my discontinuation of studies, there was no alternative but to resign the job and come home to assist my mother in plantation. We had nearly 15 acres of Coffee land in three places. My brother was doing fine, looking after the lands and assisting my mother, who was a very dynamic lady. It occurred to my mother that she should find a bride for my brother. Negotiations started, and the tragedy began with this affair of total disappointment in marriage negotiations. Not in one but in two places she had to face defeat. The first was Malsavar, a place three miles from Arehalli. They were big coffee planters, and the negotiations had almost come through. My paternal uncle, younger brother of my father, Alauddin Saheb came to know of it. He rushed to Malsavar, poisoned the ears of those people and said the boy was no good and that his own son, Mohamed Jaffar, was far better than Altaf Hussain. When those people thought that my uncle was their well-wisher, broke their promise to my mother, and gave their daughter to Mohd. Jaffar, and not to Altaf Hussain. This was a shock both to my mother and my brother. My mother continued her effort. My maternal uncle in Nagenahalli, Abdul Wahab Saheb, who was her own brother, whom she had brought up as her own son when my grandmother was no more, had daughters, the eldest of whom was Amina Bi, about to be married. My mother pleaded with my uncle to give Amina Bi in marriage to my brother. Again disappointment was in store. There was a better offer to that girl from a very rich family, brother-in-law of Janab Gulam Mohamed Saheb, one of the biggest planters of Malanad. My uncle settled the affairs with that family and gave Amina Bi to Abdul Hafeez of Balehonnur. That was the My Life 77 last straw on the camels back. My brother lost his mental balance. He loved Amina Bi. Had the marriage taken place, perhaps a life would have been saved. The mental illness continued. We tried to treat him. He became out of control. One could imagine the agony of my mother. He would not come home for days together, roaming about here and there, sleeping in the veranda of some village folks, eating something if they offered. This shock was one of the major factors of my mothers demise. After the death of my mother, it occurred to me that somehow I should take my brother to Bangalore Mental Hospital and get him admitted there for treatment. It was a problem to take him there. In the first place it was difficult to trace him where he was. He would spend most of the time in the jungle and eat something if some one fed him. Once a way he would drop at my sisters place. After my mothers death there was none to look after him. He did not turn up even for her funeral. With great difficulty I traced him and used all my skill to take him to Bangalore. The next problem was where to stay in Bangalore. I had never seen Bangalore. I had heard it was a big city. Fortunately at that time my aunt of Gadabanahalli with her two sons, Janab G.S.Abdul Hameed Saheb who later became my fatherin-law and his younger brother, G.S. Mohamed Yahya Saheb, were staying in Bangalore in order to follow a legal case. They were staying in a rented place at 10, Mission Road, just behind the Corporation Block, in front of which was the Road leading to Lal Bagh. It was a two-storeyed building. They lived in the ground floor and the first floor had been rented out. There were three or four big rooms with an independent separate Kitchen Block. The inmates were my aunt, and her two sons with a maid, named Rameeza Bi, a very fat lady of very peculiar habits. They were staying there because there was a legal case pending relating to their properties. As said earlier they were 78 My Life once one of the richest planters of the State, owning nearly 1000 acres of land. Janab Abdul Hameed Saheb was quite a prominent leader of the community, a Member of the Legislative Council, a graduate from Madras University, a friend of Sir Mirza Ismail, a social reformer and an activist and quite well-known to European planters. He was a man of great ideas, a large family of four sons and five daughters one daughter and one son died and the rest three sons and four daughters led a good life, the eldest daughter, Sufia Bi, being my wife. This family landed itself into great economic misery, because in their limitless ambition to expand their empire, they bought so many estates, heavily borrowing from State Bank of Mysore that all their properties were mortgaged to the Bank including their residential bungalow at Gadabanahalli. Their position became so bad, and the debtors were so many that it was very, very difficult to face the challenges. It was a joint family of these two brothers with their young children, all of them growing upto the school age. The children were in Gadabanahalli in Estate itself and only three of them, mother and two sons were in Bangalore. The legal case against the Bank which had appropriated all their assets leaving them nothing was a long drawn one, and yet with patience they were pursuing it, which was the reason for them to stay in Bangalore. I landed in their house. They sheltered me, and they were very cultured and humane, I managed to locate the Mental Hospital, took my brother there, first to the outpatient, and then requested them to take him as in-patient. One formality for that was a certificate from a Magistrate that it was a genuine case of a citizen of Mysore State, for which I had to take my brother also to the court to present him before the Magistrate. As my brother was not mentally sound, it was a hell of a job to take him there. I was all alone. For two or three days I struggled hard to get that certificate. I remember the office was at Nrupatunga Road, My Life 79 very close to the present Y.M.C.A. I got him admitted. He remained there for a few months. I went back to Mysore for my studies. They discharged him later. He did not get better. He resorted to his old habit of roaming in the jungle. His appearance was pitiable. I had taken him to Bangalore in April 1943. He survived for six more years. I got married in 1948. He was not aware of anything. It was a paranoid case of great intensity. Then I got a letter from Bangalore in 1949, that my brother was found dead in some place, he was taken to a mosque, was given a bath and then in Bangalore grave yard he was given a religious burial. The Millia people of Banalore, did this great service to me. I went to Bangalore, enquired the expenses Millia people had incurred, re-imbursed that, went to the grave where he was buried and recited the Fateha. This was the tragic end of my brother. I reflected two of my uncles, one from fathers side, Allauddin Saheb, and the other from my mothers side, Abdul Wahab, should share a part of the blame in destroying the life of their nephew. In case he had not been disappointed in love, he would have perhaps led a normal life. But it is too much to expect of them. Naturally, every one in this world is selfcentred, and would ignore all moral rights to do good to their children. Perhaps, it is not fair to blame my uncles, for they did what worldly wisdom dictated them to do. We have to ultimately console ourself that it was all Gods Will. If He wished otherwise, things would have changed. This is the story of my brother Altaf Hussain. My stay in Bangalore for over a month makes me remember a few things. I became a member of the family and my aunt loved me very much. She was a very wise and rich lady. She had saved quite a lot of money of the affluent days. Her foresight, wisdom, frugality and common sense had made her actually the guardian of the family of two great sons who shone once as bright stars on the horizon of politics as well as good social life. Now the picture had suddenly 80 My Life changed reducing them to great helplessness. Those who were once Lords were now in want even for a few pennies. I remember that when Janab Abdul Hameed Saheb would start his day to go to Lawyer or other work, he needed money, and she would spare a little saying this is for newspaper The Hindu, this is for bus-fare and so on. She was in fact the treasurer who would run the show even of maintaining the large families of two brothers in Gadabanahalli. There was a baby Austin Small car in the house, but it was very sparingly used only for aunt or for some special occasions, such as a wedding or some function. On such occasions I would be given six annas and six paise to fetch half a gallon of petrol which was thirteen annas per gallon (4 litres). I would take a can and go to get it. The battery of the car would be down, and it would start pushing it down road. I could recall two such occasions when they were good enough to take me also. One was the inauguration of the present Jamia-Masjid near the City Market which is to-day a very important centre of learning as well. It should be said to the credit of Maulana Riaz-ur Rahman, the present Imam and Khateeb who has brought about a revolutionary change in our thinking that a mosque is not merely a place of worship but the training and learning yard to build the future of our children. Nearly 2000 children, both boys and girls, study here from Nursery level to High School, learning computer application, tailoring, stitching and other crafts. Round the pulpit to build an educational complex is indeed a revolutionary thought of the present Maulana. This mosque was built early in 1940s whose inauguration was done at the hands of Sir Mirza Ismail, who was the Dewan then. I attended that function, and his words are still ringing in my ears. He said I am thankful to you for inviting me to do a sacred job. If you had not invited me thinking I am a Shia, not fit for opening a Sunni mosque, you would have been guilty of a crime. If I had not come thinking, My Life 81 why should I go to declare open a Sunni mosque, I would have been guilty of a crime which God would not have forgiven me. Then he spoke about the basic message of Islamic teachings of the unity of God, harmony, solidarity, equality, love and brotherhood. The second important event that remains green in my memory is the visit of Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Bangalore and his address near the Lal Bagh gate. They took me to that function as well. I remember what he said. I do urge you to educate your children, particularly your daughters, without which there is no solution to the problems of the community. He was a tall, lean and well-dressed man, whose every word was so distinct, loud and clear as if gun-shots coming out of a barrel. Since my father-in-law was also a politician, he appreciated the lecture so much that he came home and explained the whole gist of the talk to my aunt who could not come. One little incident of the personal life of that family could be narrated here. Janab Mill Abdur Rahim Saheb of Hassan, who was the son-in-law of my aunt, in whose house I had lived during my Middle School days, sketched earlier in this work, visited his mother-in-law. Naturally she (my aunt) was pleased and gave me money to bring Biryani from Darbar Hotel which was not very far. I rushed and brought it. All had a good lunch and felt very happy. At that time the two brothers, Janab Abdul Hameed Saheb and Jabab Mohamed Yahya Saheb were also present. After the lunch when Rahim Saheb left the place, Yahya Saheb very jokingly said, It was a good thing Rahim Saheb came, and we had a chance to eat Biryani. It was a bomb-shell. My aunt burst out, lost temper and scolded her son, Yahya Saheb, in such severe terms that it might have been his life-time chastisement. He pleaded and pleaded for forgiveness, but she would not cool down. She would repeat, how many times I have fed you Biryani, and only once when Rahim Saheb 82 My Life came, I got him something, you are taunting. The bitter temper lasted for hours until evening. My father-in-law would not open his mouth. Any way, my Bangalore experience remains fresh my mind. Those were the days of the Second World War. The Nazis were in the offensive. Discussions would daily take place at home of their exploits. Bangalore South-Parade and Cantonement street were all full of British soldiers. Bangalore in those days was not so congested as it is to-day. We were not far from Lal Bagh. It was within walking distance. My aunt was very fond of flowers and we would go for flower shows. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and their offensive in the Far-East were topics of hot talk every where. Anyway, my first visit to Bangalore was in days of great excitement. The Japanese advance in Indonesia and Burma was causing great concern to the colonials in India. The daily newspapers were full of rumours that Japan would attack India, that Subhash Chandra Bose was active in the Japanese camp, that he had formed Indian National Army (INA), and that it was marching towards Nagaland, Imphal and other places. The British were thinking scorch=earth policy in India, destroy all industries so that nothing could fall into Japanese hands. All great leaders, Gandhiji, Nehru, Patel, Azad and a host of others were in jail after the Quit India Movement. All jails were full to the brim filled with nationalists of every hue, liberals, conservatives, revolutionaries or reactionaries. The only exception was Muslim League which was strengthening its cause to have a separate State of its own. When Japanese pressure increased, the Americans under Roosevelt, who were involved in the War after the attack on Pearl Harbour, brought immense pressure on Chruchill to win Indian support through promises of reforms and freedom after the end of war. Hence, this was a period of several commissions, Sir Strafford Cripps was sent by My Life 83 Churchill to negotiate with the Congress, whose President was Maulana Azad, who remained in this office for quite long, from 1939 to 1946, the longest in the history of the Congress. This was the most crucial period when the shape of the world was fast changing. Cripps offered the Congress a post-dated cheque that Britain would grant independence to India after the war, in return for full Indian support in the war, which meant all resources of the land together with the entire man-power to become gun-fodder for the British to win war. Besides, Cripps attached some other conditions which hinted the partition of the land on communal lines. This prompted the Congress to reject the proposals, although the initial response of the Congress was positive. This was the time when Rajaji, (C. Rajagopalachar of Tamil Nadu, a great leader, who became the first Indian Governor-General of India) came out with his own formula to solve communal problem. It may be of interest to know that when Rajaji first visited Mysore as Governor-General, a big function was held in the open ground adjacent to DC office in front of Crawford Hall. Naturally, there was great excitement in the massive gathering. Great, great were the encomiums showered on him. In reply he said something, which is still ringing in my ears. He said, We the politicians or the leaders are like the Ganapathi Idols, who would be honoured, worshipped, cherished, nourished for four or five days, and then thrown into a river or a tank (he was facing towards the Kukrahalli tank, he pointed at it) there you see. What he meant was fleeting pleasures or momentary exultation of power would not last long and that he would not ever be a Governor General and hence this love and respect were transitory. This incident is of much later days of 1948 when Mountbatten had gone and an Indian was chosen as Governor General. But in 1942-43 Rajaji was big in news for he had come out with a formula which had become highly controversial. He had envisaged the partition of India on communal lines, 84 My Life which became a reality in 1947. He had said that those provinces in the North-West and in the North-East, where the Muslims were in majority should be given full autonomy. This provoked the Congress so much that he was forced to resign from the Congress Working Committee, and he became the persona-non grata. But such was the foresight and wisdom of Rajaji that what he had envisaged quite a few years earlier became a reality later. Perhaps, if the Congress had taken his advice seriously, reflected on the various issues involved, negotiated with skill and open mind with the League, the trauma of later day, the holocaust, horrible human tragedy of the partition days could have been averted. The Americans were again bringing pressure on Britain with the successful campaigns of the Japanese in the far-east. Japan had invaded Chinese land as well and they were too the enemies of Japan. Hence, Chang-Kei-Shek came to India, and negotiated again with the Congress to plan a strategy to defeat the Japanese. Again Maulana Azad was the President who had a series of talks with Chang-Kei-Shek. Thus, the period was greatly exciting until the Quit India Movement when the harsh measures of the Government silenced all political activity of the Congress. The excitement again arose when Gandhiji went on an infinite fast. His life was despaired of. There was great anxiety. Rumours were rife that the British would not compromise and were prepared for eventualities. They had stored enough sandalwood in case something happened in the jail. This was also a time when Maulana Azad lost his wife, Zulekha, when he was in Aurangabad jail. He did not ask the Govt permission to go and see her last. Instead, he expressed all his feelings and emotions in his letters to Nawab Habib-ur-Rahman of Aligarh which were all collected and published under the title of Ghubar-e-Khatir, a classic of Urdu literature, the like of which is rare in any literature of the world. Those who have read this piece of literature would know the depth of feelings My Life 85 he had for his wife, the patience and turmoils she had undergone during his entire political life, the love and dedication she showered on him, particularly in those days when he was writing Tarjuman-ul-Quran every day until 2 a.m. in the night, when she would be fanning for fresh air in hot summer when not even a fan was available to them. What is very moving and touching is the scene he has depicted of her last farewell to him when he set out in the last week of July 1942. She said Good-Bye, and Maulana detected in her eys the last farewell, not to him, but to herself from this transitory to a better world, which is eternal. That letter he wrote on getting the telegram of her demise, is such that one could not go through it without one becoming highly emotional. Thus my student days in Maharajas College were very eventful not only in my personal life but also of the nation, nay of the whole world. The entire globe was on fire with thousands daily losing their lives in the war, with every chancery of the world busily engaged how to win the war, with Bengal famine in India when thousands were dying of hunger, with the colonials sucking the resources of this land for their own advantage, and with misery, sorrow and distress of every sort. One could remember in those days how true what Ghalib had said : meaning what else could there be the cure for the misery of life except death, for the lamp has to burn in any case until dawn. As for the Maharajas College, there were changes. Rollo retired, one of the finest scholars, administrators, educationists and disciplinarian. We learned from him British punctuality, regularity, sense of duty and devotion to the cause we hold dear. The cause was to learn and educate ourselves 86 My Life for which a character-building and man-making programme was needed. The European Staff stressed more on sports than class work, for sports is the field where we learn team-spirit, work ethics, determination and the will to win the game. Another area the European staff stressed was the debating society where you would be judged how you would put your ideas across, for in life whatever the profession one adopts, whether of a teacher or a lawyer or salesman, one has to use ones tongue to eke out the existence. Hence, every one should know how to talk, what to talk and when to talk. Needless talk also leads to trouble. God has made our tongue boneless, it could be twisted anyway you like, and one ought to be very careful how you twist your tongue, right way or wrong way. The third thing we learned from the Europeans was their industry, their hard-work, their love, labour, patience and perseverance. They would say, life leaps like a geyser if only you cut through the rock of inertia, and that happiness is out of the reach of laziness. By and large, Indians are easy going, pleasure loving, indolent and lazy. The smartness, the quickness and the agility we find in the West are missing in the east, perhaps due to weather conditions. Our summers are hot and hence enervating, but the cold weather in the west makes them active to keep their blood warm. Anyway, we learned a lot from them. After Rollo, another European, Macontosh, became our Principal. He was very unlike Rollo. Being a Scot he had all their traits of sobriety, depth, imagination, calmness and gentleness. He was not dynamic or as agile as Rollo was. A kind of grace and tranquillity was writ large on his face. His accent was Scottish and hence we did not find it so fascinating as that of Rollo. His wit and humour was of a very refined type which needed deep understanding to appreciate. He too taught us English dramas. Political conditions at the national level were getting too hot for students to pay more attention to academic or union matters. Macalpine was the Vice-Chancellor. I have My Life 87 seen the days when N.S. Subba Rao was the Vice-Chancellor, an Economist of high repute and an intellectual of high degree. I was not his student, but have seen him as ViceChancellor. It is said of him that he would come to the class with a book freshly released. For a few moments he would turn its pages quickly glancing the passages, and then would say to the students, take down a review of this book. It would be a brilliant gist of the entire work. Such were the sharp intellectuals of those days. Perhaps the first Indian Principal of Maharajas College was Prof.M.V. Gopalswamy, the great Psychologist, whose reference has already come above. Keeping with the national trend he changed his dress. All Professors, in fact every member of the staff would come to college only in western dress, suit, tie, shoes in tip-top conditions. There was no exception to this. One day we found Prof.Gopalaswamy appearing in Kurtha, Pyjama. It was a surprise to all, but people soon realised he was the advance guard of a new trend which was soon to follow in the country. Independence came two or three years later, and the Principal of Maharajas College heralded that era that imitation of the west in every detail of life was not needed have your own identity. We had quite a few other new figures in the college who attracted our attention. One of them was Dr. Khizer Ali Khan, who had done his Ph.D. from Cambridge University in Persian language under Nicholson, the great Persian scholar of those days whose study of Sufism was a classic. Dr. K.A. Khan was in prime of his life, fresh from U.K. well-built, plump, with rosy cheeks, well-dressed, walking in a style of his own. There were not many to study Persian. Our Urdu teachers, like Mohamed Khan, Hasan Khan, Majeed Saheb and others were enough to take Urdu classes. Dr. Khan was very reserved, would not talk to unless provoked, but once a discussion on any academic issue was ignited, he would come 88 My Life out with a brilliant discourse. I used to put him questions, and he would explain. I would be deeply impressed by his profundity. Later on he became the Warden and also the President of the New Muslim Hostel. He had done his research on Maulana Jalaluddin Rumis, Fi-ma-Fih, a highly mystic work. I persuaded him many a time kindly to publish that work. He did not do so. After his death, I asked his children to do. They too paid no heed. I dont know what has happened to it. But he translated into English about 36 dreams of Tipu Sultan, whose habit it was to record what he dreamt in the sleep, and most of those dreams were related to his passion to eliminate the colonials from the land. Another teacher that attracted my attention who was also educated in Great Britain, was Dr.Balakrishna, Reader in Economics, who was a very handsome, tall figure, well-dressed, and highly sophisticated. He was taking Principles of Economics, and would explain Keyns theory. I could detect those teachers who had been trained and educated abroad would present the essence and soul of a subject, and they would not beat about the bush. Another teacher of Economics who was popularly called Tatachar. He would come to the College with Indian dress which he would change for European dress. Young teachers always came trimmed to the class. When for the first time a full-fledged Professor of Urdu was appointed, we were all delighted. There was Urdu Honours and Urdu M.A. course, but a qualified Urdu Professor was not there. Urdu was taught by those who had done M.A. in Persian or had passed Maulvi class where Persian or Arabic was major and Urdu minor. Hence, the appointment of Professor Abdul Khadar Sarvari from Osmania University, Hyderabad, which was Mecca of Urdu in those days was hailed as a victory by the Urdu loving public. Sarvari Saheb was a great scholar in his own right, author of several books, a critique of great depth, and quite proficient in My Life 89 exciting literary interest in students. We learned a lot from him. Translation classes from English to Urdu were very interesting; in our class, there was Mir Mahmood Hussain, popularly called Abdulla Jan, who was very good in translation and he would do it in no time. He had a long beard and appeared a Pakka Maulana. He was very good in organizing skill. He became a member of Urdu Department and served long in the University. He was good in Persian. Later on when he became a colleague in the University, I joined him in collecting over a hundred Persian manuscripts from all over the State and deposited them in the Oriental Manuscript Library of Mysore University. Later on they were shifted to Archaeology Department. Prof.Sarvari served Mysore University for six years, from 1942 to 1948. When my wedding took place at Gadabanahalli on 4 March 1948 he was present along with another class-mate of mine, Major Khalilur Rahman. He and Prof. Sarvari Saheb, sitting in the Wedding pendal composed a complimentary poem in Urdu which was hilarious in content. Sarvari Saheb could not stay in the University for long, because Police action had taken place in Hyderabad and all those who were from that place were likely to be arrested. From our Wedding day he was not seen again in Mysore State. Quietly he disappeared and managed to go back to Hyderabad. My relations with Professor Sarvari continued in later years, and whenever I visited Hyderabad I would call on him. He was a gem of a person, and I cannot forget his affection towards me. Another teacher of Urdu and Persian Department was Janab H.R. Abdul Majeed Saheb who served for long as the Warden of New Muslim Hostel and also as one of the Directors of Scout Movement in Karnataka. He was a nice man, a good teacher whose scholarly excellence students would not appreciate and would take his classes lightly. We had a text Tais a novel written by a great French novelist, Anatole 90 My Life Francie whose work had been translated. It was about a prostitute who attained her redemption through her good deeds. The message was exactly the same which Hafiz-eShiraz summed up in his verse: It means, the pious monk was proud, never reached his destiny, but the prostitute through humility and devotion reached the heavenly abode of safety. Majeed Saheb would explain the meaning, and Khalilur-Rahman who was sharp, witty and sarcastic would put embarrassing questions to the teacher. Any way, student days of that period were packed with moments of great exhileration. I could recall a few teachers of other Departments, who were remarkable in some respect or other, namely Keshavan, Murthy Rao, Ranganna, Rajagopal, Parthasarthi (popularly known as Pachchu), Narasimha Murthy, Govinda Rao, Mallaraiah, C.D. Narasimhaiah, Bharatraj Singh, Ramaswamy, some of whom were my contemporaries and all of them belonged to English Department. Kannada Department had a galaxy of brilliant stars like K.V. Puttappa, T.N. Srikantaiah, Narasimhachar, B.M. Srikantaiah, Krishna Sastri and others. Ekambaram was a great Professor of Statistics, who rose high at the national level as Advisor in the Planning Commission. As mentioned earlier there were good teachers in History, one of whom, was Venkatadesikachar, a short man with a smiling face, who later went to Delhi and joined in the section where Dr. Ambedkar was involved in the task of drafting the Constitution of the Republic of India. When we were in Honours course he took us on a tour to several South Indian temples in Tamil Nadu, such as Kanchi, Conjeevaram, Trichinopoly, Tanjore, Madura and Rameswaram, finally to My Life 91 Coimbatore and Ootacamund. It was a very exciting, and instructive tour and we enjoyed the trip. In those days entry into certain temples of non-Hindus even of Daliths was prohibited. When the priest would ask my name, suddenly our Teacher, Desikachar, would say He is our Shankar. Shaikh had become Shankar in those days. I did not know Tamil, and it was a problem when we sat for lunch or dinner in the Hotels. I learned two basic Tamil words, one was Pour meaning enough and More I want rice. One of the great Sociologists of India, C. Srinivas, younger brother of Parthasarthy of Maharajas College was also a student of our College. He became later one of the founders of the Indian Institute of Social and Economic Change of Bangalore along with Dr V.K.R.V. Rao, a great Economist, who became a Minister in the Government of India. I could recall a few contemporaries who were with me in Maharajas College. One of them is H. Sarada Prasad, who is a great intellectual who played a key-role in Govt. of India as a Press Assistant to the Prime Minister, Indra Gandhi. He hails from my District Hassan, coming from Holenarasipur. The great cartoonist of repute R.K. Lakshman, was also my contempory whose pencil-sketches adored the bill-boards of the Union in those days. He rose to be an international figure in his own right. Even to-day Times of India carries his cartoon You said it. There is a kind of a miracle in the lines he draws which offer more meaning than many volumes. They teach us more than many sermons, and expose inner realistic view in such bare and naked form as if an anatomist has dissected a dead body to know the functions of the tissues. He is indeed a very celebrated personality, as much as his elder brother, R.K. Narayan, who earned name and fame all over the world. Yet another class-mate of mine who is also now my next door neighbour is T.S. Satyan who is a photographer of national and international fame. He was for a long time in 92 My Life Delhi and has toured all over the world and earned great name in his field. He has published a great work entitled In Love with Life: A Journey through Life in Photograph. It depicts man from the womb to the tomb, from birth to death, and all those photographs are breath-taking. Another contemporary who is alive is Rajasekhar Murthy, who entered into politics, hopped from party to party, was a Minister of Karnataka during Veerendra Patil Ministry, and at present in Janata Dal (S) with Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy. He played a key-role in the bye-election of the Chamundeswari Constituency when Siddaramaiah contested for the post against Shivabasappa of JD (S) nominated by Devegowda on the advice of Rajasekhara Murthy. Siddaramaiah won the election with as small a margin as of 257 in the total of over three lakh votes. It was all an excitement drama o December 2006, when the whole of Karnataka Government of Kumaraswamy camped in Mysore to canvass their candidate, when money was used as water and when muscle power was displayed as if every one was Bhima. In other words my contemporaries are still active to-day in several important sectors of life. In 1945 I passed my Honours course securing First Rank and winning Candy Gold Medal for General Proficiency. It was my first Degree which was to change my life from dependence on others to standing on my feet. Education had made me aware of the importance of four things, of ones life, ones faith, of ones honour and of ones earning. It had taught me happiness depended on four more things, your good health, your economic independence, your good relations with others, and your ability to reach the goal. Graduation is only the passport for further learning, and even to-day in my 80s I have to learn a lot. Many a time I have to acknowledge that the horns that come later are sharpen than the ears that come earlier. Many time youngsters have shown greater skill, knowledge, wisdom and understanding. My Life 93 After my B.A. (Hons.) I joined M.A. in History. It was only one year course. The result of my Honours Course was a stir in the Department of History and became a big news. For a long time it was the talk that History Department was a monopoly of a particular high caste, and that no non- Brahmin could get full justice there. Although I had been awarded the First Rank and the Candy Gold Medal for general proficiency, there had been one more Medal reserved for Indian History which had been denied and had been given to some one, they alleged, who was a favourite of the Professor, and who belonged to his caste. Those were very tense days of Brahmin and non-Brahmin controversies. Prof.M.H. Krishna in whose days I had joined the Honours Course was not there being transferred as Director of Archaeology and his place had been filled by Dr.Venkatasubba Sastri, against whom an enquiry was held, why a boy who stood first in all subjects could not secure high marks in the subject which had been valued by this Professor. The matter became so serious that the Syndicate (in those days Executive Council) in which Khan Bahadur Abbas Khan Saheb was also a member, passed a resolution that an enquiry be held, and that the Paper which Dr.Sastri had valued should be reexamined by a foreign examiner. Accordingly my papers on Indian History, (two in number) were sent to a foreign examiner. It was revealed that I deserved many more marks than what Dr.Sastri had given me, and that the other candidate whom he had valued high, did not deserve so high. The matter came before Executive Council which decided that it was a deliberate case of partiality, that the concerned person was guilty of offence, and that he should be punished. Perhaps, for the first time in the history of Mysore, a Professor was sent home. He was removed from service, and I felt miserable that it was on my account a teacher of mine was punished. Even now I pray Almighty Allah that such a thing should not have happened. Strong spokesmen of non- 94 My Life Brahmins in the Syndicate were the Registrar Gordon, Prof.V.L. DSouza, Abbas Khan, Gurva Reddy and Gubbaiah (the three great Gs were Gordon, Gurva Reddy and Gubbaiah). It should be said to the credit of Dr. Sastri that a few years later, almost seventeen or eighteen in 1964, when my first book British Relations with Haidar Ali was published, and when it was sent to him for review, he was so appreciative of the work that his review helped me immensely. He said, This work is a miracle of the century, and that it can be classified as a classic. When I applied for the post of Professorship in Manasagangotri at a time when I was only a lecturer, this review came as a great boost. Dr. Bisheshwar Prasad, an expert from Delhi University on the Selection Committee, quoted this Review to Dr. Srimali, ViceChancellor of the University, saying whether there could be any better evidence of the merit than this. Dr. Srimali wanted to make me only a Reader, and not a Professor, but Dr.Prasad stood firm, and I walked away from a Lecturers post to Professors chair. In a way this was the gift of Dr. Sastri, a person who had suffered on my account, perhaps making amends for the past sin. Any way, ways of God are mysterious. No one could say what is in the womb, what will happen. This much is certain that whatever happens is always for our own good. 5 University Service The last week of December 1945 was a very fortunate week for me. I was a student of M.A. having passed my Honours course. Five more months remained to take the examination in May 1946. Suddenly on the eve of Christmas I got a letter from the University of Mysore appointing me as a temporary lecturer in History. I was thrilled with joy. I never expected it, I never even applied for it, let alone try for it, a kind of wind-fall, as if showers of mercy from heaven. It was the same Dr. Sastri who recommended my case for the job against whom the enquiry was still going on and the case was pending. But he had no alternative, for the rules required the first rank candidate had to be recommended, in particular when that person happened to be from a backward community. This order contained two others with me, one was Prof. D. Javare Gowda, who later became Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University, a great literatteur in Kannada, a prominent figure of Karnataka, and a good friend of mine, although much elder, and the other was Samuel Appaji, who became IAS and a Secretary to the Government of Karnataka. He was appointed as a lecturer in Economics. Thus, the first order I got carried the names of three great communities, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, of three great disciplines, Kannada, History and Economics, indicating three great principles of 96 My Life this land, social justice, unity in diversity and identity in multiplicity. We were asked to report on 9th January 1946, the day when College would be re-opened after Xmas. I remembered my Creator, the Supreme, the Sublime, the Highest radiance, and the Greatest Spirit that sustains this universe for the grace and mercy, and then I remembered my parents who would have been so delighted to see the son in a good position. But the college job to a young man was very challenging. To teach for one hour I needed preparation for five hours. They say teachers work for one year, and repeat that for 30 years to draw the pension. Thereafter, they count 30 days to draw their salary, and count 30 years to draw their pension. I wanted to be a little different from others. The joke of the History lecturers was current in those days, that a lecturer was a dictator, for he dictated notes. One of the boys in the last benches was not taking down the notes. The teacher asked him why he was not taking down his precious notes. The boy replied, My father was your student, Sir, meaning you are dictating the same notes without changing a comma or a full stop. Pedagogy required hard work. The more a teacher labours to learn, the better teacher he would shape. It was a total transformation of the personality. Going to the class as a student in shirt and pyjama was quite different from going there as a teacher, who needed suits, boots and a tie. The better trimmed you were, the better impressed you were in the eyes of the pupils, apart from what you lectured, and how you lectured. The ability of a teacher was determined by the fact how calm, quiet, attentive and disciplined was the class where he lectured. This required good preparation for the class. In those days, our Professor (HOD) would come and sit in the class in the last row to see how we lectured the class. I was given both B.A. Class, Honours Class and Intermediate Class. It was very heavy job to prepare for different classes and prepare for my own My Life 97 studies of M.A. Class. I had not yet finished that course. Half-way through I had been offered that job. Therefore, I worked hard night and day, and God was good to me every day. Once a function was held on H.G. Wells, the renowned historian and the celebrity of the age. It was in his honour, an obituary tribute. Being a history man I was called upon to speak in that public function. Dr.Purshottum, the great orator of the day was the President. I had prepared well, and spoke with gusto. Dr. Purshottum was so impressed that he said, This man speaks so well when he is still so young, and I dont know what he will be when he grows up. I was immensely pleased, for I knew success is the fruit of love, labour, patience and perseverance. Demonsthenese, the greatest orator of the world, was a stammerer. He wanted to overcome this disability. He would put pebbles in his mouth, run on the bank of a river, and repeat what he wanted to utter in a function. This dogged determination paid him so well that he broke all records in oratory. That is why they say, The great heights people have reached are not sudden flights; but they, while their companions slept, toiled hard upward in the night. Our youngsters these days shirk work, seek comfort, easy ways, and follow the shortest of the short cut, which results in the longest of the long cut. Our sweetest of the songs are those that say the saddest of the thoughts. The year 1946 from January to December was the first full year of service when I was teaching both at Maharajas and Yuvarajas College, which needed full preparations to teach more than three subjects. I was given World Civilisations also for Honours class which was a minor subject to them. At the end of the year something happened which was memorable. Ever since 1935 or 1937 All India History Congress would take place in December in some important place being sponsored by some University. It would be a big 98 My Life mela when historians from the four corners of the country would flock to present a paper. Collective effort would promote a discipline more quickly than individual efforts. But more important than academic was the social purpose of the Congress, which would be a platform to meet, mingle, talk and know more about the local history; it was more siteseeing, visit to historical places and have an idea of customs, manners, life, interest, ways of living and thinking in different places of our country. The University would encourage such trips and would depute two scholars from each Department provided they presented a paper. I was just a young scholar, hardly with a service of a few months, and I never expected I would get a chance to attend the Congress. Since I belonged to Backward Class and the E.C (Executive Council) was interested in encouraging Backward Classes, some one proposed my name and I was selected. The Congress in that year (1946) was at Patna, the capital of Bihar. I struggled hard to write a paper on one of the Sultans of Gujarat, Mahmood Begadha, whose mother had made him immune to poison. Being aware of the great risks of those who sat on throne, she had fed him a tiny bit of poison every day from his childhood, with the result that it had become a part of his diet. It was certain that no one would kill him through poison. Even otherwise, he was a fascinating ruler, who attempted to defeat the Portuguese. I consulted the sources from Elliot and Dowson Volumes, and to the best of my ability prepared a paper. It was a long journey from Mysore to Patna. I did not even reserve a ticket. When I asked at the Railway counter to give me a ticket to Patna, he asked me, Is it Srirangapatana?. I said, No, it is the capital of Bihar. It took some time to calculate the route and the fare. I had to change the train at several places, from Mysore to Bangalore, from Bangalore to Madras, from Madras to Calcutta, and from Calcutta to Patna, a very long route of four days. The Congress was for three days My Life 99 from 29th to 31st December. I left on 25th December itself. I should say God had blessed me with stamina to travel in third class compartments for days together on limitless number of times, for later on when I had to do research for Ph.D. degree, I travelled at least a dozen times to Aligarh, and thereafter to several other places in India for the collection of material. This was my first long journey. To a person from a village who had not seen much of India, the entire journey was thrilling and exciting, with varied types of food at the railway stations, varied dresses, tongues, manners, customs, landscape and so on. I got an idea, how rich, how vast, how varied is our land. In those days at the railway stations they would have Hindu Pani, Muslim Pani. Even water was not common. I reached Patna, was well-received as a delegate. Galaxy of brilliant stars of those days had gathered there. I saw Jadunath Sarkar, Tara Chand, Eswari Prasad, Radha Kumud Mukherji, Muhammad Habib, Shafaat Ahmed Khan, Askari, K.K. Datta, Bisveshwar Prasad, Beni Prasad, Tiripathi, Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Haroon Khan Sherwani, and a host of other great historians including Nilakanta Sastri, Narendra Krishna Sinha and others. I had known them earlier through books, but now I had a chance to see them in person. In those sessions the most dominating feature was the inaugural function when some high dignitary, Governor or Chief Minister, would inaugurate, and the President elect would deliver the Presidential Address, which was supposed to be a land-mark, the zenith of the entire show. This session was almost like the Nikah Majlis of a Muslim wedding which would attract everything vital, the rest being all details. This affair went on for three days which witnessed different sessions on ancient, medieval and modern history of India. Now they have added History of countries other than India. Numismatics Society of India would also hold a separate session there. A historical exhibition of arts, crafts, 100 My Life manuscripts would also be arranged. Delegates would be eagerly looking forward to the historical tour of the city. Our guide for the tour was Prof.Hasan Askari of Bihar University, a very interesting man, whose graphic description of the historicity of the places is still ringing in my ears. He was a lean, tall person with black sherwani with Rampuri cap, chewing betel leaves, and describing here was the camp of Sher Shah, here did Shahjahan halt and so on. Another feature of those conferences was the cultural show arranged to entertain the delegates, music, dance or qawwali. Every night there would be special dinners arranged either by the University or by Government. Having gained rich experience of this Congress, I proceeded to Delhi. Those were very eventful days. In August 1946 Jinnah had declared Direct Action Day in Calcutta which inaugurated the tragic blood-bath. Its repercussions were there in Patna. A number of Muslim scholars showed me the photos of the revenge Hindus had taken on Muslims in Bihar because of the riots in Calcutta. They were horrible photos which I saw. The trauma that followed for two or three more years until the assassination of Gandhiji are the darkest pages of our history. I took a train from Patna to Delhi. In the Conference I met a Professor from Peshawar, Prof. Mohamed Jaffar, who gave me his books on Mahmud of Ghazani. He had a flat in Lodhi colony of Delhi. He was also going there. He said to me, You are welcome to stay with me in Delhi. That was a God-send opportunity. We travelled together to Delhi. That was my first visit to our great capital. New Delhi seemed to be a part of Paradise, so clean, so green, so well-planned. I visited Qutub Minar, Chandini Chowk, Lal-Khila, Jamia Masjid, Cannaught Place, Parliament House, Viceregal Lodge, Purana Qula, Humayun Makhbira and so on and stayed with Prof.Jaffar Saheb. He was a Pathan, and the Pathan hospitality was well-known. For the first time I had tasted the delicious Mughlai dishes, those My Life 101 roomali-roti, Khurma and so on. Having enjoyed fully my trip for nearly a fortnight from 25 December 1946 to 6th or 7th January 1947, I was back for duty on 9th January 1947 at Maharajas College. This Indian History Congress became a part of my life. I never missed its sessions later in any year. It gave me an opportunity to present my research, as also to build wide contact with the scholarly world. This conference was in a way an international gathering, as many delegates, whether from France or England or Russia or America or Pakistan would attend. After independence India was rising high in the esteem of the world, particularly under the leadership of Nehru whose non-aligned foreign policy had lifted India as the leader of the Third World, after USA and USSR. Not having the economic strength of America or the military power of Soviet Union, India was commanding the respect of both because of its moral power, which under Gandhiji had given a message to the whole world that non-violent action was more powerful in the ultimate analysis than violent action, for the former would bring peace and order, and the latter would result in death and destruction. India at that time appeared on the front pages of the world media, although today it has become a nuclear power, yet no one listens to our word. Subsequently, when I became the Professor of History in Mysore University, I myself organised the Indian History Congress Session in Mysore in 1966. That was a grand function. Over a thousand delegates attended that session. I had to work fingers to my bone to make that Session a success. In these Conferences Aligarh Muslim University would play a great role. Its specialisation was medieval Indian history, and its contingent of delegates would always be large. Since the days of Prof.Muhammad Habib of revered memory, my Professor and father of the present distinguished historian 102 My Life of India, Prof.Irfan Habib, the trend in Aligarh University was of the leftists. In this IHC there were three important trends, the conservatives, the nationalists and the leftists. The conservatives were reactionaries, who would sing a song only of Indias glory; the nationals were liberals, and they wanted history should play the role of unifying the land. The leftists being influenced by Marxists wanted poverty to go, equality to prevail, and masses to be lifted. Very lively debates would go on in the session of these conferences, where special lectures on specific topics would be arranged, and the topic of the talk would depend upon the orientation of the incumbent President, whether he was conservative, liberal or leftist. The Mysore Session I arranged in 1966 was memorable for Prof.Nur=ul-Hasan, who later became Union Minister and Governor in Orissa and West Bengal, himself a leftist, encouraged me greatly. I booked all available accommodation in all important Guest Houses, both of the Government and Private institutions including every room available in our University. The main problem in these conferences is of menu, the food, the quality, variety of which would determine the success of the session. Non-Vegetarian was preferred, and it should be of high order. Transport arrangements for taking the delegates to different historical places was a problem, as Karnataka was so rich in art and architecture that it attracted the lovers of art from the four corners of the world. If that was the case, more so was the case of the historian whose business was to study art and architecture. Such places as Belur, Halebid, Somanathpura, Sravanabelagola, Srirangapatam, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Bijapur, Gulbarga which are all of great historical interest made the delegates eager to visit those places. It was a problem for me to arrange these trips. Any way this Conference was a great success in every sense of the term, in its academic excellence, in its social purpose and in its cultural performance. My Life 103 Another important event of my life as a young lecturer was the experience I gained as an Archaeologist. In the summer of 1946, when I had put in hardly three or four months of service, the Government of India organised a big excavation of megalithic culture in Bellary District of Karnataka. The Director-General of Archaeology at that time was Dr. Martimer Wheeler, an Englishman who had served in the army as a Brigadier-General and had conducted excavations in Rome. He was regarded internationally as an Archaeologist of high repute. It should be said to the credit of the English people that as a race they had taste for things ancient, and had contributed much, much to the discovery of the past. But for Sir John Marshall, we would not have known Indus Valley culture. It was he who pushed our history back to 3000 B.C. making us own a past of 5000 years. In March when the College was closed for the summer holidays, I came to know of the project of excavation at Chandravalli in Bellary District. It occurred to me that I should not miss the chance. Instead of going home and loitering there, it was good to engage myself in some useful pastime. I went to the Vice-Chancellor, Sultan Mohiyuddin, who was in charge before the regular appointment of Singarvelu Mudliar. I requested the Vice-Chancellor kindly to permit me to undergo the training under Mortimer Wheeler. He was too happy to permit me to do so. It was a very rich experience that I gained at that time. Dr. Martimer Wheeler was a very tall 6.2 ft. hefty man with thick moustaches with all the rigorous gestures of a soldier who had strayed into academic field to reconstruct the past with as much zeal as a crusader intent upon gaining his objective. This area was known as a site of megalithic culture, a link between neo-lithic culture and pre-history when man learned the better use of stone and buried his dead in a particular manner. It was a very big team, not only of the officials of the Department of Archaeology but also of 104 My Life scholars. For odd digging and other physical work, a large number of local labour had been engaged. Large number of tents had been pitched. Common kitchen had been arranged. It was hot summer, temperature touching 45°C. Every one was given a separate tent with a bamboo cot wrought with rope. It was truly a national gathering, Assamese, Bengalis, Punjabis, Gujaratis, Tamilians, Kannadigas, Keralites, Telangis, Marathis, people from all parts of India, speaking their own language among themselves, hardly intelligible to others, but English was the common lingua franca. Our job was to go to a pit and scrape the strata to find out the era or the age parameter to which that site belonged. We got several articles of that culture in the pits. When we dig down below we found the burial deposits neatly packed in earthen vessels or in some other ways disposed. Not only skeletons and bones but also beads and several other things would be unearthed, which we would collect, carefully hand over to the supervisor. These articles would be brought to the notice of Director-General who would analyse the data to draw proper historical inference. It is a science in which Wheeler was adept and he would do the job carefully. Our job as scholars was to collect the data and learn the art of excavation. Once I was working in the pit which was about 5 or 6 feet deep. Suddenly Wheeler appeared, jumped into my deep pit and saw my scraping the layers. He shouted, Young man! What are you doing ? You have destroyed all evidence. He was mad with anger. I was doing the job all in a wrong way. There was a particular way to scrape the earth. It was the calendar indicating the time. Each layer would take a specific time to get deposited there and that was the key to know the century to which it belonged. Because I had done the wrong, Wheeler took the instrument of scarping from my hand and showed me the correct way to do the job. I still remember his thundering voice, and later his paternal My Life 105 pat on the back, saying Young man, be careful, do it this way. Good old days. Evening would be hilarious. One Mr.B.B. Lal, who later became Director-General of Archaeology, was just then appointed as Probationary Superintendent. A few others, such as Banerji, Gupta, K. Somasundaram and others who became my good friends, were all there working with me in the pits. That was the site where scorpions abounded and they would bite some one which would be unbearable. There was a gentleman from Bihar who would rush to the victim of scorpion-bite and say I have a cure. He had something which he would burn and ask the man to breath its smoke. The smoke was more painful than the bite, and the victim would cry, the pain had gone. Mostly Bengalis and Punjabis dominated the Department and they were in large number. There were a few Muslims and we would go together for prayers on Friday. Whenever any chicken was cooked not according to Islamic way, the cook would announce it was not meant for Muslims. Any way I learned a lot under Dr. Mortimer Wheeler. Those days were of great national movement, and the talk was mostly on politics in our spare time. No one liked partition, and all of them were bitter on Jinnah. One great advantage of these two events, the Indian History Congress sessions and my experience of excavations, was the intensive desire that was excited in my heart to do research and to take a Ph.D. degree. It became almost a craze, a life ambition, a day dreaming when that day would come when I would also be called Dr so and so. When the summer of 1946 was passed, days became hectic in national movement, for India was on the eve of independence. History was rolling by, with events of momentous nature, the League and Congress clash, the Simla Conference, the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the defeat of the 106 My Life Japanese, the defeat of Winston Churchill in elections in Great Britain, the formation of Attlee Govt. of Labour Party in U.K., the U turn in British policy towards India, their desire to grant independence to India, elections in India, success of the Congress in all provinces, the cry of Pakistan by the League, its increasing role in Indian politics, but its failure to get clear majority even in Muslim dominated provinces of Punjab, N.W.F.P., Sind and Bengal. Maulana Azad managed to set up a coalition Government in the most important Muslim majority province of the Punjab with Khizar Hayat Khan as the Chief Minister. This victory of Maulana Azad had adverse effect on his political career, for he was removed from the Presidentship of the Congress. Jawaharlal Nehru did not like the Congress link with the Zamindari party of Khizar Hayat, who was a feudal lord. Both Hindu and Muslim Zamindars dominated the Union Party of Khizar Hayat. If this was the reason for Nehru to have his differences with Azad, Patel too became an adversary of Azad, for he did not like a Muslim to be at the head of Congress affairs at a crucial time of transfer of power to India. Again, Azad had been in the saddle for too long, nearly for seven years, the longest period in the history of the Congress. Added to these Gandhiji too wanted a change of leadership in the Congress, for he did not like Azads opposition to Quit India Movement in 1942. He was overruled at that time which was not to the liking of Gandhiji. All these led to the downfall of Maulana Azad who was the single leader who stood solid like a rock for an integrated, indivisible, united India, for both Patel, Nehru and Gandhiji, all agreed for the partition of India under the ill-guided advice of Lord Mountbatten. It was only one Muslim, Moulana Azad, who never deviated from his stand, and never compromised on his principles. In such a situation when Simla Conference failed, the Direct Action of Jinnah caused much havoc and led to chain reactions which never ended until the assassination of My Life 107 Gandhiji. These were the days when I was a young lecturer witnessing the daily drama of the national scene. When general elections in India were held, my would-be father-inlaw, Janab G.S. Abdul Hameed Saheb also contested the election. He was not given a League ticket, which was needed to win the election, as the Muslim League had become very popular. He lost the election and was very bitter. Meanwhile, his brother, Janab Mohamed Yahya Sahebs wife who was the sister of my mother-in-law was ill of tuberculosis and had to be admitted into Mysore Sanitorium. They rented a small out-house in Vantikoppal in the backyard of the then Police Station. I used to visit them often. I had become a lecturer then. This was the early contact with that family which resulted in life-long connection, as I married in that family. More details would follow in another chapter on my married life, but here it is enough to say that I built up very close rapport with that family. As indicated earlier, it was my craze to do research. I got married on 4 March 1948 with the eldest daughter of G.S. Abdul Hameed Saheb of Gadabanahalli. At the time of marriage negotiations I hinted whether those rich people would support me for higher studies abroad, but the response was negative. I did not pursue the matter further, nevertheless I married in that family. A year passed, a baby boy, Nusrat, was also born. He was hardly three or four months old, fell ill of diaharreah and passed away. It was a shock to my wife, Sufia Bi, who at this time when I am recording these events is 77 years old, very, very ill. When we lost the baby, all of us were sad, but reconciled to the Will of God. When Colleges were re-opened in June there was one more shock. I was transferred from Maharajas College in Mysore to a newly established First Grade College at Chitradurga. They said a newly started First Grade College needed good teachers initially, and since I was considered a good teacher I became a victim for the transfer. I reported 108 My Life to duty in July 1949. But that became an excuse to try hard to pursue higher studies some where, if not abroad at least within the country. Mysore University did not have the provision for Ph.D. programme as a course, it had only D.Litt. programme, which was not a course, but only submission of a thesis by any one which if merited a degree would get a degree without any regular course or training under a supervisor of the University. But Ph.D. course was available in Aligarh and I had seriously corresponded with Prof. Mohd. Habib of Aligarh Muslim University. One day I got a very encouraging letter to come and join the course. That led to my Aligarh experience. 6 Aligarh Muslim University My ambition for higher studies received a fresh momentum when I was transferred to Chitradurga First Grade College. It was a sea-change in my life, quite different from what it was in Maharajas College, Mysore. The environment was quite different. That scholarly world of knowledge and wisdom was missing. The company of those stalwarts who had a tradition in scholarship was missing. Even the charm and beauty of Mysore city of palaces and mansions, the centre of attraction from all parts of the world was missing. Moreover, the loss of my first child, living alone in a room in a new place, where everything was strange, were all factors pressing hard on mind. The teaching work was also not challenging, as the students of first intermediate did not require that degree of homework to teach as students of B.A. and M.A. The mind was working intensively how best to escape this misery. It occurred to me that I should pursue seriously my correspondence with Prof. Mohd. Habib of Aligarh to take me as a Ph.D. Scholar. The matter did click. He was very kind enough to say that I was welcome. He suggested me also what to do. He said, dont leave your job, apply for study leave, come here for a year, register yourself for Ph.D. and then carry on your research as also the teaching back home in your University, until your work reaches the standard of Doctorate Degree. 110 My Life I took his advice and started correspondence with the University and also with the Government of Mysore. In those days the University was a Department of Government, and all such matters as the sanction of study-leave needed government approval. Fortunately the Under-Secretary to the Govt. in Education Department was an young probationer, Haumanthaiah, who was known to a friend of mine. I first applied to the University to forward my papers to the Govt. Mr. J. Imam of Jagalur, who was once a Member in the Dewans Council (almost a Minister) was in the Executive Council of the University. I met him. He was good enough to help me. Papers were forwarded with recommendation. The Govt. processed the papers and sanctioned me study leave for one year. It carried half the salary of what I was drawing. The salary of a lecturer had been increased from Rs. 75/- to Rs. 100/- in 1949. I was allowed half the salary, that is Rs. 50/- together with full D.A. and that was Rs. 15/- altogether Rs. 65/- along with Rs. 5 00/- book grant. This was again a wind fall to me.I had gone to Chitradurga in July, worked there only for two months, July and August, got relieved on 1 Sept. 1949 to proceed to Aligarh. First, I went to Gadabanahalli where my wife was living, all in grief at the loss of baby. But, I told her that it was all for our good if I were to qualify myself with a Degree for better prospects in life. I also assured her that if I went to Aligarh, I would take her too there at a later date. She had joined First year Intermediate in Maharanis College, which was located at that time in the present CFTRI campus. She had discontinued her studies after first year Intermediate. I told her that there is provision in Aligarh Muslim University that girls could take directly Inter examination without joining the regular course, and that with her knowledge of first year course in Mysore, it might not be difficult for her to take the Final Intermediate Examination in Aligarh. She agreed and I left for Aligarh. My Life 111 Along with me there were two others who joined me to proceed to Aligarh. One was Abdul Basith who wished to do his M.A. in Geography at Aligah, and the other was a Brahmin, Venkataramaiah, who wanted to join M.Sc. in Zoology under Dr.Babar Mirza, a reputed scientist of the time who headed Zoology Department in Aligarh. Mr.Abdul Basith was the son-in-law of Abdul Rahim Saheb of Royal Transport in Chitradurga, who was a very rich man owning buses that plied between Chitradurga and Shimoga. This gentleman had become a good friend of mine also. He was my next door neighbour where I lived in Chitradurga. Quite often he would invite me to dinner. In his house ragi-mudde was also a delicious dish. I too used to enjoy it. He had plenty of time and I too. His son, Saifuddin, was my student. This Saifuddin later entered into politics and became the Chairman of Karnataka Wakf Board. All three left for Aligarh via Bombay and Agra. We had to change the train at V.T. in Bombay, board a train to Delhi, alight at Agra and catch the train to Aligarh. On 10 September we reached Aligarh, and that was a Friday, a holiday in the University. I did not know where to go and stay. It was a big University campus. I just enquired whether there was any student from Bangalore whom I could contact. Aligarh boys cried out immediately there was one, who was Mazhar of Basavanagudi, popularly called Ustad staying there for over seven years, never completing his B.A. course, quite a character of funny type, mischievous, yet quite popular with Aligarh boys. They took me to his room in Sir Syed Hall. It was Friday. We reached at 11 A.M. hardly an hour or two to get ready for Friday prayer. The mosque was quite close. While starting for mosque he asked me whether I had spare chappal. I had only one pair. He asked me to lend them to him, which I did. I used my costly wedding shoe which were very nice. We finished our Friday prayers and came out, searched for the shoes. They were missing. I was annoyed. 112 My Life They were sentimental gifts and their loss disturbed me much. I did not know what to do. I became peevish. He said, Look here, there you see our Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Zakir Hussain, go and complain to him what has happened. I approached the Vice-Chancellor, bursting out in fury. But he was all smiles. That was the first time I saw the face of the great nationalist, humanist, rationalist and the educationist par-excellence of our times. What he did at Jamia Millia is a land mark in the history of education. It became a model and a symbol of mans nobler aims. Education is the art of training our youth how to live harmoniously and consciously with their own fellowmen. Dr. Zakir Hussain was a great leader, who saved Aligarh from a calamity. He rose to be the first Muslim to become Rashtrapati of the land. His services to the cause of education particularly the Wardha Scheme of basic education, the concept of workschool and not book-school, and the idea to base education on the values and culture of the land are worth written in letters of gold. The eight system of values he wanted to inject in education, such as individual values, social values, ethical values, spiritual values, values in the field of economics and politics are all such which could lift a society to high level. Although my initial contact was funny, later I got more interested in the field of his passion, namely education. I wrote four books on Dr.Zakir Hussain, on his life and work. When I burst out at him in my ignorance not knowing how to talk to a great man, his response was to cool me down. He simply said something which amounted to Urdu verse : Nevertheless he ordered his people to close all gates of Sir Syed Hall, and watch at the gates whether any one was walking away with my shoe. Sir Syed Hall is like a fort with My Life 113 four main-gates, which if closed, no one could enter from anywhere. I was destined to lose my sentimental shoes, but my Aligarh experience started with those shoes which became more memorable in my life. Even to-day I am a member of the Aligarh University Court, which is a policy making body. Aligarh did play a vital role because of Sir Syed, on whom as well I did something and brought out a volume entitled, A Leader Reassessed: Life and Work of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. I should record here what I feel about Sir Syed. As one of the greatest reformers of the 19th century, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was destined to shape the destiny of Indian Muslims and change the course of history. It was he who brought about a rapprochment between the British and the Muslims, who had been characterised for over a century as the inveterate foes of the colonials. It was he who lifted the Muslims from the depths of despondency and despair to hope and faith and made them march in the direction of modernity. He laid more emphasis on the people than on governments, more on mind than on matter, more on realism than on idealism, and more on liberalism than on conservatism. He reconciled the intellectualism of the west with the tradition of the east, and planted a Cambridge in India at Aligarh which brought about a renaissance in the thought process of the Muslims. As a social reformer, a political leader, a religious thinker, and as a moralist, a rationalist a humanist and a jurist, he contributed much to the realm of theology, philosophy, religion, ethics, history, literature, education and politics, besides building institutions which aimed at eradicating ignorance, apathy and superstition of his people. I had reached the hub of his activities, namely Aligarh on a Friday when soon after the prayers, and confrontation with Zakir Saheb, I stepped out the stairs of the mosque to see the eternal resting place of Sir Syed where I offered my obeisance, my prayers. I reflected on the long journey I had 114 My Life to cover before the cherished goal of a degree could be reached. Next day I met Prof.Habib and reported myself as a Ph.D. candidate. He was very keen to help me, and I wanted he should be my guide for the Degree. One problem stood in the way. In a way he was entirely responsible for my going to Aligarh, as I did not know any one except he in Aligarh, but just at that time the Department of History was split into two, History and Political Science. Earlier Universities did not make any distinction between History and Political Science as they considered history as the root and politics as the fruit, and that the roots and the fruits form one entity of the same tree. But with the specialisation in disciplines they separated the two for academic purpose, although knowledge is all one whole. Prof.Habib Saheb preferred the fruit, political science although all his major work was on History, the root. He loved Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire, Mostesquien and other political thinkers so much that political thought became the major area of his attention. Therefore, History Department was headed by Shaikh Abdul Rashid, a specialist in medieval India, particularly of the Sultanate period. Aligarh had specialised in medieval India. It was a very popular Department. Prof. Habib had lifted that Department very high at the national level, and his work on Mahmud of Ghaznavi was a classic. I was assigned Shaikh Rasheed as my Supervisor. He was popularly called Shaikh Saheb. One Shaikh from the South became a student of another Shaikh from the north, Shaikh means Chief, Head. Shaikh Saheb thought over seriously on the topic of my research. He said You come from the land of Tipu Sultan, the great martyr. Devote all your time and energy to do research on Hazrat Tipu Sultan Shaheed. As Mohibul Hasan Khan of Calcutta University was interested in the life of Tipu in general, I was assigned a highly specialised area of Tipus work and achievements, namely My Life 115 his Diplomacy and Confrontation with several powers, particularly the British, the colonials. In other words my research was on the Foreign Policy of Tipu, his relation with the English, the French, the Turks, the Afghans, the Mughals, the Marathas and the Nizam. When the topic was finalised, the work of collection of material was the next problem, together with the preparation of a good synopsis which would be the framework of the project. Prof.Habib Saheb asked me, with whom I maintained constant contact despite the fact that Shaikh Saheb was my Supervisor, whether I knew Persian. I asked him how to go about research. He said, what topic had been selected for me. I said, it was Tipu Sultan. He said, do you know Persian, because Persian was the main source of material for that period. I said I know Urdu and I have not studied Persian as a language. He said, Urdu is sixty per cent Persian and that those who know Urdu would very quickly pick up Persian. You do one thing. Take Hamlat-e, the Persian work on that period, go and buy a Haidari, dictionary of Persian into English, translate that into English and you would get working knowledge of Persian for your research. I did accordingly. That Hamlat had 500 pages. Working 18 or 19 hours a day, I finished translating that work. Sitting in my room, doing nothing else, sleeping hardly for 5 or 6 hours, night and day, I worked for a fortnight translating that work, showed it to Prof.Habib Saheb, and he felt very happy. My admission into No.7, Mcdonald Hostel of Sir Syed Hall is also interesting. Admissions into Hostels start in July itself, and I went late in September. As a Research Scholar for Ph.D. and as a lecturer in the University I wanted a single room in some Hostel. The authorities understood my problem and sympathised with me, but pleaded their inability that there was not a single room any where in all the 116 My Life University Hostels. There are only a few of them and all of them had been filled up. Yet I insisted some how to provide me a single seated room. At last they came out with the suggestion that there was one room in MacDonald Hostel, but for quite a few years it was not occupied by any one because of a superstition that a ghost was staying there, and every one was scared to enter there. I said I would face the ghost, please allot me that room. They did, and I occupied the Ghost Room No.7 of MacDonald Hostel. Even now whenever I go to Aligarh for court meeting I visit that room. The reason why it had become a ghost room was, a boy had been electrocuted there, since he had touched a wrong wire of electricity. Since he died accidentally, people thought it was not an auspicious room. Since the days of Sir Syed, all Hostels had been designed as dormitories of the type of Cambridge University, with Verandah, spacious rooms, every room having an attached bath room, wide ventilators, high roof, very big wide quadrangle, only one secure gate, as if the whole Hostel is a strong fortress, with a big Dining Hall. two rotis and two Aligarh mess was known as pieces of mutton, only two meals; roti would be Tanuri, quite enough either for lunch or for dinner. Lunch would be ready by 12 noon, no breakfast for any one, boys would prepare their own morning tea. Aligarh breakfast was very light like the French and not the British breakfast. I have lived in France and I know that their breakfast was a bowl of coffee, very delicious and crisp bread from a very long loaf, which looks like a walking stick. The loaf is twisted to look like a walking stick. In Aligarh with this tea we used to have broad, thick buscuits. Aligarh was known for dairy also, and its butter was famous. The popular things of Aligarh were six its butter, its flattery ( ) (or buttering) and its locks, (Aligarh locks are well-known). Again the place was known also for musquitoes, for flies and for its dusty roads. The roads are very dusty. The entire Indo-Gangetic My Life 117 plane is very flat, not a stone even to hit a nail, soil is fertile, soft and sandy. I did not eat in the Hostel, for it would not agree with me, as they served only wheat and not rice. I used to dine outside. I had piles and Hostel food would cause either constipation or bleeding.Therefore, I preferred milk products, fruits and rice. Weather was hot, and even oppressive, particularly to those who had been used to the salubrious climate of Mysore or Malnad. I started the work seriously. In the evening, we used to go for walk and get adjusted to the academic and social life of the University. Aligarh debating society, Aligarh Union and Aligarh Sports field were famous. It was the particular design of the European staff earlier to give Aligarh boys special training in debates, in cultural activities, and more so in sports, including horse-riding. Aligarh University was known as the national level for its foot-ball. They were good in hockey and cricket also. Prof. Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui, the icon of Urdu, the great literatteur, was very fond of sports and he encouraged the boys to take keen interest in sports, for it is in the field one could show ones skill, agility, discipline, determination, devotion, zeal, interest and competitive spirit how to win and how to face defeat. Qualities of leadership could be acquired only through the extra-curricular activities of the students either in the Union or in Sports. Aligarh boys were known for mischief. Their pranks, daring, dashing, wit, humour, poetry and care-free life were all a class by themselves. They might not be very good in studies. The majority would not touch books until Aligarh Mela which was known for Kabab and Pratha. They were very delicious. Their prathas would be as big as a cyclewheel. I used to watch with great interest how they were fried, very crisp, tasty, which would be cut, weighed in the balance and served with Kabab and no one of the University would miss this Kabab and Pratha. The Mela would last for 118 My Life nearly a week and only after it was over, the boys would touch books. Once they took to books, they had nothing else to do; they would be drowned in books, and would work so hard as if they were born as beasts only to bear the burden of studies. Aligarh care-free merry-making life could be indicated by an instance. Sir Ziauddin is a great name in the University. He built the University and he died as its Vice-Chancellor. He had a deep role in national politics. He belonged to Sir Syed School of Thought, as opposed to nationalists who wanted to compromise with those ideals and join with the Indian National Congress. In the Khilafat days, Maulana Mohamed Ali Jauhar, Dr. Zakir Hussain and others joined the Congress to oppose the English who were colonials. They were the founders of a rival institution to Aligarh and that was Jamia Millia Islamia which was inaugurated in October 1920 by Mahmood-ul-Hasan of Deoband who is known as Asir-e-Malta. He had been sent to jail in Malta for his nationalist activities. At that time Sir Ziauddin, tripos from Cambridge, a brilliant mathematician and a shrewd politician, was in the other camp which upheld Sir Syeds ideals of loyalism with the British. At one time in late 30s a vacancy occurred of Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh University. The favourite incumbent for that post was Aftab Ahmed Khan, a scion of Sir Syed. He was appointed. He was a good friend of Sir Ziauddin, who secretly nourished the desire himself to become Vice-Chancellor. But the authorities denied him the post and appointed Aftab Ahmed Khan as V.C. It hurt Ziauddin and he planned a strategy. He was a very popular Professor and he excited the boys to go in the mid-night and start stoning the residence of Aftab Ahmed Khan. The boys were overjoyed at the opportunity, and perhaps excelled his brief. The annoyed new V.C. called his good friend, Ziauddin, and sought his advice what to do in the matter. Ziauddin My Life 119 said, solution is simple, take a quarter sheet and say I relinquish my job. The authorities would come and beg of you to withdraw the resignation, and suitably take the boys to task. The new V.C. acted accordingly and drafted the resignation. Ziauddin rushed to him, took that paper, went to the authorities and said, since the other man was not willing, and had actually vacated the place, the same may be given to him. The authorities accepted the resignation of Aftab Ahmed Khan and appointed Ziauddin as ViceChancellor, a trick the latter had learned from Islamic history relating to the case of the Khilafat of Hazrat Ali. When there was a tussel between Hazrat Ali and Amir Mauwiyah for the Khilafat, and when in the battle of Saffain, Muwiyah was virtually routed and Hazrat Ali was on the winning point, it was Omar Bin-ul-Aas the conqueror of Egypt who planned the strategy to turn the table against Hazrat Ali. What he did was to show in the thick of the battle the flag of truce, and raised Quran on a spike. Hazrat Ali asked what it meant. The answer was, let us sit down together and do what Quran says. When Quran was brought in between, Hazrat Ali had no choice. He agreed. The decision was that let both parties appoint one representative each and entrust them to suggest what was best in the matter as per the Quran. Hazrat Ali appointed Musa Ashari, and Muwiyah appointed Omar-bin-al-Aas, the person who had proposed this solution. The two representatives met and decided that Khilafat should not be given either to Hazrat Ali or to Muwiyah, but it should be left to Umma to choose whom they wanted. When it came to the announcement of this proposal, Musa Ashari declared that he would renounce the claim of both Hazrat Ali and Muwiyah and that the public be asked to nominate some one suitable. Then it was the turn of Omar-bin-al-Aas to declare his opinion. He got up and said, You have just now heard that Musa had renounced the claim of Ali for the post, and I too agree with him and 120 My Life reject the claim of Ali, but I retain the name of Muawiya. I am his representative, and I am not renouncing it. It was a shock to Hazrat Ali. Confusion prevailed. Nothing could be done. Ultimately Muwiyah became the Caliph, and Ummaya dynasty was established. Politics is a dirty game, where neither friends are eternal, nor foes are eternal, only interests are eternal. Ziauddin played the same game on Aftab Ahmed, who was his bossom friend. But it should be said on sheer competency Ziauddin deserved the post, for he was very far-sighted, dynamic and pragmatic person. The boys came to know of the whole trick Ziauddin had played. They wanted to have fun at his cost. They arranged a function to celebrate the victory of their Professor. They staged a drama called Field of Judgement (Hashar ka Maidan) made one of them sit on a grand chair, called him, The Creator, the Supreme and the Sublime (God) and introduced all Prophets from down to our Holy Prophet (PBH), and then all great Islamic figures down to the present period. In each case God would stand up and say How do you do Adam, …. Or Noah …. Or Abraham … or Jesus,… or Joseph… or David…. Or Solomon. At las the turn came of the present incumbent of Aligarh University. God did not get up from his seat to say How do you do, Ziauddin!. He said that while being seated. The boys complained, oh! God, why this insult to our beloved V.C. who has done so much, and so much. To every one you got up to say Hello, but to our esteemed VC, you did not show that courtesy. God said, If I get up and say hello, this Ziauddin is so clever, he would immediately occupy my chair. That was Sir Ziauddin. He did great service to the University, lifted it very high. There was no Medical College. It was he who laid the foundation and collected the required funds. It is also interesting to know how he did. The Aligarh boys were spend My Life 121 thrift. They would not pay the mess bill. It would accumulate to thousands. The only way to collect the arrears was to withhold the Hall-ticket at the time of examination. The Registrar would say there was no way you could take the examination without either paying the arrears or getting the permission of V.C. to take the examination. Since their pockets were empty, the other alternative was the only choice. They would rush to V.C. and beg for permission. He would say I would permit you only on one condition. You must stay in the University at least a fortnight or so after the examination. The boys were very glad to do so. He would permit them to take the examination, and after that he would draft very powerful appeals which the boys had to take to the four corners of the country and collect funds for the Medical College and other developments. The boys did exactly that, roamed about from Peshwar to Calcutta, Kashmir to Cape Comorin and collected lakhs and lakhs. It was Aligarh that strengthened the hands of Jinnah to win Pakistan. They had become a terror. It was their advocacy that overpowered even Maulana Azad to say that no one could excel Aligarh boys in winning their point. When Ziauddin died they wanted to bury him in the general grave-yard, but the boys thought that he deserved to be buried by the side of Sir Syed near the Jamia-Mosque, where one place had been reserved for his grand-son, Aftab Ahmed Khan, the same man who yielded to the strategy of Ziauddin. The boys secretly dug a grave there and forcibly buried him, despite the protests of Aftab Ahmed Khan. It is said that in a hurry they buried him in a wrong way making his face turned not towards the West but towards the east. When the error was brought to the notice of the boys they said, Dont worry, Ziauddin is very smart. His dead body would turn itself towards the west on its own, if that was needed. Aligarh boys were mischievous. Even as V.C. he would take classes. He was a renowned Professor of Mathematics with 122 My Life Cambridge Tripos. Once, before he entered the class, they wrote on the Black Board That means, you are well renowned in mathematics; please measure the length of long wait for the beloved. He saw this on the board and just wrote underneath Infinity. Stay in Delhi : My guide suggested that I had to go to New Delhi to consult the records in the National Archives for research, for in Aligarh libraries there was not much material except a few published works, which I consuted in a few weeks. I planned to go to Delhi. The question was where to stay. My monthly half-pay salary including DA was only Rs. 65/-. I went to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr.Zakir Hussain, and explained my problem. He was quite helpful, as are all great men who understand genuine difficulties of others. He said, Go and stay in Jamia-Millia, and I will speak to those people. That was a boon to me, for I was getting free accommodation. Early in November 1949 I left Aligarh for Delhi. In Jamia there was a farm land where in a solitary house two or three persons were staying. Zakir Saheb gave me a place not in the boarding house but in a quiet place. The winter was starting. It was already cold. Jamia is in Okla, almost the end of Delhi, where U.P. border would start. National Archives was in the Centre of New Delhi at Janapath Road. Transport was so cheap that I had to pay only 12 paise from Jamia to Janapath, although the distance was over 10 Kms. And it would take nearly an hour to commute. The Director of the National Archives was Dr .B.A. Saletore, a renowned historian, hailing from Dharwad in Karnataka. He was very kind. After completing all formalities, he accepted me as a scholar and permitted to My Life 123 consult the records. It was my daily routine to leave Jamia at 8 AM, go to Archives and work there until 5.30 pm and get back in the evening. On week-ends I used to go to old Delhi to see the Red Fort, Jamia Masjid, Chandni Chowk and other historical places. Along with me in the guest house there was a Maulana from Bihar who subscribed to Jamat-eIslami School of Thought. He would persuade me to present Tipu in true Islamic colour, but I would say history is a science, no less and no more, and that we could not deviate an inch from what the sources say. The record had to speak for themselves, and that Tipu blended in himself both nationalist and Islamic spirit. No doubt he was a true Muslim, a great scholar of Islamic learning, but he was more a patriot, a freedom-fighter, a nationalist who desired to end the colonialism in India. His greatness is that he offered his blood to write the history of free India, and that he attempted to modernise his State to such an extent as to be on par with the West. I would say Italy had renaissance, Germany had reformation, France had revolution, but India had Tipu who blended all these three movements of renaissance, reformation and revolution to bring about a great change in his land. But Maulana was saturated in his own conviction that it was our job to present Tipu as the spokesman of Islam, which is not true. But one thing I did at that time. Taking advantage of the presence of that Maulana, I started learning Arabic language. I did so much as to understand simple Arabic sentences. Maulana taught me Arabic grammar, and its syntax which is so scientific that the infinitive is the root for all derivatives.If you knew the meaning of that infinitive, all noun forms or verb forms or adjectives or adverbs could all be known. Because of the lack of touch with Arabic in later days, I have forgotten much, but whenever I read Quran I could easily follow the meaning even without looking into its translation. In the evening we would go for a walk. That was the 124 My Life area Jamia where hardly one or two years earlier in the wake of partiition blood-bath had taken place, and that Zakir Saheb had sheltered thousands and thousands of refugees there. All that area was revenue land where without any planning township emerged in a haphazard way. Even to-day the campus of Jamia Millia University does not look like a planned campus because of the extraordinary exigencies that arose at that time. Stories were afresh of the atrocities that took place at that time. Just in 1947 Zakir Saheb had celebrated the Silver Jubilee of Jamia Millia, for it was way back in 1922 that Jamia had come to Delhi. That was a momentous occasion, just prior to independence, when the Interim Government headed by Punditji had been formed. Zakir Saheb had invited him to inaugurate the Jubilee, along with all other illustrious stars of politics like Maulana Azad, Gandhiji, Jinnah and others. That was a memorable occasion when, what Zakir Saheb said at the Inauguration, became historical document of everlasting value. Just then the communal riots had taken place. Zakir Saheb, a great humanist and a nationalist, exerted his utmost not only to render relief to the disturbed but also to extinguish the fire that was raging. His emotional speech before the galaxy of brilliant political stars is a classic, even as a piece of literature. Never had India passed through a trauma, a holocaust of that order when humanity was shaken to the roots. I would listen to all this, as they were all fresh events of a year or two, deeply inscribed in the heart, mind and soul of every one present there. What a hell it should have been when communal fire was raging all around, when trains would arrive at every station packed with dead bodies brutally murdered. Any way, I stayed in Jamia, a place which had witnessed the holocaust and which under Zakir Saheb had rendered yeoman service to humanity. It was also the time when the Constituent Assembly My Life 125 was yet drafting the Constitution, when the Governor General was Rajaji, when the President of the Constituent Assembly was Dr. Rajendra Prasad and when the Education Minister was Maulana Azad. The assassination of the Father of the land, Gandhiji, had put an end to the communal killing, and India was bracing itself to come out of the mess of several problems such as refugee problem, Kashmir problem, food problem, integration of native states and Hyderabad problem. Dr.Venkadesikachar, my teacher in Maharajas College, had been working in the ministry which was entrusted with the task of drafting the Constitution. I used to meet him and he would explain to me the importance of certain sections of the Constitution. In those days the foreign policy of non- alignment and third world leadership of Nehru was very much in the news. The Daily newspapers carried that information; which was to become a part and parcel of the political, social and economic life of to-day. It should also be said that the framing of the Constitution of our country was completed by the end of 1949, and that the date 26 January 1950 was fixed for its inauguration. I was present on that day in Delhi, and I did attend the function of the public in which the entire Cabinet, along with several dignitaries were present. I did listen to Punditji. It was arranged in the open field just outside the Red-Fort. The function was in the evening and also a cultural show and a Mushaira (poetic-competition) had been arranged. I listened to the patriotic verses composed by several reputed Urdu and Hindi poets. One of them was from Bangalore, Akhtari Begum. Punditji stayed until she recited her poem and then left. I still recall the kind of security that was there to escort him outside the hall. The whole of New Delhi had been illuminated. It was a very grand function. At the end of December 1949, the session of the Indian History Congress was scheduled in Calcutta. I wanted to attend, for those sessions had become a part and parcel 126 My Life of my life. I desired to go straight from Calcutta to my place to bring my wife to Aligarh for her to take the Intermediate examination. She had not completed that course in Mysore, for we got married and she discontinued. The Calcutta session is also memorable, and quite green in my memory, the galaxy of brilliant scholars, the University campus, the high standard of research papers, the historical tour of different places, the cultural shows, the music consorts, and the series of dinners arranged both by industrialists and by the Government. Fish was a favourite dish. In one of the Dinners, all cutlery was of earthen-ware. It was traditional and supposed to be for very high dignitaries. The session was useful to me as I met Prof. Mohibul Hasan Khan who was also working on Tipu Sultan. A good lot of material on Tipu had been transferred to Asiatic Society of Calcutta after the fall of Tipu. I met Prof.Narendra Krishna Sinha also who had done very good work on Haidar Ali. In whole of India Historical research of quality was done only in four or five places, Poona, Delhi, Aligarh, Allahabad and Calcutta. It was only scholars of Calcutta University who had a national vision, who would do research not confined to their region only but much beyond. Hence, they had come out with good work on the Mughals, as for example Jadunath Sarkars five volumes on Decline and Fall of the Mughal Empire. Likewise, on the Marathas, Peshwas, Sikhs, Sultans and Mysore Rulers, both Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan, the Bengali scholars had thrown much light. The visit to Victoria Memorial and the Botanical Garden was so pleasant that I still remember those good old days when Calcutta was not so congested. It was of interest to me because Tipus family was shifted from Vellore to Zakria Street in Calcutta, and that one of his sons, Muhammad Sultan Shah, rose to be a Mayor of Calcutta, built a beautiful Mosque and also a Golf Club. He left huge property and instituted a charity fund, from which the poor and the destitutes even of Mysore were benefited. My Life 127 I returned to Gadabanahalli, stayed there for a week and planned to take my wife to Aligarh. That was perhaps her long journey. She was also very fond of travel, meeting people, quite intelligent and hard working even in studies. We took a train from Kadur to Bombay and from Bombay to Agra and Agra to Aligarh. She stayed in Girls Hostel which was established by Abdulla Saheb, Sir Syed had not paid attention to the education of the girls. It is said of him that he had neglected two areas, one, womens education, and the other technical education. He was for liberal education which would turn out leaders, lawyers, administrators, teachers and so on. There was so much and so much to do that one cannot blame him for neglecting these two areas. What he did in planting Cambridge was itself a miracle. Any way, my wife took her studies seriously. It was winter and we had to go for warm clothes, particularly overcoat. I was staying in Delhi. I would periodically visit her in Aligarh.The distance from MacDonald Hostel, where I stayed to Girls College and Hostel was hardly a K.M. During a week-end, we planned to visit Delhi. She had not seen that place. We booked a room in a lodging and stayed there for two or three days visiting all historical places like Red Fort, Jamia Mosque, Qutub Minar, Viceregal Lodge where Mughal Garden show was open to public. There was a big fair in Rama Leela open ground. There were three wheeler big rickshaws in which four people could be seated. We used to take that. In Aligarh we did one more thing. In Hosahalli Village, quite close to Gadabanahalli there was Urdu Middle School, where all the children of my father-in-law studied, including my wife. One of her teachers was Rasool Saheb, who desired to do his B.A. in private, for which there was scope in Aligarh. He approached me and expressed his desire when I had gone to Gadabanahalli to bring my wife to Aligarh. I promised to help him completing all formalities of admission. The examination was in May. He arrived in Aligarh in 128 My Life February. I shared my room with him. I was mostly in Delhi, only visiting periodically. He had taken Persian as one of the optionals. Being an experienced teacher and also well motivated to take the degree, there was no doubt of his success in his examination. Same was the case with my wife. He did his B.A., and she did her Intermediate. All three of us returned home with all our exploits in Aligarh. It was quite a venture, an experience in the north, useful for gaining knowledge, helpful for advancement in life, both to me and to Rasool Saheb. To my wife it was the end of her studies. When I asked her to continue for B.A. and M.A., in private, she said when I got Masood, that was B.A., when I got Asma, that was M.A., when I got Shashida, that was Ph.D. and when I got Zakir, that was D.Litt. My work was just beginning. Rasool Saheb got his B.A. and my wife, her Intermediate Certificate. But my Ph.D. was not so easy. This job is so hard that one could recall an Urdu verse : That means, the proverbial patience of Prophet Ayub and the grief of the Prophet Jacob were all not enough to solicit your favour. You cannot imagine how much I have suffered and sacrificed in the way of your love. I had to struggle for six long years before I was awarded the Degree of Ph.D. signed by the great national leader, and educationist, Dr.Zakir Hussain. My leave was upto September 1950. I was back in the estate in mid-May. My wife had completed her course of Intermediate. She had acquired sophisticated style of Urdu language which was different from the Deccani of the south. She was quite an amazing piece to many at home. It was a worth-while experience which she had gained. Ambition and avariciousness are permissible only in one area, and that is My Life 129 acquisition of knowledge. It was an end of the educational career of my wife, but I was in the mid-stream. The degree was far off. I had to struggle hard, roam about all over the country, Madras, Hyderabad, Poona, Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Pondicherry and so on, collect material, analyse it, synthesise it, and present it in a form acceptable to the examiner. This process took nearly six years. It was only in 1954 that I was awarded the Degree. For the collection of material I had to go to Madras Archives. I stayed hardly a week at the estate, for between May and September I wanted to collect as much material as possible so that I could analyse it while doing my job as a lecturer. For this purpose I left for Madras. Lodging was in a Serai, Aba Serai, not far from Railway Station in George Town, in the heart of the city, quite close to the sea and the University, and also the Archives. Some philonthropist had built it, and the rent was very cheap, just one rupee a day. Food was also very cheap. Two or three rupees would do for three meals a day. There was no furniture in the room, just an empty cell, for the oppressive heat was such that one could not sleep in the room. There was a mattress, which we would carry to the roof and sleep under the sky. The fresh breeze from the sea-side, the open sky with twinkling stars, the refreshing quiet atmosphere, and after the whole-day exhaustion of hard work, would make our sleep so sweet that we felt, we were in a bliss. Those under the fans or airconditioned rooms would not be blessed with that sound sleep which a person toiling all day would get. The Director of Tamil Nadu Archives was one Dr. Baliga, a person of South Kanara in Karnataka, who was very helpful. It was his routine to go to the desk of every scholar, know their subject of research, and help them with the required type of material. It should be said to the credit of the British that while their politics was wretched, their love of knowledge was supreme and sublime. A nation is as great, 130 My Life and only as great as the intensity or passion of that nation for knowledge. They have preserved every tiny piece of record of their rule in India. They run into thousands and thousands of volumes, well preserved in Delhi, Madras, Bombay and Calcutta. They had found out advanced method of preserving the records of centuries. Each sheet of the record had to be wrapped in thin cloth, which was like plastic so luminent, as to make the writing visible. In those days plastic lamination was not in vogue. Special kind of material was imported from Japan for that purpose. There was a special section in the Archives which did this preservation. I started diving deep into the records day after day. The material on Haidar and Tipu was enormous in the Archives. I had to visit that Archives, not once but several times, whenever I got either Dasara or Christmas or Summer holidays. In one of those trips, my father-in-law too joined me in Madras, and we lived in the same Aba-Sait Serai. My trip to Pondicherry was also memorable. It was still under the French control, and had not been transferred to India. All records were in French, and also in Persian and Marathi.I learned French enough to understand the meaning, but not to talk. French pronunciation is very peculiar. The French culture, language, customs and manners still existed there, and I used to appreciate it much. What I did not like is the excessive use of liquor in the lodgings or hotels. In the evening, which was very pleasant I used to walk along the beach, and reflect how the foreigners were bold enough to come from seven seas across and colonise our land. The days of Dupleix and Clive would come back to my mind, and I would recapitulate how Haidar, who was a friend of the French, was roaming with all his dashing exploits in those zones, and how Tipu inflicting blows to the English in the First and Second Mysore Wars, and how destiny forced him to disappear from the scene, and how it buttressed the foreigners to bloom in our land for nearly two My Life 131 centuries. I would reflect history is a strange drama of mans struggle in which who becomes the master and who becomes the servant was best known only to God, but do your part, either of a prince or pauper, high or low, rich or poor, man or woman. I still remember a fat French lady who was the Curator of the Archives, who would not speak English, and I did not know the French, and I had to struggle hard to convince her I was a genuine scholar. My trip to Poona was also interesting. There was plenty of material in Bharat Itihasa Samsodak Mandali (Archives) of Poona. Its curator was Dr. G.S. Khare, a great scholar who knew Persian as well. The people of Maharashtra were the only people in India, who had great historical sense, who loved their past, who had preserved their past, and who had seriously engaged themselves in the reconstruction of the past. It is said that all deities of knowledge existed in India except Clio the Muse the goddess of history. This was one area which the Indians had neglected. If history is a science, that was absent in India. If chronology is the eye of history ancient Indian history was blind. But the Maratha scholars had attempted to rectify this. Strong historic sense existed only in the Sarcenic people, the Jews, the Christians and the Arabs, who all belong to Biblical culture with strong convictions that the present is the outcome of the past, and hence cannot be neglected. I stayed in Poona for nearly a month, and visited that place more than once. There was a friend of my father-in-law in Poona, Mr.Gokhale, whom I visited. Not only in Madras, Pondicherry and Poona, but also in Hyderabad there was plenty of material on Tipu. There was a friend of mine in Aligarh from Hyderabad, a Nawab, who welcomed me to his residence where I could stay with them any length of time for research. Accordingly I planned to stay in Hyderabad for quite some time as Tipus relations with that State were of vital importance and that there was 132 My Life plenty of material in several record offices, libraries and Archives of Hyderabad, particularly in Daftar-e-Diwani-O-Mal, which was indeed a treasure house of historical material. I went to Hyderabad and felt very happy that it had retained the Islamic relics of the past, the glory of ancient days when nearly for 700 years the Muslims had ruled over the land. People in Sherwani and fez-cap, every where Urdu sign-board, Urdu speaking public, whether Hindu or Muslim and Islamicgreetings of Adab-arz and so on were a part of their culture. Abid Road, the main thoroughfare, was broad, well planned, illuminated, Moazam-Jahi market, King Koti, Golconda Fort, Salar Jang Museum, Basheer Bagh were all very impressive. What was very significant was the daily routine of the Nizams visit to his mothers tomb through the main Road from his palace Kings Kothi, very unimpressive, unlike Mysore Palace, which is so grand when all traffic would come to a dead halt, police will whistle, it was all only for a few moments, the exact time was all pre-planned, correct to the second, people would stand where they were, no movement of any sort, as if everything had come to a stand-still, and he would pass off with terrific speed in his Mercedes. It was quite a good show to the strangers. My work was mainly in two places, Usmania Library and Daftar-e-Diwani-o-Mal, which was the Record Office. The Library contained quite a large number of manuscripts in Persian which were useful to me. It was located on the bank of the river Moosi, which once flooded itself so much that many houses were washed off. It should be said to the credit of Nizams administration that it had paid sufficient attention to collect good number of books, records and manuscripts. More important than this Library was the Record Office, where thousands and thousands of records were preserved, the catalogue of which itself would run into volumes. They were mostly in Persian, as Deccan had been under Muslim rule ever since the Bahmani Kingdom which My Life 133 was established in 1347, and then this region witnessed the rise and fall of several dynasties such as the Nizam Shahi, Adil Shahi, Qutub Shahi, Barid Shahi and Burhani Shahi. They played a vital part and were in confrontation with the Vijayanagar Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Maratha Empire, the Portuguese, the French, the Dutch and the English. Apart from this the local dynasties particularly the Satavahanas and others played an important role. Consequently, the region produced historical records of varied type in Persian, in Telugu, in Kannada, in Marathi, in French, in Portuguese and in English. Much of the material I needed was in Persian, and in this Record Offices, there were experts in Persian to read the Shikastha style of writing in Persian, Modi Marathi and Modi Kannada. Over the centuries languages too undergo metamorphic change, and one should know paleography as well to do historical research. My stay in Hyderabad was comfortable. As mentioned above, a friend from Hyderabad had generously invited me to stay in his house. A separate room with all facilities was provided to me. I would not dine with them. It was just accommodation. I would eat outside. But meanwhile Ramazan came. Those people insisted that I should accept at least the Sahari if not Iftar. Accordingly exactly at 4 a.m. they would serve me Sahri and I would observe fasting. In Rikabganj, a friend of ours by name Abdul Wahab, whom we had met in Mysore, was residing. He was a relative of a Nawab of Hyderabad, who had made Vantikoppal in Mysore as his permanent residence. This Wahab had become a good friend of my cousin, Janab Yahya Saheb, and through him I had known Mr.Wahab. Once he met me and took me to Golconda fort, where I saw muskets, guns and other armaments of the past. The entire Golconda history was revived in my mind. Those were the pre-police action days, when Qasim Razvi was still very much in the news. Hyderabad was in the last throw of its past glory and this Wahab Saheb would speak a good lot of Hyderabad 134 My Life traditions, achievements and contributions to sum total of Indian culture. He took me at the end to a good Hyderabad Restaurant where we had special Hyderabad Biryani. Each grain of rice was half red and half white. It was quite delicious. No one can deny that Muslims have contributed much to the culinary art of this country. The Mughalai dishes are well-known. The Oudh Dastar-Khan is quite proverbial. Wajid Ali Shahs massoor-ki-dal costing three paisa but masala costing three hundred rupees is much talked about. The Muslims, whether Arabs, Turks, Persians or Afghans brought their dishes to India, tested them in the crucible of the finest of Indian dishes and evolved techniques to prepare their own dishes which could not be excelled by any others. They say that the downfall of the Muslims was because of this rich food the nobles, the lords, the kings, the jagirdars and the wealthy were all very fond of good food which would make them lazy and comfort-loving. They forgot that on dry bread was laid all the strength and force of Hazrat Ali. I came back from Hyderabad, but continued my work, going every summer either to record offices or to Aligarh to seek the guidance of the Supervisor. At last this work came to a conclusion in 1954 when I was awarded Ph.D. the Certificate signed by great man Dr.Zakir Hussain. That was a great day. My stay in Aligarh coincided with the stay of Dr. Zakir Hussain as Vice-Chancellor in Aligarh, for he resigned the job in 1955. 7 Married Life Nature demands pairs. To bear the burden of life a partner is needed. Its root is love, and love is not a feeble emotion or a passing sentiment, but an attitude of life, will and feeling, which are strong, deep and enduring. It is an urge within gifted by God, who is all love conceived in the highest sense of the term. Love is the hunger of the human soul for divine beauty. The lover is eager not only to find beauty, but also to create beauty and to perpetuate beauty. That is why nature prompts men and women to love each other, so as to perpetuate human race. Parents love children in order to leave behind successors in the eternal quest for beauty. This is the law of nature manifest in all living beings. In January 1946 when I got a college job, the first phase of my life was over, and the second phase was soon to begin. Destiny operates in strange ways and opens channels unseen, unheard, and unknown. As stated earlier, one of the members of the Gadabanahalli group of planters fell ill and had to be admitted into the Sanitorium of Mysore City. The aunt of my would be wife, Sufia Bi, (her mothers sister, and wife of his fathers brother, about whom references have already occurred in this work) came to Mysore for treatment. Earlier they had gone to several places, Bangalore and so on, but no where in those days they had diagnosed what the 136 My Life problem was. It was only in Stanley Hospital of Madras that a Doctor by name Khalil diagonised that she suffered from tuberculosis. They were scared. In those days they thought it was highly contageous and incurable. They brought her to Mysore, rented a house in V.V.Puram (Vantikoppal), an outhouse behind the Police Station of that place. They admitted her to Sanitorium. I had joined the College just a few monthsearlier. As that family was well-known all over Malanad, our own benefactors, and my first cousins, I used to visit them often. They too needed the company of some one in a strange place. It so happened that just in that year, 1946, the eldest daughter of one of the members of that family, namely Alijanab G.S.Abdul Hameed Saheb, by name Sufia Bi, had passed her SSLC examination and had joined the First year Intermediate in Maharanis College of Mysore, which was located at that time in Cheluvamba Mansions, the present CFTRI. It should be mentioned here that my would be father-in-law Janab G.S. Abdul Hameed was very modern, progressive, enlightened in his outlook, being the first person in Malanad to advocate education for women. He was very forceful in his pleading for educating girls, and himself set an example by sending his daughter to a college. His own relatives criticised him bitterly that he was sending his daughters to college to dance on the stage. He would not mind it, and he would go a step further and would advocate the removal even of purdah or hijab. He would quote Beverely Nichols who had said that human ingenuity could not devise a better incubator of microbes than Muslim purdah. This is a very subjective statement of a prejudiced mind but Mustafa Kamal (Ataturk) would agree to enforce his reforms. My father-in-law was also of the same bent of mind, highly desirous of bringing about reforms. He had two brothers, one elder, Janab G.S. Abdul Basith Saheb, who had his own views on interest on charged capital as stipulated in Islam, and he had an younger brother, Janab My Life 137 G.S. Mohamed Yahya, (whose wife was in Mysore Sanitorium) who had a passion to advocate payment of Zakat. All these three brothers considered themselves as social, reformers, one holding Purdah as irrelevant, another, payment of interest as charged by bank as relevant, and the third, holding zakat as the only remedy for Muslim upliftment. When Sufia Bi had joined Intermediate in Maharanis College, Mysore, she was staying in the same Hostel as well. The Maharaja had donated that entire mansion both for the College and the Hostel. Once in a way she would visit her aunt in the Sanitorium, and also her uncle in Vantikoppal. I was also introduced to her by my cousins, both Alijanab G.S.Abdul Hameed Saheb (her father) and Alijanab G.S.Mohamed Yahya Saheb (her uncle). She was a great beauty in my view. As per the family relations, in a way she was my niece, my cousin brothers daughter, and hence her uncle, and she called me also at that time as uncle. Once she asked me whether I could help her in paraphrasing Keates, Shellys and Byrons poems. I said I would do that, and I did that. Then some more home work, and some more. We built up good rapport. Perhaps the fire of liking was also ignited in each others heart The year passed. She was only in the first year of Intermediate. During that period I might have met her perhaps half a dozen times. The summer holidays came in 1947. I went to Belagodu. My sisters mother-in-law, who is my aunt (Fathers sister) a very elderly lady, the eldest daughter of my grand father broached the topic whether I was willing to get married in Gadabanahalli family, and if so she would be too happy to go there and negotiate the affair. In a way she just said that what was in my heart. When a person finishes his education, gets a job, he becomes a centre of attraction in society as a prospective groom. Many eyes were there on me from several directions. No body would bother when a 138 My Life poor boy was utterly in need of some help for his school or college fee, but all would be his fans once he would earn a few chips. Incidentally, one more incident could also be stated here. After the death of my mother, my sister, Khateja Bi, was almost like my mother. I was no where to go except to her. She was the one who would look after my brother also, who had lost his mental balance and would be visiting her from his wanderings. My sister had four daughters and two sons; one daughter and one son died. The eldest daughter Hafiza Bi, was married to one Imamuddin in Belagodu. The second daughter, Sarah Bi, the one who stayed with my mother in Henley Estate until she breathed her last, was married to one Badruddin of Aldur. He was a clerk in a Defence Department. It occurred to him that there were better prospects for him in Hyderabad before police action. He went there and my sister wanted that I should take her daughter, Sarah Bi (Badruddins wife) to Hyderabad to join her husband. Hyderabad had not acceeded to Indian Union. It was in a defiant mood asserting its right to be independent. There was great confusion all over India in the wake of India gaining independence, the refugee problem, the Kashmir problem, Junagarh problem, Hindu-Muslim problem and Hyderabad problem. In such a situation I took Sarah Bi along with another group from Aldur which was migrating to Hyderabad. They were followers of a Muslim sect called Chandbashweshwars, whose Headquarters was Hyderabad. We reached the place. That was my first visit to Hyderabad, which I had to visit again and again later for my researh. Badruddin was staying in a small out-house of a Nawab. I had become a lecturer but was still a bachelor, a prospective groom. Mr.Badruddin began coaxing me to get married in Hyderabad and settle down. He also said that the Nawab had a marriagable daughter also, and if all things went off, the matter could be settled. He even saw the Nawab My Life 139 and discussed the affair. I got scared and ran away next day to Mysore. That was the first venture. A few weeks later, my sister in Belagodu persuaded her mother-in-law, my aunt to go to Gadabanahalli, and sound whether they were willing to accept me as a member of their family. She went there, sounded them and found them willing. Sufia had discontinued her studies. They were also willing to get her married as early as possible. Parents with five daughters were eager to dispose them as soon as the opportunity would arise. I was also keen to get married, as I had seen her before. A more responsible person than an old lady, my aunt, was required, to finalise the negotiations. They thought of Ali Janab Abdul Wahab Saheb of Henly Estate, another cousin from fathers side. He was the brother-in-law (sisters husband) of my would be father-in-law, Janab G.S.Abdul Hameed Saheb. He went there with the proposal which seemed acceptable to them. Meanwhile, I put a condition. Having known that they were very big planters, quite affluent, I desired to know whether they would be willing to support me for higher studies in U.K. which was my passion. They got infuriated. Unpleasantness was followed for a while. The General Manager of the Estate, almost the care-taker of the whole family, was one Abdul Qayum of Hoshalli, who was serving the family for a long time. He had a long discussion with me. Meanwhile, Abdul Wahab Saheb also did not play a helpful role. Negotiations seemed very strained at one stage. I thought over the matter, that I should not seek the favour of any one for my project. I should do it myself, self-help is the best help. They may crow all their life that they built my future. Therefore, I told Qayum Saheb that I would not insist on that issue. The rest was all easy. Marriage was fixed on 4 March 1948. I applied for a fortnight leave, went to Belagodu, arranged a bus from 140 My Life Belagodu to Gadabanahalli to take all relatives and friends. It was a grand function. In making arrangements from my side, one Mr.Imamuddin, son-in-law of my sister was very helpful. I did not spend much money, perhaps gold worth about a thousand rupees and dresses worth less than that were purchased. My father-in-law was a social reformer, and did not like lavish expenditure on weddings, Prof.Abdul Qadir Sarvari Saheb of Urdu Department, my very intimate friends Dr.Syed Shah Ali, Major Khalilur Rahman Saheb had come. Earlier a reference has come that Prof.Sarvari Saheb and Major Khalilur Rahman sitting in the Wedding pendal composed a complimentary poem for the occasion, one of its verses was : meaning, very quietly Shaikh managed to get what he desired, and Abdul Hameed lost all earnings of his life. This Gadabanahalli family where I married was a reputed family of Malanad planters. Two brothers, Janab Abdul Hameed and Mohamed Yahya who had married two sisters of the same family of Arehalli, daughters of a very venerable soul, Alijanab Abdul Ali Saheb, a big planter, wise, mature, far-sighted, dignified and gracious. He was the brother-in-law (that is sisters husband) of the illustrious Haji Mohamed Hussain, whom I regard as Sir Syed of Malanad, who had done so much and so much to uplift the Muslims of Malanad in educational and social sector. Alijanab Abdul Ali Saheb was still alive when I married. He blessed me, and grand-mother of my wife was also present. In the family where I married, my wife Sufia was the eldest daughter, younger to her was a brother, G.S. Abdul Wajid (he is no more, passed away in 2001); and their three daughters, Muneera married to Gulam-e-Ahmed of Hassan My Life 141 (both are no more now); Maimoona married to Dr. S. Abdul Kareem, Joint Director of Health Services of Karnataka, who became the Administrator of Al-Ameen Medical Services and built Al-Ameen Medical College at Bijapur (now no more) and Azra Banu married to Mr.Mukhtar Ahmed of Arehalli. Azra built the Mountain view chain of educational institutions which are still functioning very well. From a humble start of just six children in a rented building near Jamia mosque, she was able with the active and wise support of her husband, Mukhtar Saheb, to build a huge complex of several educational institution in a sprawling campus of nearly 35 acres on the outskirts of Chikmagalur Town where over 2000 children are being educated from Kinder-garten to postgraduate with facilities of all sorts including Hostel facilities, good play ground, indoor games, Old age home and so on. Not only this big campus but also a school in a congested area of Chikmagalur Town is also functioning well. It is indeed a matter of great, great satisfaction that a Muslim lady could achieve so much within her own life time. It was all the fruit of love, labour, devotion, patience and perseverance. The dynamic role of Azra with appreciative wisdom of Mukhtar Saheb brought about something which the community could be proud of. The Muslims have touched the bottom line in this country in all sectors of life, social, educational, economic or political. The built-in inhibitions like purdah, lack of education, social pride, laziness, ego, poverty and conservatism together with political discriminations have reduced this community to miserable level. In such a situation to build an educational complex whose assets may run into several hundred crores is indeed a matter of great pride. Next to Azra is her brother, Khalid Ghani, who became an ornothologist, became a good friend of Salim Ali, the world-renowned Bird-Man and the President of All India Zoological Society, Bombay. Mr.Khalid holds a British 142 My Life Passport as well, he lived there for long, worked there in Wales Museum, has built a house near Mountain View School, which is like a mansion. He is a very sophisticated man, well-loved by members of his family and friends. He is very fond of wild life, and has toured widely in India, (Rajasthan), Africa, Indonesia, America, Europe and other places. He is a photographer par excellence, which has earned him good number of prizes. The third and the youngest son is Shaeeb Ali. He was born three months after our marriage in June 1948. It is something that had happened in my case as well, namely I was born when my sister was of marriageable age. He stayed with us for his education in Mysore, and many thought he was my son. He is very smart, witty, jovial, active and dynamic. We lived in Saraswathipuram, Mysore where every one in the neighbourhood knew him and liked him. If he travelled in a bus to the school, all passengers would be pleased by his pranks. If he went to a tutor for private tuition, the entire group would be electrified by his lively tricks and escapades. Once his tutor admonished him in his house for his pranks, he disappeared and hid himself in a big barrel. Every nook and corner of the house was searched and he could not be found. His exploits had become talk of the town. Once, we wanted to go to Calicut in our old model Austin car. He was driving and the car needed repairs. We could not move beyond Sultan Batery. He halted there for the repairs and I proceeded to Calicut for the important work of negotiating with Prof.Shukoor Saheb to give his daughter, Rafath, in marriage to Abdul Wajid, my eldest brother-inlaw. I did the job and returned next day to Sultan Batery where he was ready with the repaired car. It was 1940 model Austin car, very rickety. While returning to Mysore, some one in a brand new car wanted to overtake us. Shaeeb Ali would not allow him. He raced our car with speed, with more speed, and the other man was also challenging us, until My Life 143 he approached quite close to us and pointed the tyre which was likely to burst. If only we had not stopped, in another moment a terrible accident would have happened. God was great. Not one but hundreds of escapades of this nature have occurred during the last fifty years. Shaeeb Ali has married Rafikha of Hassan who was my student. He has brought up a lively family of two daughters, who are all married. He started a Service Station and also a petrol pump. What is very appreciative of him is the fact that he initiated a Charitable Trust, which runs an orphanage with nearly 100 children, not far from Chikmagalur, in an area of over three acres of land, a mosque, a school, a residential boarding and so on. He is a Rotarian as well and a Member of other social service organizations. I must say a word about my eldest brother-in-law, Abdul Wajid, who married the daughter of Prof. Shukoor Saheb, Professor of Economics, working in Farooq College of Calicut, whose reference has come just above. Mr.Wajid too stayed with us for his studies at Hardwick High School, Mysore, but only for a short while. We were just married then, in 1948, and were living in Jalapari Mohalla of Mysore. He had a knack in agriculture. Even as a School boy, he raised a Kitchen garden yielding good vegetables. Later, without being an agronomist he cultivated paddy fields with such modern methods that people suspected he must have been trained in Japan. About 20 miles from Chikmagalur near Sakrapatana, he bought about 20 acres of land on his own, near a big tank and cultivated paddy and other dry crops so well that he had become a role-model. Even as a boy in a high school, he took a gun on a Friday, when we had gone for prayers, and by the time we came back, there was great news that Wajid Saheb had shot a tiger. We were all amazed and wondered how a boy of sixteen, seventeen could go alone and do a thing of that sort. His farm called Hakkibail was our picknick spot. In vacations we would all visit that place 144 My Life and have very good time. He has built a beautiful house in the Suburb of Chickmagalur, not consulting any architect, but so well designed that even an architect should learn a thing or two from him. He had varied hobbies including collection of coins (numismatics) poultry, farming, dairy, gardening, riding, shooting and so on. It should be said of his wife, Rafath, that she too is a wonderful lady, a graduate, who took to farming, learned all the techniques of farming from her husband, who is unfortunately at present no more, but Rafath all alone, all by herself running the entire farm-land, raising cabbages, peas, potatoes, cultivating paddy and so on. She is a very pious lady, so devoted to her prayers, she has a son, Nadeem (with two daughters) and a daughter Hina, who is married to an engineer, now in Toronto, Canada (with two children). I must say a word about another sister-in-law of mine, the youngest, Nazeera, who too was with us for her Middle School and High School education. She was a very lovable child, but could not cope with the studies. She appeared for SSLC examination. On the day the result was announced the whole family including my father-in-law, my mother-in-law, my brother-in-law (Mr.Wajid) were all in Mysore in my residence, Wardens Quarter, New Muslim Hostel, Saraswathipuram, Mysore. I had gone to Hunsur with my father-in-law for some official work in Hunsur Coffee Works. By the time we returned by lunch time, there was great tragedy at home. That little girl, Nazeera, who had appeared for SSLC in private had failed in the examinination. She was so much dejected that suddenly she decided to commit suicide. She ran to the Kukrahalli tank, and drowned herself. People ran after her, but could not save her life. Mr. Wajid too ran and fell into water, but could not rescue. There was commotion. Wajid Saheb did not know swimming. Any way, he came out of the water, but she was lost for ever, an untold, horrible, disastrous, unheard of tragedy in the family. The My Life 145 pity was the whole thing happened in my house. Grief knew no limits. A precious life was lost, a budding rose was smothered before it bloomed. The grief of Azra was unsurpassed. The youngest girl was the darling of all, and her loss was unbearable. It was the way she died that touched one and all. It is indicated earlier that my father-in-law, Janab Abdul Hameed Saheb and his younger brother, Janab Mohamed Yahya Saheb had married sisters and had led for a long time joint family. They had risen high in acquiring huge landed property, nearly a thousand acres of coffee lands spread over in three or four different places, such as Gadabanahalli, Boonahalli, Kunmakki, Hetkekool and Gundikan.This empire was the result of an ambitious plan which burst out like the South Sea bubble in the economic depression of late 20s and early 30s of 20th Century. They plunged themselves into disaster incurring heavy debts from different sources. All their property was mortgaged. More than a decade of troubled life they led before situation changed during the Second World War. Coffee prices again shot up, debt was redeemed, and out of the large property of a 1000 acre, they were able to save nearly 200 acres, in Gadabanahalli, Boonahalli and Koonmakki. This was the family situation of the two brothers, who lived in the same bungalow of Gadabanahalli, a huge mansion of several rooms, built up by their father. The younger brother had a small family of only one daughter, Amina Bi, and one son, Zahoor Ahmed, whereas the elder had three sons and five daughters. All these children lived in the same house like brothers and sisters, and not as cousins. In the joint family of Indian social system, all members have same rights and privileges, and share everything good or bad. They had lived like this for long when inevitable desire to have a separate identity made Janab Yahya Saheb, the younger brother, to build a bungalow of his own, not far from the 146 My Life main bungalow. At the time of my marriage they had shifted to their new house. Janab Yahya Saheb was a very remarkable person, whose passion was coffee cultivation. He knew so much about it that even the specialists in that field could not excel him. He got Koonmakki as his share, and he had made the Estate a model Estate.His knowledge of coffee cultivation was encyclopaedic. He was very well-versed both in English and Urdu. Although he was not a graduate, his command over English language was surprisingly very high. He was very fond of the philosophy of Allama Iqbal and had a good library of his own. His general knowledge was also amazing. These two brothers took a lot of interest in social work, community upliftment and general well-being of all. His daughter, Amina Bi, did her M.A. in History and became a student of mine in Maharajas College. She got married to a contemporary of mine, Mr.Manzoor Ahmed, son of Janab Abdul Razaq Saheb, who was Asst.Commissioner at Hassan when I was studying in Middle School. He joined as Employment Officer in the Labour Department of Karnataka Government. He had two sons and four daughters, and all of them have now settled in USA. Mr. Zahoor Ahmed married Naseema, daughter of Nazeer Ahmed of Aldur Coffee Works who shifted himself to Karachi where he opened a Book Shop Thomas and Thomas which belonged to the Europeans before they left the sub-continent. Mr.Zahoor got interested in art and craft, and has now settled down at Koonmakki. This is a rough picture of all the members of the Gadabanahalli group where I married. I was the eldest son-in-law of the house. Being in the education field, they expected of me to take care of the education of their children, since I stayed in a premier city of education and higher learning. Consequently, when I married in March 1948, I set up soon a house in Jalapari Mohalla of Mysore City, on the My Life 147 eastern side. It was a newly built house rented at Rs.30/- a month, nearly 30% of the salary. It belonged to a fruit merchant in K.R. Market. It had a big compound, two rooms ,hall, kitchen and other facilities. Two of the children, Wajid Saheb and Muneera, were entrusted to our care. Wajid Saheb joined Hardwick High School, and Muneera joined St. Marys Convent, which was quite near by. Their parents used to visit us. Once when they came, two big planters from Coorg, Omar Khan Saheb and Yusuf Khan Saheb invited my fatherin-law and his younger brother, Janab Yahya Saheb to visit their newly purchased Estates of Blottery and Bykere, near Mercara. They asked me to join the group and I did. They had just bought a new Dodge Car. Five of us left Mysore for the Coorg and reached the Coffee estate, Bykere, which once belonged to an English man, Mr. White. He had built a beautiful bungalow which was well-furnished and had all the modern gadgets, electric generator, water pumping sets, European style toilets, well-planned garden, particularly orchids and so on. It was coffee picking season. Weather was fine. Long walk in the garden and tire-some journey together with non-stop continuous talk on Coffee, particularly from Yahya Saheb, had excited great hunger. We did justice to the lunch, and again went round, up and down, several blocks of Coffee Estate. From there we went to Rasoolpur, their own paddy fields where a few members of their own family resided. That place was named after the father of Omar Khan Saheb, Rasool Khan, who was very enterprising, who had built up huge landed property. One of the members of this family, Mr. F.M. Khan, son of Yusuf Khan, entered into politics, became very prominent being a close associate of Sanjay Gandhi. But after the death of Sanjay Gandhi, he faded out from importance. He is at present staying in the same Estate of Blottery. He was a good friend of Gundu Rao who became the Chief Minister of Karnataka, and helped me in being selected as Vice-Chancellor of the new University 148 My Life of Mangalore. His younger brother, Mr.Noor Mohamed, has married a cousin of my wife, Almas, and thus became relatives. Her husband, Noor Mohamed, is a Trustee of Sultan Shaheed Education Trust, which I have established at present for social and education work. I lived in the Jalpari house for less than a year. In the first year of our wedded life itself, my wife was in the family way, a new experience to her, very difficult to bear. She was to stay in the Estate with the parents. A baby boy was born whom we named Nusrat, but he did not survive for long, hardly for four or five months. His death and my transfer to Chitradurga College were the factors that led to my going to Aligarh, the details of which have already been sketched above. After the expiry of one-year study leave I reported to duty in Maharajas College, but another unhappy surprise was there for me. The University transferred me again from Mysore to Chikmagalur, where a new Intermediate College had started. I took this with mixed feelings. There were both positive and negative aspects in this transfer. The positive aspect was that it was so close to my wifes place and residence was no problem as that was the place of my cousin, eldest uncle of my wife, Janab Abdul Basith Saheb, in whose house I had once lived for my Middle School education. But the negative aspect was that a transfer from the prestigeous Maharajas College to a remote place of an Intermediate College was no promotion but demotion. As it was only first year of Intermediate there was only one hour a day of teaching. It was all boring, with no academic environment, no library, and more so my Ph.D. work was yet to be completed for which I needed a place like Mysore. Moreover, living too long with relatives was also not desirable. I was there in Chikmagalur for hardly a month or two when another happy surprise took place. The Superintendent of the College, Mr. Nazeer Ahmed Saheb, Geography Department a very fine gentleman with whom I had good My Life 149 rapport was transferred back again to Mysore, and my teacher, Mr.P.G. Satyagirinathan was posted to his place. Since he was a History Professor, there was no need for me in Chikmagalur. Since he had come from Maharajas College I was sent back to his place in Mysore. I thanked God that events turned out very luckily in my favour. I felt very happy that I was back again in my alma-mater which I loved from the bottom of my heart. God in his grace disturbed me from that place only for a short period of two months in Chitradurga and another two months in Chikmagalur. Both these transfers were blessings to me in a way, for in the first case I struggled hard to get study leave for Ph.D. and in the second case I tried hard to complete that project seriously devoting my time for that purpose. We have to infer from this that whatever happens in life is for our own good, although in our ignorance we feel sad at the turn of tough things and feel excited at the turn of good things. Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so. With the transfer to Mysore, late in 1950, for three or four months I stayed in the same old New Muslim Hostel, which was like a home to me for a good part of a decade from 1940. Soon after the Summer holidays which I spent going to Madras Archives for collection of material, I had to set up the family in July 1951. I searched for the house which was not an easy job and ultimately found one small twin outhouse in Laxmipuram, near Police Station, belonging to Ali Khan Saheb. There was a very big compound, quite spacious open ground, with the main house facing east to the main road, on the Southern side cross, an outhouse was located, which had been turned into two apartments, one of which had been occupied and the other remained to be letout. I took that house on the monthly rent of Rs. 20/-. My salary at that time was just Rs. 100/- with Rs. 20/- as D.A. By that time God had blessed me with another son on January 21, 1951, whom we named Masood Mohiyuddin Mohiyuddin 150 My Life being my fathers name. He was a lively boy and we shifted to this new place which was very, very small, three small rooms, hardly of 8 x 10 with a small kitchen and a toilet. One of which we made a drawing room, another a bed-room, the third a dining hall. Into this house would visit my parentin-laws as well. Once my father-in-law and my mother-inlaw also had come and stayed with us, when the news came from Arehalli that grand-mother of my wife was no more. Suddenly arrangements had to be made for a taxi. It was already very late in the evening. Luckily Qayyum Saheb also had come. It was almost dead of the night by the time they reached Arehalli. It seems the Driver was dosing while driving. It was the alacrity and smartness of Qayyum Saheb that made them reach the place safely. Another guest who visited this place was Henly Abdul Wahab who had come to Mysore hunting for a bride to his eldest son, Wazir Jan, (Mohd. Saleh) who ultimately married a girl from Channarayapatna. Another unforgettable bad experience of this house was that a scorpion bit my son, the baby, Masood. It was a horrible experience. The baby was almost on death-bed. We had already lost one baby, and we were terribly afraid and became nervous. We could not bear the weeping and crying of the baby from the terrible pain. We rushed him to K.R. Hospital in a Tanga. God was gracious to save his life. He is now on the staff of NITK at Surathkal College of Technology in DK., a genius in his own right. A year earlier maternal grand father of my wife, Ali Janab Abdul Ali Saheb had been to Mecca for Haj pilgrimage. He passed away there which was a matter of great grief. He was the second person from that place to die in the holy place, for in 1927 or so Janab Muhammad Imam Saheb, younger brother of Janab Sahukar Mohamed Hussain Saheb, too had passed away in Mecca. It was in his memory that My Life 151 Sahukar Saheb had donated generously funds to build the New Muslim Hostel of Mysore. Janab Abdul Ali Saheb too was a very remarkable person, of sterling qualities, gracious, noble, mature, wise, very affectionate and kind. Such people of high character are becoming rarer, and rarer these days. The 50s of the last century was in a way a formative period of my life when all four children of mine were born, Masood, Asma, Shahida and Zakir, with an interval of exactly two years in between. Masood was born on 21-1-2951, Asma Kulsum on 23-7-1953, Shahida on 22-7-1955, and Zakir Hussain on 15-8-1957. It was during this decade that I got my first Ph.D. Degree from Aligarh in 1954, and the second Ph.D. Degree from London in 1960. It was in this decade that I built a house of my own in Saraswathipuram. It was during this decade that I spent more than two years in England and Europe for higher studies. It was during this period that I struggled hard to get promotion from a Lecturers job to an Asst.Professors job, but was not successful in the efforts, the failure being a blessing in several ways. It should be stated that I was ambitious and anxious to get the next higher grade in my profession, and that was an Asst.Professors job, but I was denied despite the fact that I had obtained a Ph.D. and had put in 10 years of service, a gold medalist and an acknowledged good teacher. My grief reached a high point in 1956 when I was utterly disappointed in the race for promotion. Two vacancies occurred in the University during that year. I tried my level best, used even influence by going all the way to Jagalur with my father-inlaw to see J.Imam Saheb, who was an Executive Council Member. I saw the Chief Minister, Sri Nijalingappa through one Basappa Shetty of Aldur, who came along with my father-in-law to speak to the Chief Minister. I tried my level best, and yet success slipped my hands. One post was given 152 My Life to Dr.B.S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, my own teacher, which I did not mind. But the other post was given to my own student, Narasaiah whom I had taught in M.A, and who had put in hardly six months of service. He had not even been permanently appointed as a lecturer. When the results were announced I was totally shaken. I could not reconcile myself why fate had denied me that choice, not knowing at that time God disposes what man proposes, only for the good of man. It was at that difficult time in my official career, my wife came to my rescue. It was her talk that gave me relief. She proved wiser than I did. She said, Cool yourself! Be calm; think it may be a blessing for us, which we cannot see at this moment. The hidden hand of Gods mercy would not immediately reveal what is best in our interest. She went on consoling me, for two or three days I could neither eat nor sleep. I passed through a hell, for a boy whom I had taught had become my boss, my superior. My wife was right and I was wrong. I thought what cannot be cured must be endured. But from that moment things took an upward trend. From nearly six to seven years I was crazy to go abroad for further studies, not being satisfied with an Indian Ph.D. In those days Full-bright Scholarships of USA were very much in the news. Several times I had applied, only to be rejected every time. At last I applied for British Council Scholarship. The interview was held in Delhi. This time I was fully prepared, worked hard night and day, to face the interview in a way to win. Many in the Selection Committee were Europeans. One of them asked me the cause of the First World War. I said, it was because of Frederick the Great of Prussia. He said, Are you mad ? I am asking you the question of 20th century and you are referring to a person of 18th century. I said, wait a minute, Sir, let me make my point clear. Wars do not originate in a spur of moment. We have to go to the roots. In the first place let us examine who sowed the seed of war. My Life 153 Was it not the ambition of Frederick that led step by step to the strengthening of Germany as a great power? Is it not because of Frederick that Bismark became the Iron-Man of Europe? Would you not believe that all wars originate in the mind of man, and was not Fredericks mind the first congenial soil for this seed of war to grow. The latter events are all commentaries to what Frederick had designed. I went on like this non-stop throwing light on the psychological and philosophical causes of the war, which impressed the Selection Board. They were more than satisfied and I got the Fellowship. They had paid me sumptuous First Class fare for travel. I had travelled in Second Class. Bought a few gifts to my wife, a shawl and other things and returned home. A few days, hardly a month or so, one day I had gone to the College, came home and found my wife excited. The moment I entered she hugged me and said, I have some surprise, but I would not reveal until you promise something. She said that again and again, and she would not tell what that was about. I said, surely I promise, please do let me know what it is. At last she said, we have received a letter from the British Council which says you have been awarded a fellowship, and you are going to U.K. If you go there, you have to please take me as well. This you have to promise on Quran. I said, surely I would do that provided first I go there and then I would take you having saved something. She agreed. Accordingly I did. I went abroad, got a Ph.D. from London University, got selected for the post of Professorship straight from a Lecturers chair to HOD of History Department. This was all a blessing, for if I had been selected in 1956, I would have been sent to a Degree College in Tumkur as Asst. Professor, where that vacancy existed, and to which place Mr.Narasaiah was posted. I would not have struggled hard to go abroad and to qualify myself for still higher post. I would have contented myself, being elated at 154 My Life the promotion, in a moffissil area, leading a routine life of a college teacher. I would not have gained that world-wide experience which I did in Europe. I would not have produced that research work which was acclaimed by a scholar as the miracle of twentieth century. (Review of my work by Dr.K.N.V. Sastri on British Relations with Haidar, which fetched me Professorship.) The person, Narasaiah, was rotting in Tumkur, when I had risen high in the scholarly world. A time came when the same Narasaiah approached me to seek help for his promotion later as a Professor in Bangalore University. I forgot the past disappointment at his hands, and spoke to one of the experts in the Selection Committee of that University, Dr.Bisveshwar Prasad, to help Narasaiah, as he came from the Scheduled Caste, perhaps the only one in that community to have earned Ph.D. from USA. Although the calibre of this Narasaiah was not that high, he was selected as Professor in Bangalore University, much, much later than I got selected, after all he was my student, and there are only two persons in the world who irrespective of the past rush to the rescue of a person in need, one is the mother, and the other is a teacher, who take pride at the rise of either a son/daughter or a pupil. This incident of my life is significant because man many a time gets frustrated by the immediate events, not knowing what happened could be only for his own good. Patience and faith in God are indispensable conditions for success in life. In the married life to bring up children, maintain family and come up in life with limited resources are difficult tasks. God had blessed me with four children, and I should say, my wife exerted her utmost to bring them up on right lines. She worked hard day and night fingers to her bone to feed them well, and to take care of them. They would fall ill frequently and that would be a testing time, for hospitalisation was excessively expensive. I remember that there were occasions when I did not have money to buy medicine. Zakir My Life 155 was critically ill. He was hospitalised in Mission Hospital. Dr. Tovey was the Medical Officer, an Englishman, very competent, polite, helpful and kind. He examined Zakir and said Oh! God! We were all shivering in the shoe. You should have seen the face of my wife at that time. We were all pale. We thought something terrible might happen. Dr. Tovey wrote a prescrpiton to buy medicine. I did not have money. I rushed to the shop of Ishaq Saheb, a good friend of mine for the last half a century, borrowed some money from him. God was good and gracious. Zakir recovered from illness. We thanked God, but those moments were unforgettable. Like this on some other occasion either Shahi or Maji fell ill. Doctor wrote a prescrpiton for medicine and I did not have money. Luckily, my co-brother, Gulam-e-Ahmed too was present. He gazed at me and read my face. He was so good as to snatch the chit from my hand saying, you dont worry I will rush to bring medicine. He did that. Mr.Gulame-Ahmed was a very gentle, noble and a person of sterling character. I would say he was nobility personified. I have never heard one word from him ill of others. He was a rich planter who would help all to the best of his ability. Likewise, his wife, Muneera my wifes younger sister, too was very generous, very helpful, very talented, kind, good and compassionate. She was good in cooking as well, and her dishes were very delicious. God did not bless the couple with an issue. They adopted a boy and a girl and reared them as their own son and daughter. The boy is Faiz Ahmed, who is Mr.Ahmeds own nephew, sisters son, and the daughter is Nagina, a girl Muneera adopted from a family that had discarded the child. This girl was very sweet, with all the features of a great beauty. She grew up to be a fine lady, got married to Janab Sulaiman Sheriff, and at present bringing up her two children. Her daughter, Noor-ul-Huda, was married just recently on 12th December 2006. Another problem of my married life was to solve the 156 My Life problem of residence. As stated earlier, when I got married, I rented a house in Jalpuri. When Masood was born, we shifted to Laxmipuram house, where a scorpion bit him. We did not stay for long in Laxmipuram, when we were asked to vacate. With great difficulty I made the Rent Controller allot me a house, and he fixed a very good house in Saraswathipuram V Main at Rs. 40/- p.m. belonging to one Mr. Sadasivaiah, an officer who had been transferred to Shimoga. He was a nice man. The house was a newly built, very spacious and very convenient. We had lived hardly a year or two when we had to vacate it also. A small outhouse, quite close by belonging to one Lingaiah was rented out. Family was not shifted as my second child, Asma, was to be born. It was a very inconvenient house. Therefore, we shifted to a new house, the fifth shift, in the same locality of Saraswathipuram built by Housing Board. It was quite convenient and sufficient for the family. Hardly a year we were there, we had to shift again to another model house of the same locality, which was the sixth shift. I got disgusted in this process of every tim finding a new house. Luckily in 1951 when all lecturers were applying to CITB (City Improvement Trust Board) for a site, I too had done, and CITB had allotted me a corner site of the dimension of 43˜ x 57˜ in 3rd Cross, 7th Main for a sum of Rs.514/- which I had taken four years to clear the amount. You could imagine that a sum of only Rs. 514/- took that long for payment, as the days were so hard that every penny was precious. The site was there. It occurred to me that I should build a house. I applied to the University for house building loan, which was permissible at that time under Government rules. The Government was good enough to sanction me a loan of Rs. 6,600/- I had saved about Rs. 2000/ - having sold the property of Belagodu, both a house to Imamuddin Saheb for Rs. 500/- Golgonda Coffee land of 2 acres for Rs. 500/- and Mylariah Coffee land of 4 acres for My Life 157 Rs. 1000/- to Janab K. Abdul Khader Saheb, popularly known as Baba Bhai, who was the father of my co-brother, Mr.Gulam-e-Ahmed. This amount together with the sale of a site I had in Saraswathipuram, Mysore, for Rs. 2000/- was sufficient to build a house for myself in Mysore. I must say how I owned a site in Saraswathipuram, prior to the allotment of the site by CITB on which stands the house now I reside. Once I happened to go near the New Jyoti Studio, at present J.S.S. Educational Complex in Saraswathipuram, where a lot of people had gathered. Just for curiosity I went there and found that CITB was auctioning sites for the needy in Saraswathipuram newly-laid lay-out. This plot of land was once Mekhri Sahebs garden, so green with areca and cocoanut trees on which fresh betel leaves creeps, had made this an enchanting spot where we would go in hot summer days to prepare our lessons for examination. I saw the people bidding the sites. There was one site which was being auctioned and I too participated in the bid. It was going on from 100-150-200-250-300 and so on until it touched Rs.1450/-. For curiosity sake I called out loudly Rs.1500/-. The Chairman of CITB, a noble figure, a great nationalist and a patriot, Sri.Pallalhalli Seetharamaiah, looked at my face. He detected a Muslim was bidding the site, and that too a Muslim Lecturer, almost a rarity in such a gathering. He suddenly said, Once, twice and thrice, job is done, site stands in the name of this young man, Sheikh Ali. People were wondering, why this haste, we would still bid higher and higher. But the President of CITB was bent upon giving that site to me for Rs.1500/-. Had I kept that site of 40˜ x 60˜ to-day, it would have fetched me more than 20 lakhs of rupees. In this country there were people, and I feel there are still there who believe in social justice, who rise above caste, creed and class, and who would go out of the way to help the disadvantaged. I sold that site later for Rs.2000/- an increment of just Rs.500/- to Kempegowda, who 158 My Life owned Iron and Steel shop. He did not pay me any cash but supplied all the iron and other fittings for the house. The construction of my present residence at 59, 3rd Cross, 7th Main, Saraswathipuram, was started in March 1956 and finished in October 1956, in just about six months costing me less than Rs. 10,000/- for a house of 1200 Sq. feet, apart from a garage, measuring 9 x 18. Construction was entrusted to a contractor named Papaiah, who was building houses for three other colleagues of Maharajas College. One was Professor Krishnan of the Psychology Department, who owned a site at the northern end of the same cross. The second was Dr. Ramakrishna Reddy, Professor of Chemistry who was later on transferred to Commerce College, Bangalore. His house was also a corner house on the 3rd cross, 5th Main. The third person was Prof.Seetharamaiah, Professor of Sanskrit. All these three persons are no more, the last mentioned person passed away very recently in January 2007. The construction excited me great interest, and I would spend a good part of my day supervising the construction. When I used to go home late for lunch, my wife would lose her temper, for she too waiting for me would not have taken her lunch. She would scold me saying you are a crazy person who goes mad on things you like. I would understand her feelings. I should say my wife was a source of great help, and she had many, many good qualities of my mother, frank, bold, hard working, honest, mature and Godfearing. To bring up four children with meagre salary was not easy for a lady who came from an affluent family. I should say here exactly 20 years later in 1976, when I had become a Professor in the University, I added the First floor to this house, making it 2500 sq.feet in plinth area with five bed-rooms. It became a necessity to do so, for over a decade from 1965 to 1976 we were residing in a very comfortable big quarters of Manasagangtri, No.P5 in Teachers My Life 159 Lay-out. In 1976 an IAS Registrar, Mr.Das, served notice to all those teachers who owned a house in Mysore City and still occupied University Quarters to vacate the building. I had rented out my house for Rs.250/- to a Shetty who was in the University. We protested, and protested but the Registrar was tough and would not budge. I went to him and explained that a person who became a Professor would have over the years a large family with sons and sons-in-law, daughters and daughters-in-law, and hence a house built by him as a lecturer would not be sufficient for the growing needs. My house with two small rooms is not enough for me and is not suited to my status. He asked me what I was aiming at ? I said I need a further loan from the University to add at least first floor to the house. He agreed and immediately sanctioned me Rs. 12,000/- as loan. I had some more money, and had saved something from Visiting Professorship of mine in USA to complete the First Floor to the house costing Rs. 75,000/- what had costed me less than Rs. 10,000/- in 1956 needed more than seven times that figure for a dimension less than the ground floor. This again shows whatever happens is for our own good. If the Registrar had not been strict in his order, I would not have struggled hard to add First floor. Man in his ignorance frets and fumes in his present misery, but those tears turn gems in course of time. Dont be lost in the fleeting pleasures of to-day, and like the little ants build for the rainy day. I should say here that I should be grateful to God a billion times for such favours which I never dreamt. All my life I have been fed on the nicest of the dishes. Even as a poor boy I have lived in houses whose speciality was rich food. Nobody could cook so well as my mother-in-law did. My wife got that quality in her genes and passed it on to my daughter, Asma, who too excels in this art, herself being proficient in food and nutrition. Added to all these, even against my will, I am dragged to the table of those who take 160 My Life pleasure in serving me nicest of the nice things. I feel all are not so fortunate in this respect, unless God wills it so. Secondly, God has inscribed in my destiny the work of construction which gives me a lot of pleasure. This work may result in black and white on paper, or build the career of the generations of students, or erect structures for schools, colleges or hostels, or build institutions of great importance such as Universities. Ever since I occupied a new house in 1948 soon after my marriage to this day in 2007, nearly sixty long summers I cant imagine in how many new houses I have lived, and how many new Blocs I have constructed as the first Vice-Chancellor of not one, but two new Universities, a rare privilege not given to many. In one single place, Bambolim in Goa, construction was the order of Crores and Crores, and the Architects fees, Mr.Satish Gujral, younger brother of the past Prime Minister, I.K. Gujral, ran to a figure of half a crore. Even now as a Retired person I am engaged in the construction work of Sultan Shaheed Education Trust where something is added every day. Again, as the President of N.M. Hostel I have taken up a commercial complex of nearly two croses. This again shows that God answers the prayers of those who believe, in His Will is our peace, and that it is not our desire but that His Will may be accomplished through us. Just do your duty well at all times and in all circumstances and God would reward you with that which you have never dreamt. In the married life the main problem one faces is how to educate ones children well. By Gods grace I did not have much problem in this regard. All my children at present are double-graduates, one is M.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, who studied abroad in USA, the other son is a Doctor, M.D.(Pediatrician) now employed in Brunei, one daughter is M.Sc. in Food Science and Nutrition, employed in Maharanis College, Mysore, who has, now been awarded Ph.D. Degree and the other daughter, Shahida, is My Life 161 M.S.W.(Masters Degree in Social Work). My eldest son, Masood, is almost a genius. His I.Q. is very high. His memory is fantastic. He could quote the entire State of Union Speech of Abraham Lincoln. He is very fond of philosophy, particularly Aldus Huxley. He has read a lot. His hobby was reading. In his childhood I never saw him without a book. He is inventive and creative. We could observe that from the very beginning he would examine a toy carefully and try to understand its mechanism. We would not see him busy with the course books, but he was always first in the class. We thought of making him an Engineer, and he became one, at present teaching in NITK. He loves calligraphy and has taught all others that art. He was very fond of Meccano in his childhood, and we had bought a full set. That excited his creative ability. He was moody, and would not talk much. But whatever he would say would be prophetic. When Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country, he would not agree with his policies, particularly sending a force to Sri Lanka. Once he told me frankly, Daddy, I suspect great risk to his life by this venture. It happened exactly like that. Once he asked me the causes for the rise of a culture. I explained to him whatever I knew from history. He was not satisfied. I said, you tell me what you think as the root cause. He summed up in one word, and said, it is Reinforcement. He elaborated the idea that water, the liquid and cement, the soft powder, mixed with the hardest of the hard things like iron and rocks would make concrete with which we build houses. It is the fusion of the opposite, reinforced with skill, that causes something to grow. How very true! How original! And how deep in thought! On umpteen number of issues I have discussed with my son and found him to be a philosopher. I am immensely proud of this boy. One difficulty with him is, that he is very shy, intraward, simple, unassuming, reserved, unsociable, and not in very good health. He is married to Shaheen, a very charming lady, M.A. in English from Madure, 162 My Life B.Ed., now teaches in a High School, very good as a teacher and I thank God that he blessed me with such a good daughter-in-law. She is taking care of my son, Masood. My second child is Asma Kulsum. She is also very intelligent, and she is the one who objectified my dream that at least one of my children should take to high research and gain a Doctorate Degree. She fulfilled my desire and she is now Dr. Asma Kulsum. She is also very knowledgeable, widely read, and worked very, very hard for her higher research. She is blessed with a son, Faisal Hasan, who is my only one grand son. I lift my hands in sincere prayers to bless this boy with a happy, peaceful and prosperous life. My third child is Shahida, who is very sharp, witty, intelligent and remarkable in memory, remembering the birth days of almost all kith and kin, including their telephone numbers. She is married to Commander Najeeb.Ibn-e-Arif, an officer in the navy, who rose to a high position and then took VRL. He has settled down in Bangalore, Mathikere, having built a house of his own. He is blessed with two daughters, Shama and Saba, both of them very, very bright. Shama did her M. Sc., in Psychology. She has already gained a placement for a good job in an American Company. She is very intelligent. Her hobby too is calligraphy. The famous News Agency Reuters had offered her job. Hopefully her future is very bright. My youngest son, Dr.Zakir Hussain, did his M.D. from Mangalore Medical College. Being the youngest in the family he was brought up with fond love. It was he who had once fallen critically ill and even Dr.Tovey was almost despaired of his life. He too is intelligent, most industrious, hard working among all my children. When he was studying Medicine, either myself or my wife, had to pull him out of his chair at 2 A.M to make him go to bed. In the childhood whenever I would take him to a market, he would spot a toy My Life 163 and would not allow me to move until I got it for him. In the midst of the public he would put his head in between my two limbs to make me stop until I bought it for him. Once I took him to a function which went on for long. I asked him what did he like best in the function, expecting he would say cultural programme, but he said, jana-gana-mana national anthem that gave him relief from the function. Once I took him to a mosque for Friday prayers. Later he said that he would never again go to that mosque. I asked him, why ? He said, Maulvi Saheb did not know the difference between Hydrogen bomb and Nitrogen bomb. Every time he was saying Nitrogen bomb. Children at school many a time used Nitrogen bomb phrase to indicate bad gas from the tommy and Zakir was making fun of the Imam Saheb for not knowing the difference between hydrogen and nitrogen. When Zakir completed his MBBS, I was very fond that he should do his post-graduation in some clinical subject, but he was very fond of Pathology. I was Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University at that time in 1980s and getting a seat in any branch of PG was no problem. We persuaded the boy again and again to choose some clinical subject, but he would not budge. Time was running out. He insisted he would do only Pathology course, and I was not very happy with that. At last I asked a friend of mine, Dr.Hussain, to convince the boy to take some clinical course. Dr. Hussain took him aside and in a matter of a few seconds he changed Zakirs mind. We were wonder-struck how come Dr. Hussain could do a job in a moment which we could not do in a month. Dr. Hussain said, I asked Zakir only one question and that did the miracle. I asked him, Zakir, are you born to hold a test tube or a stethoscope? That did the miracle for immediately it went to Zakirs head what was implied in the test tube. Zakir is happily married to Farheen of Udupi, and blessed with two daughters, Zainab and Raisa. Zainab is at present in II year PUC and Zakir is keen to make her a 164 My Life Dentist. We pray Almighty to answer his prayers. I should say our family does not roar in wealth but lead a simple life as good citizens. Two of them are in the teaching and one in medical line, both being the noblest of professions. I have not left them much property. It was only after my retirement as Vice-Chancellor of Goa University I was able to purchase a few sites. On the material side what I did was to build a house in Saraswathipuram, where we are residing at present, bought a site in Udayagiri, 60 x 70 from MUDA where Zakir has built a good house. It is allotted from MUDA, two houses, one HIG for Masood in Vijayanagara III Stage, Lay-out, and another MIG in Bogadi for Asma, besides purchasing two more sites in Rajiv Nagar. I have built a house for my daughter, Shahida, over one of these two sites, and gave another site to Zakir, over which he has built a house which is at present vacant. The house he has built at Udaigiri is rented out to Tanveer Sait Saheb, S/o Azeez Sait Saheb. The present house where we reside is meant for Asma Kulsum. Apart from this two more sites I bought in Yelwal area, where Noor Mohamed Saheb resides in a Farm land, one site for Asma and the other for Shahida. Thus there are altogehter five houses for the family, one each for Masood, Asma and Shahida and two for Zakir. I gave only the sites to Zakir, and Zakir built these houses at his cost. The rest of the three houses were built or bought at my cost. It is not what you give in brick and mortar that is important. No body could give anything to anyone, it is God who should give, and if God wills, He would give that which would be of lasting value. In married life one passes through all sorts of experiences. One such experience we had was house burglery, not once but four or five times. Saraswathipuram was not a fully built up area at that time. In fact our house was in the last line beyond which Neelammas garden edging a fence My Life 165 where Shaeeb Saheb would hunt for turn-coats. We would be away in Dasara or Christmas or Summer holidays locking up the house. That was an invitation to burglers. Once they robbed everything of the house. A fortnight later a Van came with police people and a few persons who were thieves. In the Van they had several things. A constable would lift something and would ask, Is this yours? Blankets, Vessels, several and several other articles. They took me in the Van, and went to some other house and repeated the same process until we ended up in the law courts, where after a few days we recovered some of the things we had lost. At another time we were all sleeping in Wardens Quarters of New Muslim Hostel. The burglers had broken open the windows, entered into our bed room where all of us were sleeping, opened the cup-boards and robbed, many things, and we were so fast asleep that we never noticed anything. Shahi had kept her dolls in a big box which looked like a jewellery box. They had taken it and had opened it in our compound, and finding no jewels in it had scattered the toys and dolls helter skelter all over the place. They had taken a bunch of my office keys and I had a problem in making duplicates. We lived in Wardens Quarters nearly for a decade, as I was the Warden of that Hostel which had the benefit of a rent-free house. Thinking that I could rent out my house and get some thing out of it I let out that for a monthly rent of Rs.100/- to the Post Office, who used it for 3 or 4 years before they shifted to their own building. Then I let out to two or three other persons, one was Nasir Ali, Session Judge, who was the co-brother of Muhammed Ali, Former Minister of Karnataka hailing from Gulbarga. Another tenant was Jaykumar Anagol, IAS, who was the Controller of Examinations in the University. Later on, he rose to be a Principal Secretary to the Government. He had four daughters in a row and was desirous of having a son. The refrain of the house was: saaku saku savithri! Beku, beku, Baanappa!. 166 My Life It so happened that a son was born to the family while they were residing in my house. They were excited with joy, and sent a basketful of sweets to us when we were residing at P5, Gangotri Layout. Another tenant was a Physics Lecturer, who later moved to America. This family lived for long in our out-house, when we occupied the main house, for one of them passed away leaving a widow and a son. As they had no where to go they stayed in only one big room which we had constructed as lumber room. Childrens education was the most important business of married life. They offered me no problem in their admission to several courses. Masood got a seat in Engineering N.I.E, but he shifted to J.C.E. as it was quite close to our P-5 Quarters of the University in Gangotri. For two years he was in N.I.E. We had an old Austin, 1940 motor car, which he would take to the college, and would not be back even late in the evening because of some function or other. A car in a boys hands who took it to the other end of the city 10-15 Kms away, and not returning home early would cause me and my wife a lot of anxiety. Both of us would be watching the way for the sight of a black-colour Austin. Later, when he got admission to JCE, our problem was solved. I would take my daughter, Asma and Shahida to Maharanis College. Once Shahida said, Daddy, my friends make fun of me that you come in a pre-historic car. Do some thing and buy a good car.. I sold three acres of our Henly Coffee land, where my mother had spent her last days for Rs.8000/- borrowed some more money, as car-loan from the University and bought a brand new Ambassador car from a show-room in Bangalore. It was difficult in those days to buy new cars, for supply was less and demand was more. For a Fiat Car one had to book, pay advance, and wait for 2 or 3 years. For Ambassador cars waiting was a little less. To obviate the difficulty I went to the Governor Dharam Vir, when Karnataka was under Presidents rule in 1971 under My Life 167 Section 356, met him in the Secretariat, and pleaded for a permit under Govt. Quota. The Governor frowned upon me and said, Why do you waste your money on a luxury like this, which would be a perpetual source to empty your pocket? I still pleaded for the permit, and he wrote out immediately a permit which enabled me to buy a brand new car. All this was because Shahi taunted me that I was not maintaining the standard of a Professors position. In life good or bad things stick into mind. Whether I did a wise thing or not in selling a property and buying a thing of comfort, I did please my children. This car served me very well, which I had bought for Rs.21,500/- and sold it for Rs.25,000/- when I became Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University. Another small instance of life is the visit of one of my Primary School teachers, Janab Fakhruddin Saheb, with whom I had contacts for several years in Belagodu. Once he visited us at P-5 Gangotri (Professors Quarters No.5) and stayed for three or four days.It was quite a big and comfortable quarters with three big bed rooms, a study, a veranda, a very spacious drawing hall with other facilities. We lived in that Quarters for over a decade.Our Primary School teacher noticed our Frigidaire, Godrej, which we had newly purchased. He had not seen it at any time before. He asked me what that white box was. I said it was a Refrigerator, and we use it for preserving meat and vegetables for we cannot do shopping every day from this distance to the city. He asked me to open it, and I did and showed him the vegetables we had kept there. He said in Urdu Baigan ka dabba Oh! This is bringal box! Then he asked its price. I said it was Rs.3500/-. He was shocked. He twisted my ears and said, you are a fool for having spent over Rs.3000/- for a box of bringals. You should have rather purchased some jewellery either to your wife or daughters. Such was the affection, frankness, boldness, guidance and advice of our teachers. 168 My Life We had very good life in Gangotri. That was the finest part of our married life. Mr.Khuraishi Saheb lived in R.C.E. (Regional College of Education) Quarters. Prof.Razi and Dr.Safiullah, Professors of Botany, lived in the same campus, just behind our house. P-6 was of Geology Professor, Dr.Viswanathaiah. He had two sons, I had two sons. One of his son was an Engineer and another was a Doctor. Same was the case with me. He struggled hard to get UGC Advanced Centre for Geology, and I did the same for History. He became the Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University, and I became the Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University. The only difference was I was called upon to build two Universities, and I am still breathing whereas he became a V.C. of an established University, and at present he is no more. There were other great Professors in the Campus such as Prof.S.Chandrashekhar of Physics, Prof.Rajasekhar Shetty of Zoology, Prof.V.P.Singh of Education Department, and others. Prof.V.P. Singh was from Lucknow, our immediate neighbour at P4. His memory was terrific as he knew Urdu versus quite a few which he would quote appropriately. His chaste Urdu of Lucknow style, particularly of Mrs.Singh would make us very friendly. It was quite a good company, and we enjoyed that life. Frequently family members from Gadabanahalli Estate also would visit. Children were studying hard either in Schools or Colleges. Life seemed to be a song with endless challenges. R.P. Misra was yet another neighbour who was the HOD of Geography Department. He was also from UP and he built in the University a Department of Human Development, brought lot of funds from abroad and established an Institute of Development Studies which is still functioning very well. Dr.Patnaik was yet another neighbour in the same row of Professors Quarters. He was the Director of the Central Institute of Indian Languages, which was very popular. My Life 169 Manasagangotri was growing into a big complex of several important educational and training Institutes. Apart from this Central Institute of Indian Languages, there was the Regional College of Education and Demonstration School where my son, Zakir was studying. There was the All India Central Institute of Speech and Hearing. There was the Central Institute for Coffee Research, as also the Institute for Cooperative Studies, apart from the Jayachamarajendra Engineering College which was spread over a very large campus. In the married life as we grow children will also grow and they come of age after education to get married. My daughter Asma got married in 1976 to Mr.Tassaduq in Bangalore, another daughter Shahida got married to Najeeb-Ibn-e-Arif who was at that time in Navy as Lientenant ; my eldest son, Masood, got married to Shahin from Madras, and the youngest in the family Zakir Hussain got married to Farheen in Udupi. It took nearly a decade from Asmas wedding in 1976 to Zakirs in 1987. God blessed me with a grandson, Faisal Hasan to Asma in 1979, Shama and Saba to Shahida, and Zainab and Raisa to Zakir Hussain. It was Gods will that Masood did not have any issue. It is my earnest and most sincere prayers of mine to bless my children and grand children with good life, health, happiness, peace and prosperity. Let them grtow to be useful citizens of this land, and let them regard their wealth and talent as a trust from God to serve people; let them be good and great, and let them remember the law of nature to realise that everything in the world is in the process of development, contributing as much as they can to society. Let them know that they possess a conscience which should be kindled with the torch of learning, and when that is done, they would realise the responsibility they owe to the society. 8 Experiences in England As indicated earlier, it was my life passion to study abroad. A dip in Tigris London river was a treasure key for Indians. Professors of Maharajas College were like angels in my eyes, and I desired to be one among them. Others might have taken one Doctorate Degree to become a Professor, I desired to take two such degrees. Others might have qualified either from India or from abroad, I desired to be qualified from both. That was the reason why from the day I became a Lecturer I was struggling hard, and had broached the topic even with the parents-in-laws. When that did not happen, I exerted utmost to get at least an Indian Ph.D. which I did from Aligarh. But that did not quench my thirst. I went on trying ceaselessly and at last it clicked when I got the British Council Scholarship in 1958. By that time I was not only a married man but also the father of four children with a good deal of responsibilities to bring them up and to educate them, and yet the craze within for advanced studies would not be suppressed. How I got the British Council Scholarship, what was the response of my wife to that news; how I had earlier sold my house and property to go abroad; how I had booked a ticket by ship to London through Thomas Cook; how I had to cancel that because of the advice of my wife, and how I had used that 172 My Life money for building a house, have all been narrated in several chapters above. Here I would just recount my experiences what I did abroad. It was the summer of 1958 when I had gone to Delhi for the British Council Scholarship which brought the good news that I was successful in the effort. It excited more my wife than it did to me, for she exacted from me a promise that I should take her too to England. She also loved travel. She had already been to Aligarh for her college studies. I had made it a point every year to take her to Indian History Congress Sessions, and she had visited quite a few cities in India. We heard from the British Council that they had booked a berth for me in P & O. Liners, Straitheden, which would be coming from Australia to Bombay on 2nd September 1958. It would take 21 days from Bombay to London Docks. Travel those days was not by Air-ways, it was only by seaways. I arranged everything for departure including once again study leave, and also the leave at my credit. Fortunately at that time Janab Mahmood Shariff Saheb was a Member of the Executive Council of the University. He was able to help me to sanction one-year leave with full pay. That was a windfall for me, for all that amount was deposited in a bank to pay for my wifes travel. The house was there in Mysore when all my children including my sisters-in-law, brothers-inlaw (Mymoona, Azra, Khalid and Shaeeb) lived in that house for education. Shahida and Zakir were still too small for school. Only Masood and Asma were there with their aunties. My wife stayed mostly in the Estate as Zakir was hardly 2 or 3 years old. The whole Gadabanahalli family was thrilled with joy that I was going to England, which was considered as a Kashi or Kaaba of good fortune. The whole family including my father-in-law, mother-in-law, Wajid Saheb, Muneera, her husband Gulame Ahmed, Khalid, Shaeeb, Nazeera, my wife My Life 173 and all my children, planned to see me off in Bombay. It was a very pleasant trip, except that Muneera lost her moneypurse in Poona, which was known for pick-pocket. We stayed for two days in Bombay. Family members were all busy in sight seeing of different places. We took a family photo also. Mr.Gulam Ahmed bought for me a very big iron trunk which is still with me, and which caused a lot of trouble in London while shifting from one residence to another, and yet it was helpful in keeping safe all my things. At last the day of boarding the ship came and all of them wished me happy journey and safe return. It was my first experience of a sea voyage. It was all done at the British Council cost, as if I am a V.I.P. It was a comfortable, enjoyable and very pleasant voyage. I was allotted a double seated nice cabin. The P & O Liner, Stratheden, was a very large passenger ship, accommodating over 2000 passengers with a crew which exceeded a thousand. It was coming from Sydney, Australia, and was passing through Bombay, Aden, Alexandria, Cyprus, and Gibralter to London Tillbury Docks. It would take 21 days to cover the journey and it would stop on the ports of Call just mentioned above. It was a luxury boat, not the best like Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria, but quite comfortable, with all facilities of ball room, library, shopping centres, swimming pool, smoking rooms, well-furnished Dining Hall, and at the top a very spacious promenade where we could walk and breath the fresh ozone, enjoying Gods wonders of blue sky, the round oceans, the fresh air, the rising and setting sun, the twinkling stars in the night, the shining moon. I used to go round and round from one end of the boat to the other. It was a care-free holiday of 21 days, no need to worry where the next meal would come from, no botheration of either preparing for the class or purchasing provision for the house, or rushing to the clinics for medicine to the children. The table talk with copassengers from different parts of the world in the Dining 174 My Life Hall was exhilerating on almost all topics under the sky. The ports of Call were more exciting. Hawkers would rush into the boat to sell their merchandise. If it was Aden the fresh dates and dry fruits and other commodities were plenty. When we reached Aden, which was then under British control, we touched the land which gave birth to the great religion of Islam. I remember what Allama Iqbal had said while passing through the same straits to his higher studies in Europe. He wrote : It means, Oh! Arab land, you were just a bundle of rocks, which the architects of world culture had rejected as useless, but we do not know what miracle an orphan child did that you became the base of all great world civilisations. The journey from Bombay to Aden took three days. Night and day, from morning to evening we could see nothing but sea, water, water every where, with ripples as the boat moved forward, nothing else to be seen except dark greyish colour of water. Red sea was very rough. We took almost a day from Aden to Alexandria. It was very hot. Our cabin was not air-conditioned in those days, only fans would work, and yet the hot breeze and the sultry weather would disturb the sleep. We reached Alexandria where the ship would halt for a day so that passenger could visit Cairo and the Pyramids. Tour Agencies would make all necessary arrangements. The rate was very reasonable. I had carried some cash. The British Council itself had given some advance for sundry expenses on the voyage. I too joined the tour. It was very interesting and instructive. I landed for the first time on the soil of an Islamic country which had been conquered by Umar-bin-al-Aas during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar. Egypt is perhaps the only country which is having the longest history, for with the discovery of Rosetta My Life 175 stone, its past goes back to the heirographic age, much earlier than the days of Pharoh and Prophet Moses. We were taken in big American luxury Taxis. It was the same Thomas Cook which was arranging the tour. They had fixed places to show such as the world famous Museum where the mummies of Pharaiahs period are kept, Mohammad Ali Mosque, and Giza where pyramids are built. The mosque impressed me most, particularly its pulpil, which was very high. The art, decorations, arches, minarets and design are all so exquisite that it could be regarded as one of the finest pieces of mans creativity. The pyramids too are wonders of the world. Each stone is a block almost 5 tons in weight. We cant imagine how in those days, thousands of years before Jesus Christ, they could carve those stones, bring it from the quarry, fix it with such precision as not to vary even a centimeter from top to bottom. We should appreciate the love, labour, patience, perseverance and imagination of those who built those pyramaids, as tall as nearly 300 feet. We boast of our present day science and technology, but we wonder how in those days without the modern tools they reached such heights of excellence. We had lunch at a Hotel, which was once a palace of King Farooq. I went to a variety shop to buy some souvenir. The shop-keeper greeted me, NehruNassir, Habeebi, Rafeeqi, welcome, welcome meaning you are welcome from the land of Nehru who is an intimate friend of Jamal Nassir. It was in 1956, just two years earlier than my visit to Egypt when the Suez Canal Affair had exploded, England had invaded that country, and Israel had joined Britain in the invasion. It was a very big confrontation which could have led to a mighty conflagration but for the intervention of the sensible President of America, Gen. Eisenhower, who made British Prime Minister, Antony Eden, to stop the war. It was a big victory to Jamal Nassir, who nationalised the Canal, and liberated himself from the clutches of Great Britain. It was at that time India played a major 176 My Life role as the leader of the third World, and Pundit Nehru had supported the cause of Nassir to decolonise the countries still under the control of Europe.It was this reference that shop-keeper was indicating that our two countries, India and Egypt, were so friendly. In fact Egypt did play a major role in the policy of non-alignment. The shop-keeper first greeted me as an Indian and then asked my name to know my identity. When I disclosed my name he hugged me and felt so happy that he did not accept even the price of a few souvenirs I brought from the shop. This shows religion even in this century has a force which cuts across frontiers and barriers, races and colours, links all into a solidarity of brotherhood. Greater still should be the bond of humanity, but man has erected so many narrow walls that it is difficult to skip from one barrier to another. The next port of Call was Limassol in Cyprus, which was the first Islamic conquest during the time of Muwiyah, which was a part of the Roman Empire at that time. Even now half of its population is Muslim, and it had been under Turkish rule for a long time. It has become now a bone of contention between the Greeks and the Turks. These ports of call were essential for the fresh water and other essential things had to be picked up for those who were on board the ship, as many as 4,000/- both passengers and crew, almost a small township on the move over the seas. We entered into the Mediterranean, the African vast coast on one side and several and several ports of Europe on the other. There were only two more ports of call before we reached Tillbury Docks in London, one Marsailles, belonging to France, and the other, Gibralter, at that time under British control. At Marsailles we got down, the French Travel Agency had arranged a tour of the town. We listened to the French Guide, whose English with French accent seemed very strange to me. France was a rival of Britain for a long time, and was supposed to be an Imperial power, next only to Britain, controlling several My Life 177 colonies, mostly in Africa. France too is a highly developed country, and at one time during Louis XIV and in the Napoleonic era, the super power of the world. France is known for its refinement, for its culture, for its art, literature and for its sophistication in every field. The way the Guide was explaining the importance of historical places we visited in the town gave us the first glimpse of European advance in material culture. This country, France, had much to do with Mysore, for both Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan had very intimate relations with that country. Tipus embassy under Gulam Ali Khan had received red-carpet reception at the hands of the French King, Louis XVI on the eve of the French Revolution in the year 1787. We did not stop for long in Gilbralter, but I saw the rocks and the rugged landscape where the Islamic Armada under Taraq-bin-Zayyad in 711 A.D. had touched the shore to conquer Spain where the Muslims ruled for over 700 years. It was that dashing decision of Taraq to burn all the boats soon after the army landed on the coast which led to momentous events of later days, for Taraq made it clear to his troops that there was no alternative to do or die, for The boats are burnt and hence no question of retreat, even if we are defeated. If you win, you are Ghazi (victors) if you lose, you are martyrs (Shaheed) in either cases you will be in the bliss, in the first case as victors in this world, and in the second case as martyrs in the heaven in the next world. All that Islamic History which I had taught to the students was recapitulated in my mind at the site of Gibralter, which was named after this great conqueror, Jabl-ul-Taraq or the Hill of Taraq, Anglisised as Gibralter. We entered into Bay of Biscay which was the terminal part of the Atlantic shore. From the calm, cool and pleasant voyage through Mediterranean to the rough sea of Bay of Biscay was as if a change from spring to a hot summer, but we were quite near the British Channel dividing England and 178 My Life France, where the salubrious weather greeted us, heralding the English proverbial weather of wet, very wet, and wettest. At last we touched Tillbury Docks. All arrangements had been made by the British Council to receive us. We got an idea of the European efficiency, promptness, courtesy and punctuality. All formalities of disembarking were over soon, and we were taken to our lodgings in London. We were about eight scholars from India, one of them was Subramaniyam from Hyderabad, who did his M.A. from London in English language, and subsequently served in the Institute of English Language in Hyderabad. He was also my cabin-mate in the ship. The British Council arranged for eight days an orientation course, how to live in Britain. It was certainly an interesting programme including both lectures and tours. Lectures were on several aspects of British social, economic and cultural life. Politics was a taboo. We were told not to discuss politics of any sort, neither colonial policy of the British rule in India, nor the Hindu-Muslim politics of our land, and not even the political parties of Great Britain. We should not discuss Churchill or Atlee, liberals or conservatives. On all other aspects we were free to discuss and put questions. Experts were invited to give us an idea of the educational system, the health system, the British way of living, thinking, their taste of sports, media, films, music, drama, art, industry, business, morals, manners, likes and dislikes. A complete sociological picture was presented of this small country which was not bigger than Karnataka, but had played such a vital role in the politics of the world that its sway prevailed over a good part of the globe. There was a time in the 19th century, particularly during the Victorian era when the British supremacy prevailed over the five continents, whether Asia or Africa, or America or Australia or Europe. That was the country in the van-guard of invention and discoveries, in explorations and voyages, in arts My Life 179 and sciences, in conquests and consolidation, in literature and philosophy. That was the country which was called the mother of parliament. That was the country where a King (Charles I) was executed, for he did not respect the rule of law. That was the country which was integrated and united in the strong cement of nationalism and patriotism. That was the country which gave birth to Church of England which defied Catholicism, strengthened Protestantism and divorced the Church from the State. That was the country which built up the tradition of unwritten Constitution where the will of the people prevails. The English people are sober, silent, calm, serene, but very deep, reflective, accommodative, gracious, kind and compassionate. Glory to that land that built up the educational system of Oxford and Cambridge, which are the towers of higher learning, knowledge, skill and wisdom. I should say the key to their success was their passion for learning, acquisition of knowledge, power to probe, dive deep, observe, absorb, understand and enact. That is the country that has given humanity Shakespear, Milton, Byron, Keats, Shelly, Wordsworth, Huxley, Bernard Shaw and Elliot. That is the country that has given Newton, Watt, Stephenson, Darwin, Priestley and others. That is the country that has given Hobbes, Lock, Mill and Christopher Wren. Take any walk of life, the English man in modern times appears to be at the helm of affairs. At present others have stolen a march over them, but there was a time nearly of two centuries when Britain was at the top of the world. Into that tiny land of great people I had landed for higher studies. Justice requires that we must pay the devil his due. Every thing is good in England except their craze to rule over others. They are certainly superior, and they are conscious of their superiority which they use to overpower others and dominate over others. If you ignore this weakness of the British, they are a gem of a people. 180 My Life Through the orientation programme we got within a short time many essential aspects of British life. It dispelled many of our notions that their life was one of extravaganza. For example, we were told that if we were to be served a cup of tea by a host, please stir your tea well, so that the sugar should not go waste. I was shocked at this statement, for a nation that ruled over the world paid attention even to such a little detail as not to waste the sugar in the tea. It means a lot to a poor country. Waste not want not; save the pennies, pounds would take care of themselves. We were also told that if you visited a house, dont drag on too long there, for if it were to be lunch or dinner time, the host would be embarrassed, and would count how many eggs were there in the fridge. We were asked to see as much of Britain and know as much of its culture as possible. We were told about the British courtesies that an average Briton repeats at least a thousand times the words thank you, sorry and please in a day. After a week we had to shift to our lodgings. The British Council fixed a lodging for us. They had a directory which contained all accommodations available in the City of London suitable to the needs and purse of different people. I got a place in Clapham Common, a suburb of the Victorian age with rows of houses, two storeyed, similar in design. The roof was of tiles. The owner was one Mr.King. He and his wife were the only two persons in the house. The extra rooms in the house had been let out. I got one of them for £ 1.5/for a week. The total scholarship was £ 45/- per month. We were asked to open an Account in a Bank. I chose Barclays which was not far from my place. Three months scholarship was credited to the Account. Cheque books are not free in that country. Each leaf meant one penny, hence we were careful in issue of cheques. Payment was not for a month as rent, but every week we had to pay. From the Orientation Course in Commonwealth Square, Central London, to My Life 181 Clapham Common in the South I shifted. It should be said to the credit of British courtesy that the Director of the Council himself accompanied me in the taxi to drop me at the lodging. He was once a Brigardier-General in the army, a tall, hefty and well-built man. I had very heavy luggage. Mr.Gulame Ahmed had bought me a huge iron trunk which I could not lift. The Director himself lifted it on his back and climbed up the two storeys to place them in a room. I was dumb founded. He was the Executive Head of the British Council and he had such dignity of labour as to do a cooly job to a foreigner who had come at his cost. In our country such a thing is unthinkable. My day in a new lodging began with an unforgettable lesson that one should not hesitate to do any job however menial it could be. Mr.King fixed every thing for me. In this lodging I learned a few other things. Whenever Mr.King visited my room he would use his left-hand palm as ash-tray. He was used to smoking and I did not have an ash-tray. He would not drop the ashes on the ground, for that would dirty the floor, hence he would rather bear hot ash on his palm than dirty the floor. Small little things add greatness to a mans character. A nation which pays attention to such small details was bound to rise high. It is the totality of such small collective efforts to keep the country clean that makes it beautiful. I could recall the British sense of duty to their job even among the lower sections of the society. A maid servant was mopping the floor. I asked her something, she answered. I wanted to know something more, she answered. On my third question, she burst out and said, Gentleman! My master pays me wages to mop the floor, and not for answering your questions, please go away. Again, I learned a lesson, duty at all times in all circumstances is the highest form of culture. This maid servant is having such a high sense of duty that she would not waste a minute in silly talk. The wages there were paid as per hour, and hence a minute 182 My Life lost was an unearned income. There was plenty to eat. I would cook my own food which was not difficult. Breakfast was easy, toast, egg, corn-flakes, milk, tea or coffee. Lunch we would take either in the College or in the Library. It was all cheap. In two Shillings you would have good lunch, vegetables, curry, rice, bread or some dessert. For dinner, I would buy a loaf of bread, and prepare some meat curry. If on Sunday the curry was prepared, it would serve three or four days. In the first few days adjusting oneself to the new environment, and mostly its climate was a problem. Any time was a drizzling time. Rarely did the Sunshine present itself to the people. When it did, they would cry in excitement, what a great day! The talk of the English is mostly on weather. They are a wise people who have chosen a noncontroversial subject to talk to. Moreover, it affects all. It is the concern of everybody either to enjoy good weather or suffer bad weather. Coming from Karnataka where all seasons are air-conditioned seasons, neither hot nor cold, English weather for a few days was terrible to me. But in course of time I got used to it. The first thing I did was to buy a weather-proof long coat and a cap to cover the head. With that I could walk about any where at any time. Another thing I noticed was the briskness of the people. Even old ladies would walk faster than I did. That was the only way to keep their blood warm. That would not only make them active but also keep them healthy. The smartness, and quickness of the English impressed me most. A few other traits were also noteworthy. They were a quiet lot, not fussy, not talkative, not extravard, but calm, quiet, silent, deep and wise. We would be moving in a train, but so silent are the people that you would hear even if a pin dropped. They are the people who listen more and talk less. They would not utter a word until the other man finished his talk, unlike we My Life 183 Indians who are experts in simultaneous talk. They are a courteous lot as well. If you ask some one on the way the address of a place where you want to go, they would explain in such a way that you would not miss the way. Sometimes he might even accompany you until you reach the place. Having settled down in the lodging my next job was to attend to academic work for which I had gone to U.K. It was good thing that the British Council had arranged all preliminary things, as I had indicated them my area of research and they had even finalised my admission into the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) the famous Centre of London University for oriental studies. It was located in the Centre of London, quite close to British Museum, not far from India Office Library, later named as Commonwealth Library with several other Colleges. It was a renowned Centre of higher research for humanities, so specialised that there were nearly 150 experts in various fields, but the strength of the students exceeded hardly one hundred. The Head of the Department of Indian Studies was Prof. A.L. Basham, the great Professor who had authored India, the Wonder. He was a specialist in Indian History of Ancient Period. I have yet to see a person so gentle, so kind, so affectionate. It was a joy to listen to him. For the first time the sweet honey in its pristine purity of the English language, I heard from his lips. We learned the real meaning of a noble soul, an enlightened person and a great teacher. He conquered me in one look at me. But he could not be my guide, for my field was Modern Indian History. Earlier I had done work in India on the History of Karnataka, Tipus period for my first Ph.D. from Aligarh University, and I desired some subject close to that area would suit me well. For a week or so, I was shunted from Department to Department to identify the exact area of my research. As I knew a bit of medieval India as well, I was sent to Prof. Peter Hardy, expert in medieval India to explore if I was 184 My Life interested in medieval historiography. Dr. Hardy had written on the Historians of the Sultanate period. I met him but did not like the idea of working with him, as my knowledge of Persian sources was not very deep. Finally, I was sent to Kenneth Arthur Ballhatchet, who had done work on 19th century British India, particularly on Elphinstone. I met him. He too was a very soft spoken, gentle person. He asked me several questions on my work in India and when I mentioned that I had worked in Aligarh, Delhi, Poona, Hyderabad, Madras and Pondicherry on a subject that had much to do with the British rise in India, he finalised the topic that I should do work on British Relations with Haidar Ali. It is an allied subject; I was aware of the sources ; it would complete a phase of Muslim rule in Karnataka. It would throw light on British role also in Indian politics. Finally, I agreed to do research on this topic. The other members of the staff at SOAS were Major Harrison, who was an expert on Mughal India, Mr. Yepp on Modern India, Prof. Bailey on Turkish and Prof.C.H. Philips who was the Director of SOAS and specialist in Modern India. Since India had figured largely in the British Empire, Indian History Department was the most dominant Department at SOAS. Such a renowned scholar as Prof. Rapson who had edited the First volume of Cambridge Indian History hailed from this school. Dr.R.S. Sharma, the great scholar of Ancient India, Dr.S. Gopal, son of Dr. Radhakrishnan, Dr. Barun De, a great scholar, were all contemporaries of mine at this time working at SOAS. I started my work in right earnest. It was a tradition of that School to hold weekly seminars in which every prospective researcher was expected to speak on his subject. The expert would listen to him for over one full hour, and then would comment upon him, and would suggest any improvement if needed. I was also given a date to hold the Seminar and I presented my paper which was quite satisfactory. My Life 185 The guide would take a lot of interest in our work. He would ask us to do a particular thing and show that to him on an appointed day. Normally, the appointments were fortnightly when we were supposed to collect the data and analyse it and present it to him, on which he would make his observations. Whenever I did something and showed it to him he would simply write on the margin, more analysis. Once I asked him that I did not fully comprehend his remark of more analysis. What he explained opened my eyes. I had done research earlier and had even gained a Ph.D. but the full significance of analysis had not dawned on me. He said that research is a creative work where you reconstruct an unknown thing. It is not merely narration of an event but to discuss causes, conditions and processes of events in its entirety. It could be known only through an example as to what is meant by analysis. Supposing a theft has taken place. We have to find out who the thief was, how, when and from where did he enter, how did he rob, what tools he used for the theft and so on. A detective would reflect on each and every aspect of the theft, and he would go on putting on theories after theories, and he would find the real answer to the problem. Research in history is similar to that issue where the past is unknown and we have to reflect more and more on it. This would require putting more and more questions and answering those questions correctly. The value of the research or the quality of research would depend upon the quality of questions you would raise and the answers you would find. My guide said that what I had done was the description or narration of events. It is not an analysis, for you have not dived deep into causes, conditions and processes. That opened my eyes, and I learned what formed the spirit and soul of research. The British research guides were very punctilious, very thorough in guiding the scholars. Only one example is enough to show what interest they took in every detail. English is 186 My Life not our mother-tongue, and we cannot speak or write Queens English, still Indians are good in this language and have produced great orators, scholars, writers, novelists, yet by and large thorough control over a foreign language is not the cup of tea of every Indian. Here and there I would commit small mistakes. For example, in my research the name of Warren Hastings figured frequently. Once the guide told me that since Hastings name ended with the letter S I should put the apostrophe of possessive case at the end of S and not before S. In my fast writing I was not careful to follow this instruction and the apostrophe was placed once or twice before the letter S. The Guide became furious and wrote in the margin How many times should I tell you to put apostrophe correctly? I shivered in my shoe. Here is a country where putting a comma in a wrong way was a grave offence, and how would they take it, if I were to commit serious errors ?. To a reflective mind little hints of this nature would go a long way in rectifying oneself. It is not hitting a jack-pot in research that is important, but the self-improvement. The climax in England is perhaps to be a gentleman, a refined person who would radiate at least a few good qualities of head and heart. Education is all a business of character-building programme, which I should say, I learned a bit more in England than any where else, more so in the cluster of scholars of SOAS. My Guide suggested that I should go to France and work in the Paris Record Offices to collect more material on Haidar Ali, who had very intimate relations with France. He wrote to British Council to provide me the necessary funds for a month or two for stay in France. They did, and I went to Paris and worked in such records offices as Bibliotheque Nationale, their Foreign Office Records, their War Officle Records and in other libraries. Having come back after collecting a good deal of material, I reported to the Guide what I had done in France. He said, Bring me all the material you have My Life 187 collected, and I will have a look. I did. He took all that material home, and returned it a week later. He had gone through every page of that material and corrected something here and there if I had erred. Such is the diligence, care and interest of those English Professors not only to help the scholars, but also to find out whether the Indian Scholar had a paid-holiday in Paris at British Council cost. Since the British Government had spent money on me for Paris visit, my professor was careful enough to check whether that money was usefully spent or not. We had to be very regular and punctual in our work. The British are renowned for their punctuality. It is said that the greatest contribution of the West is a watch, not the mechanical watch that ticks, but the sense of regularity and the punctuality. They built up the consciousness of time through Time-Bank. That means, suppose if a person were to tell you that he would give you a sum of Rs. 1,84,000 today on one condition that it should all be spent to-day itself, for tomorrow it would be counterfeit, what would you do ? You would spend all that money most usefully, and would invest in such a manner as to bring good dividends tomorrow. The same thing is true where a day consists of 24 hours, each hour is of 60 minutes, and each minute is of 60 seconds. If you multiply 24 x 60 x 60 you will get 1,84,000 seconds, of to-day which will be lost tomorrow. This only indicates how precious is time. My guide had given me a time to see him. I was two minutes late, as my watch was slow. I pleaded excuse, but the Guide said, Throw your watch into a gutter, and buy a good one here. He would not hesitate to be harsh if it was a matter of principle. The whole nation follows the principle of punctuality. It is said of Winston Churchill that he took a Cabinet-Minister to task for being a bit late. He pleaded he was late because of London-traffic. Even for that Churchill had an answer, and said, Having known London traffic, why did you not start early enough ? 188 My Life I should state one or two more instances of my Guide, what sort of a person he was. When I wrote out my thesis, he was to go through from end to end. He was to go to Europe on holiday with his family. They move with tents, so that they could camp in some country side and enjoy. After two or three weeks he came back and returned the chapters having scrutinised them all. The point to note here is that he was on a holiday trip and yet he would not forget the business of his student. Even in holidays he does the official work. While giving back the chapters he asked me to get all the chapters typed except the first chapter. I said, how would the paging be done if the first chapter was not typed. He said, dont bother about it, go to the market, buy a numbering machine, and number them after the first chapter was typed. I did accordingly. When the whole work was over, and when I went to his residence to thank him before I left the country, he asked me how much I had paid for that paging machine I said, perhaps it was 2 or 3 pounds. He said, please give me back that machine, I will pay the cost, for because of my suggestion you bought that and incurred an expenditure. I was amazed at his thoughtfulness.I said it would be a Souvenir for me, and I would consider that as a precious gift of my teacher. He hosted me a high tea on that day. He had a chubby, hefty son. I tried to lift him. He said, the baby is too heavy, (he was two or two and a half-years old) you may ache your arm. Such is the English character. They pay attention to the minutest details. They use their mind, body and soul to draw maximum advantage from every gift of God. It is not the information, facts, details, events, occurrences or happenings of the past that is history, which is my subject, but man and his behaviour how he has used his faculties and potentialities over the centuries in order to build those institutions of social change which would confer on man civilised and refined way of life. Research in western countries is a comprehensive My Life 189 whole of what, how, and why of events, and not merely what happened in the past, which would mean just narration or description of events. One has to probe deep to find the causality of events to explain the phenomena, which would require intensive reflection. Research in history is mostly a mental process of bringing to light the unseen, unknown past. Records are the evidence, but records too are subjective. If you like a man you praise him; if you dont like him, you would pour blemish on him. Napoleon is hero in Paris and a villain in London. Since history is a science, no less and no more, the historian should rise above all prejudices to be very objective and scientific. Ranke, a German, who is called the father of scientific history wrote about the French in such a manner that no French man could find fault with it. Any way, I got adjusted to London life and academic work. It became my regular routine to spend every minute of my conscious day in London to work fast enough to complete the job on time. There were many places where the material on Haidar was available, in India Office Library, in the British Museum records section and manuscript section, in Cambridge and Oxford, in the custody of individuals whose ancestors had served in India. The greatness of the West was it had preserved every tiny piece of the past as a treasure, as the British loved the antique. Collecting the data spread over different places was my first job which was to be scrutinised, analysed and synthesised later. This job took long time and I went on doing it diligently. On week ends I would go outing mostly to Hyde Park. It is a wonderful place, very, very spacious situated in the heart of London on a sprawling area of quite a few acres. Its greenery is enchanting, particularly its lawn, and tall trees and well laid-out path ways. People throng to that place walking, playing and in some corners making love. It should be said that the standard of moral ethics in respect of sex is 190 My Life quite different in the West from what it is in the East. We think open display of making love in public is shameful, but that is fashion there. Hyde Park is a heaven, for such display. My eyes would not believe to what extent young men and women would go in making love in public. Sex is a weakness in the West, and that they have accepted permissive society is a part of their life. If this is the negative aspect of Hyde Park, the positive aspect is the public meetings in different corners of that Park on varied subjects. There was a poets corner, which was very exhilerating. Poets and creative writers would gather there. People would cluster round, and they would present there creativity. They would get applause. There was also a soap-box jovial corner, where funny jokes and other arts of entertainment would attract the attention of the people. In such meetings the retort of the public, the prompting and the witty observations were of great interest. Some one said my father was an electrician, and there came a remark from the crowd, you were the result of the first shock. Soap-box speakers are very popular. London is an old city of many historical places. In the London Tower they have preserved the royal jewellery, which is displayed open for the public. They have kept the British Crowns, one of which contains the world famous Kohe-Noor diamond taken from India. This diamond is supposed to be the biggest diamond in the whole world. It was originally quarried in Golconda in the Deccan. It changed many hands and was ingrained in the Crown of many rulers, kings and emperors. It was there in the crown of Shah Jahan. The Mughals retained it until the days of Mohamed Shah Rangela when Nadir Shah took it away in 1739. How he did is also interesting. Mohamed Shah knew very well that Nadir Shah, the Persian ruler, would demand it. To prevent it he thought of a device to hide it in his own turban and say it is My Life 191 not any where. A search in the treasury and everywhere was done, but to no use. Finally, Nadir Shah came to know where it was. But in the royal decorum, it was highly disgraceful to snatch the head-ware of a reigning monarch. He arranged a banquet, and at the end he said, It is the Persian custom at the end of banquet to exchange the crowns of the ruling monarchs. He removed his own head-ware and placed it on the head of Mohamed Shah and took Mohamed Shahs head-ware, and kept it on his own head. This trick gained him the greatest jewel on earth. But the curse is that whoever wears that jewel, downfall was the sure result. The Qutub Shahi rulers wore it, they fell; the Mughals had it, they fell; the Iranians had it, they fell. The British took it and thedownfall of their empire was also brought about in the Second World War. The British, despite their rationality, believed in this superstition of curse, and hence removed it from the crown of the ruling monarch and placed it in the crown of the previous monarch. It is not in the Crown of Elizabeth II, the present monarch, but in the crown of her mother. Lots and lots of other jewels are kept here, whose value cannot be imagined. Earlier in history the Turks had looted precious stones and jewels from the four corners of the world, and now the British have done the same job of looting. There are quite a few other places of historical interest in London. Madam Tussads Wax museum is one such where a French lady developed this art to such perfection as to make it a world wonder. All sorts of great historical figures, rulers, emperors, poets, inventors, philosophers, leaders, scientists, every one worthy to remember either for good or bad is present there in wax. When you see those figures, you would think you are meeting a living personality, such exact, so precise and so meticulous is the art. Even Gandhiji, Nehru, Jinnah are there. Poets, rulers, statesmen, leaders, film stars, sportsmen, painters, musicians and even 192 My Life in the chamber of horrors, figures of Hitler, Mussolini and other world famous villains are there to greet you. The Royal Art Gallery is a rich treasure house of painting which is a must for tourists. London is famous for theatres as well. My Fair Lady of Bernard Shaw is so famous that tickets for its show are sold quite a few months in advance. Unless you book a ticket at least a year in advance, you can not enter that theatre. The only possibility is to buy a standing seat, which I did for myself and for my wife. We enjoyed that show which is still green in my memory. That play is there in a movie also. Sometime I would go to Woking Muslim mosque in Surrey, a beautiful place about 20 miles from London. It was perhaps the first mosque built in U.K. by the Muslims. Although it was built by the Qadianis, it was open for all. The Ramzan and Bakrid festivals were held in great grandeur there. They would make arrangements for Eid Dinner for all the people, the entire community, men, women and children. It was a gala nice occasion to greet one another and show Islamic solidarity. I used to meet the Imam and discuss issues relating to Islam. He said that if true Islam exists anywhere in the world, it was here in England, for Islam stands for the ethical concepts of love, brotherhood, unity, equality, solidarity, justice, knowledge and creativity, and all these values are present here. Please tell me whether Iran, or Iraq, or Egypt or Syria or Saudi Arabia excel England in these concepts which Islam possessed once, and now others are following and we are neglecting them. Open the pages of encyclopaedia of recent days and search for Muslim names there as inventors, discoverers, philosophers, thinkers, poets, scientists and technologists, you will rarely find any name following the faith of Islam, and all of them are from the West, and most of them are from this small island called Britain. How true was the Imam! Is it not time for us to open our eyes instead of simply singing the songs of the past My Life 193 that we were this, this, and this. It may be true, but what are you at present. Some one has rightly said : you were surely once Sultan, but what are you now. It is said In Delhi they are begging and they dont get even alms. These are the people who were once intoxicated with thrones and crowns. Sometimes I would go for Eid to East of London, where Muslims particularly from Bengal had rented a building for Namaz, and where they celebrated the Eids. In London, a Pakistani from Lahore, Mr. Faiz Ahmed became a good friend of mine. He was also doing research in the same school, SOAS. He had come earlier than I did, and was still working when I left. His guide was Dr.A.L. Basham, the celebrated Professor of Ancient India, who subsequently went to Canaberra, Australia, where he organised an International Oriental Conference. He had invited me which was my first visit to Australia in 1973, when he had made me the President of one of the Sections of that Conference, which was indeed a great honour. This Faiz Saheb became a very intimate friend of mine, and we used to meet, mingle, chat and talk on several things. His memory particularly of Urdu poetry was terrific. He remembered a good lot. Urdu literature in a foreign country where hardly any one whom you met would speak that tongue was a boon to me and I used to enjoy it. He was very affectionate, kind, courteous and gracious towards me. He too worked collecting material in the same India Office Library as I did. In fact his desk was only next to my desk, and we wish to go to lunch together, and talk there to our hearts content. He had one weakness. Soon after lunch he would come to his table and go to sleep. He would fold his hand, make it a 194 My Life pillow, put his head on it and sleep. But he would not sleep quietly, he would snore. He would do it so soon, as if he had smelled chloroform. His instructions to me were kindly to shake him up whenever he snored, or else he would become a laughing stock in the entire lobby of researchers. Apart from this weakness, he was very kind and affable. Our common talk would be mostly on India-Pakistan politics. India was making steady progress, and Pakistan after the assassination of Liyaqat Ali Khan was fast slipping into the hands of self-seekers who were mortgaging their country for a few favours to America. Whereas Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was emerging as a World leader at the head of the Third Block, Pakistan was sliding into Western Block of NATO as a subsidiary of United States. At that time the Dictator and the Military Leader Ayub Khan visited England. There was a meeting open to all Pakistanis. Fayyaz Saheb took me also to the meeting. I listened with rapt attention to Ayub Khan. It was all a justifying plea for his coup detat, excuses and excuses why he took over, what he intended to do, what the problems were of that country, how he would solve. It was all a pep talk. That country never had good leadership. Zulfikhar Ali Bhuttoo was hanged. Bengaladesh became an independent country, being cut off from Pakistan, 93,000 troops of Pakistan became prisoners of India, and so on. Although these events had not taken place at the time I was in U.K. but things were moving in that direction. Our discussion with Faiz (perhaps his name was Fayyaz) would rotate round those topics of policy, programme, progress and developments in both countries. We became so intimate that he wanted me to shift my lodging to his lodging where he found a big separate room for me to stay. When my wife joined me in 1960 March, we were staying in the same lodging, and he was of help to me in several ways. I found him to be more talkative and less serious about his research. I did not find him writing any fresh chapter which was My Life 195 approved by his guide. In two or three years he had hardly done a quarter of the work expected of him, whereas in less than two years I had almost finished my thesis, and enjoying trips to various places along with my wife, who had joined me as promised when she first received the Fellowship sanction letter from the British Council. One small incidence of the India Office Library sticks in my mind. I was using a Parker Fountain Pen for writing which had been gifted to me as a Wedding presentation by the nephew of my father-in-law, and hence it was a sentimental thing. I have still preserved that pen. The model of that pen was such that at the tip of that there was a syringe to suck ink, and that syringe was covered by a small cap. I had an ink-pot in my desk. Whenever the ink was exhausted in the pen, I would refill it then and there itself in the Library. This was the routine. Once so happened that by some mistake that tiny little cap to cover the end portion of the pen fell down and disappeared. I was embarrassed. A pen without that cap was almost useless. It fell into the heating system which was centrally arranged. The entire building was kept warm in that cold country through pipes for hot air which were laid under the floor covered by perforated steel sheets through which hot air would keep the entire Hall warm. This tiny piece fell into the hole of the perforatd steel coverings. I felt miserable, not because it was difficult to buy another pen, but because that pen was sentimental. Earlier I had lost my sentimental shoes in Aligarh, and now I am making another gift useless. With regret I reported the matter to the care-takers of the Library. They attempted to trace but it was impossible. With great grief as if I lost something precious I reconciled myself. Next day I came to the Library, and found that little cap on my table, with a note. Dr. Ali, please be careful hereafter. We had to employ an army to trace your lost thing. It seems the authorities had to cool down the entire heating system, remove the perforated steel 196 My Life sheets of the flooring, hunt for the tiny little thing, trace it at last, as if the jewel of a King was missing somewhere.That is the efficiency, that is the devotion to duty, that is the sense of responsibility, that is the love, labour, patience and perseverance which have made Britain, Great Britain. In June 1950 when I had almost completed the drafting part of my thesis, my wife joined me in London. That was also her ambition as indicated before for which she had exacted a promise at the time we got the news of the British Council Scholarship. She had waited for two long years taking care of four children and educating them. Of course my parents-in-law helped her and her sisters and brothers too who were all young and of college going stayed in my house in Saraswathipuram, which luckily I had built. Even then without an elderly persons to manage the household, she was able to do the needful, hoping she would visit London Fortunately, the leave salary of mine had been accumulated in the bank to pay for her travel charges. We booked the ticket from the same Thomas Cook & Son, both for my wife and for my father-in-law, Alijanab G.S. Abdul Hameed Saheb. He had a great liking for English people, and many of his friends were European planters. It was also his long desire to visit Europe. Now that an occasion arose he jumped at the idea of bringing his daughter, Sufia Bi, my wife, to England. They sailed from the same P. & O. Line, which this time touched Athens, Greece, and they had the chance to see the world-renowned historical places of Greek culture. They arrived at the Tillbury Docks in London. There is a train from London to Tillbury. I went to the Railway counter and asked for the ticket to the Docks. At the ticket counter a lady was in charge to issue the ticket. I said my wife was coming from India, and I was going there to collect her. She scolded me, and said you are a fool to waste your time in our country. You might be having better job to do than merely going there to collect a lady, who has My Life 197 come across the seas from her place to this place. Cant she manage to cover another 20 miles to your place ? With great difficulty I had to convince her that our bringing up, our social set up, are all different from the West. When I had earlier indicated that my father-in-law was also accompanying her, you could imagine her fury how much she argued before issuing the tickets for all three. This indicates the interest even of the common man to guide people in right direction to make people stand on their own and not depend on others. Even though it may seem strange to us, it exhibits the psychology of the West, the work-ethics of the West, the time consciousness of the West, and also the helpfulness of the West. I went a few minutes before the ship was brought to the landing place. I was eagerly looking for the fond faces which I had missed for two long years. Finally, I spotted them in the long line of people up on the ship who were all focussing their eyes on their kith who had come to receive them. My father-in-law and my wife were waving their hands. They landed, and I brought them to London from where we took a taxi to our lodging. I had booked a separate room in the lodging for my Father-in-law, who stayed for more than three weeks with me. It was all a holiday for much of my work had been completed and only final touches had remained. I planned the places to visit, and I took him with my wife to several and several places of great interest in London including Greenwhich. He was a planter, and was interested in coffee market. England was for a long time the major country for distributing coffee from India, Brazil and Kenya to several countries in Europe. We went to the coffee testing place and other areas which were connected with Coffee industry. We went to Rathod-stead-Farm also which was the centre from where industrial revolution had taken shape. I had earlier indicated to the Director of the Farm of our visit, and he was kind enough to spend more than two hours 198 My Life explaining the whole history of the scientific progress of the Farm. I took him to Kew Gardens, the botanical garden of world renown. He enjoyed that visit, as he was a planter, lover of greenery and plants, limitless in variety. Any fool could write poetry, only God could make a tree. Their size, colour, variety were all such that man appeared too tiny and insignificant before the great grandeur of nature. If KewGarden was a wonder land of Botany, the London Zoo was of Zoology, which was also the world-renowned place for the variety of animals. The British people could rightly take pride that they were in the vanguard in the race of scientific research in recent times. At present America has excelled England and Europe, but it was England which was the pioneer in this field. London weather did not suit my father-in-law. He had wheezing problem because of Asthama. One day when he coughed I spotted blood in the sputum. I got frightened. In a foreign country, nothing could be worse than falling ill. I planned his return back home. Although he had return ticket by sea, I decided that he should not wait that long. I arranged to send him back by air, although flight was expensive. We managed. Before he left England, I wanted him to see a bit of Paris as well. A conducted tour of that place was arranged. He visited Paris from where he took a flight to Bombay. He felt very happy having visited Europe. After my father-in-law left London, I got busy finalising my research programme. My wife too helped me in odd little things of physical labour. When I had too much to do, going to libraries, meeting the guide and doing all kinds of duties, she felt boring all alone at the lodging. I would not take her everywhere, for that would cause too much of exertion. Nearly six months she was with me. A great friend of mine who owned a chain of Indian restaurants, Mohamed My Life 199 Shah Saheb, would invite us. He owned not one but four restaurants in London. He was an illiterate person from Siddalgatta in Kolar District of Karnataka, who went to England with a Lady as her attender. Fortune smiled on him so much that he was able to own four restaurants, which had become so popular that people had to stand in a queue to find a place to sit. He specialised in preparing Mughlai dishes. He would pay fabulous salary to Lucknow cooks who would prepare these dishes. People would relish them, and the majority of the customers were Europeans. Kufta-malai was a favourite dish. He had married a lady from Bombay and he would invite us to his home where her wife became very friendly with my wife. He lived in a very potsch locality of London called Golders Green where only the richest people, millionairs and billionairs lived. Very often we would have lunch or dinner. He had become so rich that he had appointed an English lady just to keep company with her, for she was all alone, and God had not blessed the couple with any children. He owned a very big mansion in the prestigious West of London, the back-yard orchard itself was of two or three acres. Another very pleasant trip we had was to visit Dr.Shahjahan (Dr.Abdul Waheed) son of Janab Ghouse Mohiyuddin, Cloth merchant of Hassan, who had settled down in England. He was a Doctor working in a Hospital in Wales. He was all alone, and he had not yet married, which he did a little later to an English lady. He invited us and took us in his car to several places in United Kingdom including Scotland. Spending nearly a week visiting many important places was really enjoyable. We had many good friends both Indians and Pakistanis. Stay in UK gave us really rich experience in life. When the Guide approved all my chapters which he had taken to scrutinize while he was camping in Europe on holidays even in holidays they do work to help foreign 200 My Life students I started getting it typed which took eight or ten days. My wife helped me a lot in the physical processes of arranging papers and other sundry jobs. I submitted the thesis. The British Council bore all costs, not only of the University Examination fee but also typing and binding charges. Within a fortnight the examiners valued the thesis of over 600 pages and sent the report. In India for a thesis to be examined and results to be announced would take months together and sometimes more than a year. It was all done there within a few days. Prof.C.C. Davies of Oxford, an authority on modern India was one of the examiners. The first question he asked me, was, why did you write such a long thesis. It made my arm ache carrying all the way. I answered all other academic questions. They were all very kind, courteous, typical example of British excellence in manners. When the Viva was over, my job of the thesis was over, and I would not wait until the result was announced, for my leave in the University was all exhausted, and there was no scope for any further extension. Therefore, I hastened to return home, but not before taking my wife on tour of some places in Europe, particularly France, Switzerland and Germany. I went to Thomas Cook and asked them to arrange a conducted tour for a fortnight of these places. They did it wonderfully well, and booked the passage to India by the same P. & O. Liner. Before leaving I went to the British Council Office to thank them all, and to my Guides home in Surrey, Dr.K.A. Ballhatchet lived in a beautiful cottage about 20 miles from London. When my wife and I called on them, they were very gracious. It was on that occasion the question of paging machine which I had bought on his suggestion that arose. A reference to that has occurred already earlier. He gave us high tea, and we took leave of them. We bid goodbye to London. We first went to Paris. Crossing the British channel in a boat, a distance hardly 20 miles, was exciting. A country My Life 201 just across was a different world. England and France have long been rivals, two poles apart of different customs, manners, cultures, language and thoughts. For centuries they were serious rivals, and it is only in the 20th century after the First World War they came together. When I was in U.K. the rivalry was again emerging, for France and Germany with four other countries Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg were for European Union, and England with six others including Scandinavian countries were for free Europe or old order. The tussel was between the Sixes and the Sevens. It was all big news at that time how a few were powerfully arguing for European Union, France being at its head, and a few others were opposing it, England being at its head. This confrontation went on for two or three more decades until England had to yield and herself join the European Union with a common currency, common market, common economy and common foreign policy. It was France and Germany that won the battle. European Union at present is a reality having such a powerful Block that even American is afraid of it. We stayed three or four days visiting several historical places including Louvre Museum, where unique exhibits of renaissance days are preserved, one of which is Mona Lisa, the painting of Leonardo DVinici whose worth is the wealth of entire United States of America. The tour of this Museum exhausted my wife, and she was grumbling and grumbling. It was indeed very tiring business to her, but to me very exhilerating. We went to Copenhagen, Denmark and from there to Loussan, a place in Switzerland, very picturesque. It was a historical place to me for after the First World when the Greeks invaded Turkey, Mustafa Kamal Ataturk inflicted a blow on them, drove them out from Anatolia, and the Europeans brought about a peace through the Treaty of Loussan, which ended the conflict. As I had taught Turkish History to our students, the place was very familiar to me. My wife bought a few souvenirs, particularly watches in 202 My Life Switzerland. Then we moved to Germany, Bonne, the new capital. We got an idea of Germany. It is not England but Germany which is the intellectual capital of Europe. That is the country of enlightenment era that gave Reformation and produced men of the order of Kant, Schopenheur, Nietzche, Karl Marx, Freud, Martin Luthur, Frederick the Great, Bismark, and later Hitler who took the whole world by storm. It was this country which Allama Iqbal liked best and it was this country which attracted Zakir Hussain to skip U.K. and study here to become one of the greatest educationist of our land. We stayed hardly two or three days in Bonne, bought a nice binocular for my brother-in-law, Mr.Abdul Wajid, which he had kept it for a long time. We enjoyed the Natural History Museum of Bonne, where we would be thrilled at the mans ingenuity in presenting nature in its original landscape. This single piece of Museum is enough to appreciate German thoroughness and perfection. They say German discipline is such that not even a dog crosses the lawn. The sense of system, order, cleanliness, regularity, industry are all remarkable. That country was defeated in the First World and raised to the ground. Within a decade it reconstructed itself so well as to challenge its rivals again and declare the Second World War. When the whole world was united and struggled for six long years, it was defeated again and raised to the ground, but again recovered so fast as to be a leading nation of Europe again, and as a primary and major unit of European Union. When Germany after the Second World War was at the lowest ebb, it was a German Chancellor, Erhaard, who lifted it high through one single idea of his creativity. He said, to his people: I would do a miracle, if only you promise me one small little thing. Please come to office just half an hour earlier to your schedule time and go home just half an hour later than your schedule time. Dont look at your watch at the time you work. Think that you My Life 203 are a beast of burden from Monday morning to Friday evening, and enjoy yourself from Friday evening to Monday morning, as if life is just a sweet song. The people took his advice, followed it faithfully and religiously, with the result they made Germany once again a highly developed nation on the face of the earth. Surely enthusiasm could be a human jet propeller which begets boldness, kindles confidence, dispels doubts and excites energy which is the source of all accomplishment. I wish Indians could learn a lesson from Germany. We went to Italy and saw Rome and then took the boat to India. On the way we stopped in Egypt again, for my wife had not visited that place. The usual conducted tour took us to different historical places, including Al-Azhar, Muhammad Ali mosque, Museum, Giza pyramids and so on. We landed in Bombay Docks in the last week of December 1960 where the whole Gadabanahalli group was present to receive us. We stayed in Bombay for two or three days for the children to see interesting places including the Acquarium. We came home. My stay in England was very fruitful, not only in the academic sense but also in widening the vision. Seeing is believing and doing is learning. The contact with men of better knowledge and experience would give us that which has cost them much, but we get it for nothing. There are many doors and many vistas to be opened in knowledge, skill and wisdom. 9 Professorship A kind of satisfaction had gripped my soul that with London and Aligarh Ph.Ds I had gained what I had dreamt for long. But the struggle of a different type was still there before me, how to rise in my profession. Life was very competitive, with many stumbling blocks on the way. I had missed many buses before, when in 1956 with two vacancies of Readership I could not get one, despite the fact I was most qualified, and the one who got it was my own student whose teaching experience was hardly a year. These thoughts crossed my mind again and again. I reported to duty in Maharajas College again as a lecturer, whereas men with much less qualifications and experience had risen high. By the time I returned home, University system had greatly changed. The Vice-Chancellor of the University was Dr. K.V. Puttappa, popularly known as Kuvempu, who was the Principal of Maharajas College in 1958, when he relieved me to go to London, and he was now the V.C. at a very turning point in the educational system when the U.G.C. was coming in a big way to build a grand University campus. It was Kuvempu who named it Manasagangotri, or the source of knowledge. They identified a very sprawling campus of over 300 acres in the West of Kukrahalli tank which was earlier called Jayalaxmivilas Mansion. Krishnaraja Wodeyar had built a huge 206 My Life mansion for his sister here, which was all acquired by the University for its campus. A number of structural changes were made in the Univesity system. The campus meant exclusively for post-graduate studies and research, without any encumberance of undergraduate studies. Both Maharajas College and First Grade College became only under-graduate colleges of Arts and Science respectively, and they were called Constituent Colleges, a part of the University quite separate from PG classes. They were feeding colleges to the University Departments. It was the first experiment in Mysore University and in the initial stages it led to some confusion. It meant down-grading Maharajas College which from decades had occupied a very prestigious place. There were men like Prof.C.D.Narasimhaiah who were not very happy with the changes, and they desired to uphold the dignity and status of Maharajas College. Those who were teaching at the Postgraduate level were considering themselves as superior, as if Maharajas College was a primary school and Manasagangotri was a High School. Since my lean was in Maharajas College I had to report there when Prof.C.D.Narasimhaiah was the Principal. I had taught hardly a month or two in Maharajas College, when the need arose for my transfer to Gangotri, for I was the most qualified person with two Doctorate Degrees. All others who were senior to me did not possess a Ph.D except one, Dr.B.S.Krishnaswamy Iyengar, who was my teacher. There were two others besides B.S.Krishnaswamy Iyengar, who were senior to me, one was Shardamma and the other D.S. Achyuta Rao. Both of them did not possess a Ph.D. a requirement to guide research. After the retirement of Dr. M.V.Krishna Rao there was no Professor in the Department of History. When History Department was started in Manasagangotri, three persons were posted there, Dr. B.S. My Life 207 Krishnaswamy Iyengar, D.S. Achyuta Rao and myself. Dr. B.S.K. also retired in 1962, when there were only lecturers to manage the show. The keen competition for promotion was among three of us, Shardamma, Achyuta Rao and myself. They were in service senior to me, Shardamma almost on the verge of retirement and Achyuta Rao, a good teacher but very jealous of me. He was a Brahmin whose only credit was his long service, as against me who had not one but two Ph.Ds, one of which from London. At that time the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar, was still the Chancellor of Mysore University. The rules for the regular appointment of Professors and other staff had not been finalised. At least as an Ad-hoc measure to name a person as Acting Professor, the matter was referred to the Chancellor by the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Nikam, who was V.C. at that time. The Maharaja called three of us for an interviews, Shardamma, Achyuta Rao and myself. We went to the Palace and he called us one by one. When my turn came he asked me a series of questions which I answered well. My record of qualifications was much higher, but in age I was junior. Moreover, the caste factor was also there. Both of them were Brahmins and I was a Muslim, both communities intellectually high but politically low. Had there been a Vokkaliga or a Lingayat competitor, perhaps pressure lobby would have worked, the Chancellor would have taken a decision. He did nothing, deferred the matter, sent back the file without taking any decision. Mr. Achyuta Rao was making a lot of fuss and was doing an intensive propaganda against me. His contention was that the post should go only on the basis of seniority and not on qualification. As I was from the minority community without any political lobby, he intensified his hostile campaign. He started moving earth and heaven. When the new post-graduate classes were started in 208 My Life Gangotri, Achyuta Rao was not posted there. Only B.S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar and I were taking classes. In that mansion, Kannada, Political Science, Economics and History were accommodated. History Department got a place in Kalyana Mandapa of that Mansion which was very well furnished. In 1962 B.S.Krishnaswamy Iyengar also retired and I was given charge of the Department as H.O.D. I took an important decision that publication of a standard work would go a long way at the time of decision for any promotion. Therefore, even if it was expensive I should publish my London Ph.D., for that was the question of publish or perish. I went to Mysore Publication House, when the son of Prof.Hanumanth Rao, Raghavan was in charge. He was a leftist, and was helpful. I gave my manuscript for publication. It took some time, proof reading was a tough job in those days. I did it all, and at last my first work, British Relations with Haidar Ali came out from the press. British It was a great achievement. That was the solid ladder through which I moved upward. It is rightly said, of all the graces of God the art of writing well is the master-piece. That was the first step in the journey to pen books and journals which are quite a few to my credit. Meanwhile Prof.Nikam retired as V.C. He was the teacher of the Maharaja to whom he had referred my case for decision. The Maharaja took no decision and the matter rested at that stage. But I had gained one little thing, the designation of H.O.D. in the Post-graduate Department of History and Research in Manasagangotri, although I was only a lecturer. My competitor, Achyuta Rao was working at Maharajas College, which had been reduced to under-graduate level. Hence, junior in service, I was academically senior to him in status. When the situation was of this nature, Nikam retired and Sardar K.M.Panikkar became the Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University. He was a person of international stature, once a Professor of Aligarh My Life 209 University, an author of sixty books, an Ambassador to China, a close friend of Jawaharlal Nehru, and a known communist. With his advent in the University, a sense of alertness, smartness, discipline and devotion to duty and care for knowledge and scholarship, all seemed to emerge. He was a terror, a person head and shoulders above the pigmies of this place. By 1960 all bright stars of the University had disappeared and for want of proper recruitment only the tails were doing the job of heads. I saw him and presented my book on Haidar Ali. He was pleased. I made a small representation to him. I said : Sir, they had made me H.O.D. of the History Department which carries a small remuneration of Rs.50/- per month, but even to this day they had not paid me anything although it was over a year and half since I am doing this duty. He sent for the file and wrote on it, Having taken the services of a man, not to pay his wages is a criminal offence. His remuneration should be paid immediately. Next day I got a cheque for the entire period. Such was the efficiency of Sardar Panikkar. He would send for the Professors and test them how good they were in the field. Many, many in the University started shivering in their shoe. Unfortunately God did not spare his life. Having served just for a year or so he passed away in Mysore to the great grief of all of us. The kind of tribute Dr.Zakir Hussain, who was at that time, VicePresident of India, paid deserves to be remembered. Sardar Panikkar did belong to the category of great men of India, which stands for humanism, liberalism, eclecticism and universalism. After the death of Panikkar for a few days, bureaucrat, Janab Rahmatulla, was appointed Acting Vice-Chancellor. He was the second Muslim I saw in that chair, as I had seen Sultan Mohiyuddin Saheb, who left for Pakistan. Both these persons were in charge V.C.s, not regularly appointed, our 210 My Life University is yet to see a full-fledged Muslim Vice-Chancellor, although that post was filled by our community in other Universities of Karnataka, such as Mangalore, Kuvempu and Karnataka. It took some time before a new Vice-Chancellor was appointed to our University. That was the time when Sri Nijalingappa was the Chief Minister of Karnataka. He was a very powerful man in the Congress Party, and he played a major role in the politics of the country soon after the death of Nehru. He was responsible for the split in the Congress, one branch of which was called Congress (U) or United and the other Congress (S) or secular. The latter was headed by Indra Gandhi, daughter of Nehru, who became so powerful as to cut Pakistan into two, for the eastern wing of that country became Bangladesh. She reached to a height where some of her fans shouted India is Indira, and Indira is India. The other wing under Nijalingappa (Congress-U) did not fade out but played an insignificant part. But Nijalingappa did one good thing to Mysore University. He brought from Delhi Sri Srimali as the Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University. Srimali had served as a Minister of State for Education in the Union Government. The advent of Srimali changed the character of Mysore University. His regime deserves to be written in letters of gold in the history of Mysore University. He did seveal things to put our University on the educational map of India. He had certain advantages. One was his earlier position in the Central Government. Anything that went to U.G.C. under his signature would come back approved, as he had once controlled UGC as the Union Minister. Secondly, he had the full support of the State Government because politically he belonged to Congress (U) group which was under Nijalingappas leadership. Hence, anything particularly finances, that went to the State Government would come back approved. Thirdly, the new campus of Manasagangotri became a pet project of both State Government and U.G.C. My Life 211 who poured crores and crores of rupees to make it one of the finest campuses of the land. Fourthly, it was easier to plan and build something new than to repair an old unit. Srimali was a man of ideas and vision. It so happened that Mysore attracted the attention of the Central Government to establish several central institutions of great importance, such as Regional College of Education, the Central Institute of Indian Languages, the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, the Central Institute of Coffee Research, the Central Institute of Cooperation and Panchayat Raj. Earlier the Central Institute of Food Technology and Research had come. All this was in the same Western zone of Mysore city, Manasagangotri, where a big plot of land was given by Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar to Suttur Swamiji to establish Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering. Added to this Srimali appointed a dynamic Registrar, Sri K.R. Ramachandran, IAS, who had worked earlier under him in the Central Secretariat. Ramachandran was a very competent, hard working and sober person who knew the art of getting things done. A rare opportunity presented itself to build a fine University from the scratch. Land was there, funds were there, ideas were there and will to execute things was there. Consequently this era witnessed tremendous growth and development. The first job of Srimali was recruitment of staff to the University. For the past several years nothing but make do things had happened, just carry on. Every Department was functioning only with skeleton staff. The tails were doing the job of Heads. Quality of any concern would depend upon the quality of the head, and when the head was missing, and when only the tail was wagging, one could imagine the state of affairs. More over, Mysore University was the first experiment in the State to have all faculties, Science, Arts, Commerce, Education, Law and so on in one campus. Earlier Mysore was the Centre only for Arts and Humanities, and Bangalore was the Centre for 212 My Life Science and Engineering. Now in the new system there was a structural change, all finest flowers of Central College which was a Science College, flocked to Manasagangotri. It became a centre of excellence. All renowned scientists of Bangalore became Faculty Members in Mysore, which suddenly jumped into the era of great development. Dr.S. Chandrasekhar of Physics, Prof.Vishwanathaiah of Geology, Prof. Rajashekhara Shetty of Zoology, Prof.Narayan of Botany, and another Prof. Narayan of Chemistry, Prof.Venkateswaran of Mathematics, all left Bangalore and joined Mysore University which now possessed a galaxy of brilliant stars. This process was going on slowly before the advent of Srimali. He intensified it. The Arts and Humanities were in very bad shape. U.G.C. had made the University jobs very attractive as it had revised the scales. Rs. 1000/- was regarded as very good sum in those days, for the starting pay earlier was only Rs. 400/-. As lecturer I started my career only with Rs. 75/-. Dr. Srimali took up the job of filling up the several vacancies, which were scores and scores in different Departments. It was all a period of excitement to incumbents. Prof. D.Javare Gowda was appointed U.G.C. Professor of Kannada. He became very influential in the University, along with Dr. Thotappa, who was appointed to Political Science Department. The question of History Department loomed large. It was once the most famous and the oldest Department presided over by such reputed scholars as Dunham, Radhakumad Mukherji, K. T. Shah, C. R. Reddy, Venkateshvarlu and M.H. Krishna. It had fallen on bad days when such small persons as Achyuta Rao, who had once upon a time taken M.A. Degree and had done nothing else thereafter except to go to class, teach something, count thirty days and draw the salary. The concept of University system had much changed when from mere teaching one had to rise My Life 213 higher to research work, creative vision and extension of the horizon of knowledge. Teaching was merely imparting what is there in the cess-pool of mind, but research is a running brooke bringing fresh water from uphill areas and fertilising the banks all along on either side. The U.G.C. had injected new concepts of University system with Dr.Radhakrishnan Report, and our University with Dr.Srimali as the head was attempting to implement some of the creative thoughts of that Report. Therefore, when the University advertised several vacant posts of History, I did apply to all of them. I was nervous because of the bitter experience of the past when despite my better qualifications I had missed the bus. I had put in nearly 19 years of service as lecturer, was a Gold- Medalist and possessed two Doctorate Degrees with published work which had been acclaimed as a classic and miracle of 20th century. When my book on British Relations with Haidar Ali, the work I had done in London, was published, it was sent for review to Dr.K.N.V. Sastri. He appreciated it so much that he used the words Classic and a miracle of 20th Century in historical research. I was greatly, although happily surprised at these words, for they were all beyond my expectations, and I never thought it would be appreciated so much. I had very carefully preserved that Review and had enclosed it along with my applications for the University posts. It was Geetha Book House people under Rao and Raghavan name who had published my work and it was Sathyanarayana Rao of Geetha Book House who had arranged to get my work reviewed. Meanwhile, it occurred to my rival, D.S. Achyuta Rao, that without Ph.D. he did not have a ghost of chance to become Professor. Therefore, he worked hard, cooked up something and submitted it to Mysore University for Ph.D. 214 My Life Degree. It so happened that his thesis was referred to a foreign examiner in U.K. who was none other than my own guide in London, Dr.K.A. Ballhatchet. Achyuta Rao rushed to me and pleaded that I should write to Dr. Ballhatchet to hasten the Report so that it should come before the selection date of the Professors post. I could not refuse, and thinking that he might misunderstand me that I had misguided the foreign examiner, I recommended the case and handed it to Achyuta Rao for him to glance what I had written and post it himself to satisfy his desire. The Report came. It was negative. Even the other Indian examiner had rejected it. Research is a difficult area which needs long penance, labour, love, patience and perservance. It could not be done in a hurry to meet some exigency. At last the D day came, when interviews for several posts, Readers, Lecturers and Professors were held. In the morning the Selection Committee met for Professors post. One of the members of the Committee was Dr.Bisheshwar Prasad of Delhi University, who incidentally was my examiner earlier for Aligarh Ph.D. He was a great scholar in his own right belonging to the Liberal School of Allahabad Circle of Dr.Tara Chand, Shafat Ahmed, Beni Prasad, Tripathi, Ishwari Prasad, and a host of others, who were well-known in the country. Moreover, when I was in U.K. he too had come and had watched me working there, and he was well aware of my worth. I was called in for interview and grilled nearly for an hour on several aspects of history. They asked me a hypothetical question how would I organise the Department in case I became its head. Since I had worked under several great scholars both in India and abroad, and had a good knowledge of research activities, I gave them a very good account of my plans and measures to build a great Department. They were greatly impressed by my performance both on academic and administrative side. My Life 215 When the question of selection for the Professors post arose, Dr. Srimali thought that I was only a lecturer, I should be given only a Readers post, and not directly a Professors post. He felt it would be too much if a person was immediately placed from a Lecturers to a Professors chair. It was at this stage Dr.Bisheshwar Prasad acted as a Godsend angel to me who pleaded my case so powerfully that even Dr.Srimali had to be silenced. Dr.Bisheshwar read out the Review of Dr.Sastri about my work, quoted above, and said show me a person of this stature in the whole country, and I would accept it. Moreover, I had enclosed a certificate from my London Professor, Dr. A.L.Basham, the world-renowned scholar who had said about me There could be no body in the world who knew more about the State of Mysore under Haidar and Tipu Sultan than Dr. Ali. This certificate and also the Review of Dr.Sastri on my work were powerful agents to shape my future at a critical time. The matter was discussed for long. It was difficult to convince Dr.Srimali who was in favour of a candidate who had come from Andhra. Another factor that helped me was that the other rivals were all from other States of India, and not from Karnataka. Mr.Achyuta Rao who had harassed me for long and acted as a powerful rival was no where in the picture. The other member in the Selection Committee from the Syndicate was Dr.K.B.Y. Thotappa, who was although junior to me in service had become a Professor and a very influential person in the University. He too helped me. But it was the voice of Dr.Bisheshwar Prasad that counted most, and it was his skill and art that turned the table in my favour. When he stood firm like a rock and did not budge an inch, Dr. Srimali became helpless. It should be said to his credit that he was interested in helping the Department. Being a person who had worked in the cabinet of Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, he was liberal enough to ignore communal consideration. It was a tough fight for me and I have to 216 My Life thank none but God for bringing about a situation where despite heavy odds, things worked out in my favour. The lesson we have to draw is just this; have faith in God, work fingers to your bone, leave no stone unturned to win the case, take things easy, if you win thank God, if you lose, take it there is something good in that as well, for whatever happens is for our own good. This victory of mine from a Lecturers job straight to a Professors chair came as a happy surprise to me as well, for I was not very hopeful of it, having been disappointed several times before. It should be said that I had not spared any effort to compete with others, and had gained every time some new experience how to struggle in life. What I had dreamt a quarter of a century earlier in 1940 to becom a Professor was a reality late in 1964. There was rejoicing in the family. Dr. Bisheshwar Prasad was so good and so kind to us that he visited our house, when we were living in the Wardens Quarters of the Hostel to break the news to my wife, who was very resourceful to greet the great guest with Ghalibs verse: He was pleased. He had tea with us. We became fast friends thereafter. Thereafter whenever I used to go to Delhi, I would call on him at his Delhi University Quarters. The turn of the fortune was such that in the morning I was a candidate facing the interview for a post before the Selection Committee, and in the afternoon I was myself a member of that Selection Committee to choose other members of the Staff for the Department. Dr.Srimali was good enough to suggest that a person who was to be the H.O.D. should choose his own team to run the show, and hence he should have a voice in the selection of his colleagues. My Life 217 Therefore, I was made to sit in the Selection Committee. The next vacancy after Professorship was that of a Reader, for which quite a few candidates were there from different parts of the country. The first to enter the room was Mr.Achyuta Rao, my rival, who was facing me to answer my questions. What a turn of events! It was embarrassing for both of us, he was far senior to me in age and service, but not in qualifications which had enabled me to be his boss. He was selected as a Reader. He had appeared as a candidate in the morning for the Professors job, and now again in the afternoon for a Readers job. If he failed in this attempt also, life would be miserable for him. He had submitted his thesis for Ph.D. and the result had not yet been announced. Any way on the basis of his long service as a good teacher, and having had submitted the thesis for Ph.D. he was selected as the Reader of the Department. He joined duty as Reader as well. A few days later, Reports of his thesis came which were negative. Dr. Ballhatchet of London University and Nilakanta Sastri of Madras were the two external examiners, and both of them had rejected the thesis, and hence there was no scope even for re-submission after revision. It was such a great shock to him that he did not live for long. Hardly a week or so later, he collapsed. He died of heart failure. I felt very sorry, it made me humble. It taught me a lesson, first deserve a thing before you desire it. If you desire without deserving it, destiny will punish you. If you deserve a thing and even then you are denied of it, feel, even that is good for you, for something better would happen in course of time. This had happened in my case. Eight years earlier in 1956, I had missed the bus to become a Reader, when my own student, Narasaiah, walked over my head.I felt miserable at that time. Had I become a Reader I would have been rotting as a Reader in Tumkur College. I would not have gone to London, I would not have published a book, I would not have seen Europe and gained experience, and I 218 My Life would not have become a University Professor, which was much higher than a Readers post in a moffisil College of Tumkur. The same Narasaiah who was in a College as a Reader had to approach me a few years later seeking my help for his promotion as Professor in Bangalore University. In 1963 a separate Bangalore University had come into existence. When the time came for the appointment of a Professor of History there, Dr. Narasaiah was a candidate. Being a S.C. he had a good chance. Even then he needed my help as a Professor to speak to one or two Selection Committee External Members recommending his case. I did that and he became a Professor in Bangalore. He remained grateful to me. I thank Almighty God for the gracious favour to me to help my rivals, Narasaiah who had earlier become senior to me, and yet needed now help for his promotion and also Achyuta Rao who had sown thorns all my way to ecome a Reader. It was all Gods glory that my rivals became my subordinates. The family celebrated my promotion. It was my co-brother, Dr. S. Abdul Kareem, who took the initiative. He was the only person who joined our family outside our own clan of patwegars. He was from Srinivaspur in Kolar District, a Medical Graduate, working in the Health Department of Karnataka, very sharp, witty, social, active and resourceful. He made my mother-in-law garland me expressing joy that a Muslim rose high in academic circles. In fact, I was the first Muslim in the history of Mysore University to become a Professor outside the faculty of Urdu and Persian languages. Later, I had also the distinction of the first Muslim Vice-Chancellor in the State although Sultan Mohiyuddin and Rahmatulla held that post temporarily for a few months, but not regularly appointed. Added to that, God had smiled on me to be the first Vice-Chancellor of not one but two Universities, and that too in two different States, Karnataka and Goa. My Life 219 I assumed charge as Professor, and two of my colleagues, Achyuta Rao and Venkataratnam were appointed as Readers and Muddachari was appointed as Lecturer. Four of us formed a team and all of them had been my choice, for I had a say in the Selection Committee as a Member. Venkataratnam, a junior to me, reconciled to his position, and Muddachari was my own student, and hence no problem. But Achyuta Rao who was senior to me, and had all along schemed to outwit me would not swallow his position as a subordinate to me. Something was working within him which was adversely affecting his health.The result of his hurriedly prepared thesis for Ph.D. had not yet been announced. It came a few days after the Selections. It was highly disappointing to him and he could not stand the shock. As mentioned earlier, he did not survive. He died of heart failure. Building up the Department was challenging. This was a period of great development, in fact the golden era in the University, when every day was a day of inauguration of some project. New Departments were opened, new institutions were coming up, new projects of research were in the air, construction of buildings for various Departments was briskly going on. New faculty members were added almost every day. As many as 300 appointments took place at that time. There was suh a fresh air and dynamic activity in the campus as if a stiff campaign was there to gain the laurels of academic excellence. What Dr.Srimali did was to inject new blood into the system.The old stagnated cess pool was rejected, and making the entire nation as the recruting field for faculty, he brought several new faces to Mysore from different parts of India. We were shifted from the Kalyana Mandapam of Jayalaxmi Vilas Mansion to our own new Humanities Block, a huge structure of three floors with an Auditorium in the Centre which housed all Arts and Humanities Faculties. We got the ground floor with a separate chamber for H.O.D. 220 My Life separate rooms for faculties, lecture halls, seminar room, library and so on. The massive structure of the Library Block was on one side of our Department and the Mathematics Block on the other side. In the back side of our Block at a little distance were located several Science Blocks, one for Physics, another for Chemistry, the third for Botany and Zoology, the fourth for Geology, and quite close to that was built a separate Block for History and Geography, beyond which was the Block for Psychology, and yet another for Bio-Chemistry and Home Science. It was well planned in the shape of a Square with structures on all sides. On the southern side emerged the Central Institute of Indian Languages, and in the northern side came up the huge Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies. The entire campus was well designed, well planned and well executed in a sprawling area of scores and scores of acres of open land. On the extreme western side faculty Quarters were built for all Professor, Readers, Lecturers, non-teaching staff. Beyond that was located Regional College of Education, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing and Sri. Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering. In that campus I lived nearly for a decade in Professors Quarters No.5. On the academic side I did two major things. One was to bring to our University from U.G.C. a Centre of Advanced Study of Research in History to the Department. It was a very ambitious project. I had to work very hard to get it. I had to prepare plans and projects which should be accepted by U.G.C. to release huge funds to build a Department of History which would be unique in structure. The idea was to extend the scope of history where all facets of mans life would be taken into consideration whether it was sociology or economics or politics or anthropology. It should be an inter-disciplinary Departments where specialists from different fields would act as a team to throw intensive light how man has built civilised societies through the ages My Life 221 and how he has drawn inspiration from several sources acting as an organic whole. It was like the study of human pysiology how the nervous system, the respiratory system, the digestive system and the several other systems have cooperated harmoniously to help mans intellect in creative endeavours. It was the thinking at the higher level in the U.G.C. that the country should have at least a few centres where advanced research of a type which would probe deep into recesses of mans mind to reconstruct how in the evolutionary process man has been benefited by his multiple faculties. This probe should be with particular reference to Indias contribution to the realm of thought, deeds and ideas. I had prepared a project and submitted to U.G.C. for approval. The U.G.C. sent a high-power team headed by such great scholars as Dr.S.Gopal, son of Dr.S. Radhakrishnan, Dr.Misra of Baroda and others. For three days they discussed the project with me and I persuaded them to accept it, as we would honestly work to implement it. It was sanctioned by the U.G.C. which meant huge financial assistance both recurring and non-recurring. Non-recurring expenditure involved construction of a building or extending it for more accommodation, library grants, funds for equipment and so on. Recurring expenditure was for the appointment of staff. From four teachers, the number was increased to nineteen members, four Professors, Six Readers and nine lecturers. They should be from different Departments for interdisciplinary approach. Hence, specialists of Economic History, Sociology, Political Science, Ancient India, Modern India, American History, European History were all appointed. It should be said to the credit of our Department in History that we were one of the six such Centres of advanced Study in the entire country. U.G.C. had assisted or established such Centres only in five other places, Delhi, Aligarh, Varanasi, Baroda and Calcutta. We were the sixth, and the only one in the entire Deccan and South of India. 222 My Life Neither Maharashtra, nor Andhra, nor Tamil Nadu nor Kerala had such a Centre of Advanced Study in History. That means there were five in the north and only one in the South. Dr. Gopal said that as the Chairman of the Visiting team for the Selection of the Centre, he was recommending our case, for he had great faith in me, and that I would rise up to the occasion. One of the conditions for the grant was that the recurring expenditure for the staff was the commitment of the U.G.C. only for five years, after which the University should bear the expenses. It was a huge commitment for which I had to work hard to make the University commit itself to this expenditure. We started our work. One of the proposals was to bring out a Comprehensive History of Karnataka in six Volumes on the pattern of the Cambridge History of India. I assigned myself a volume, and worked hard to see it through. It was on the Gangas of Talkad. Although my specialisation was 18th Century History of Karnataka, I deliberately chose Ancient India to justify the concept of inter-disciplinary approach that narrow specialisation would not bring out the entire truth. They say specialisation is knowing more and more about less and less until you know everything about nothing. Historical synthesis required broad vision when a man would have a grip on the entirety. This volume was published, although I had to work hard on ancient history sources, mostly inscriptions with which I was not very familiar before. I had assigned other volumes to different people. Unfortunately, no one was able to bring out anything. Mine was the only volume that saw the light of the day. I had to admit it was easy to do a thing ourselves, but very difficult to get it done by others. This project of the Comprehensive History of Karnataka became a reality, not through Mysore University, but through the Kannada University, thanks to the vision of its Vice-Chancellor Dr.Chandrasekhar Kambar, who took up this project, made me its Chief Editor, and got My Life 223 the entire Seven Volume of History published in five years. I assigned two volumes to myself in this series, Vol.IV on Bahmanis, Bidar and Bijapur History and Vol.V. on Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan. Dr. Kambar was so pleased with this work of mine that he conferred the Degree of D.Litt. (Hon.Causa) on me. The other projects I thought of were to bring out a half-year Journal of Historical Studies from the Department which I did. Quite a few issues were brought out as long as I was there in the Department. The third project was to bring out several volumes of the sources of Karnataka History. It was only Dr. Srikanta Sastri who had brought out a small volume on sources of Karnataka History. On the inscriptions side the work had been done as the Department of Archaeology had edited several volumes of Epigraphia Karnataka, which Mysore University had up-dated and had freshly published those volumes when Prof.D. Javare Gowda was the Vice-Chancellor. My idea was to publish literary sources spread over in several languages, not only in Kannada, but also in Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Persian, French, English, Portuguese and others. I prepared a blue-print and collected some material. But the problem was the same. You cannot win a war single-handed. You need an army. I had an army but that was useless. It only counted thirty days to draw the salary. We built a Centre of Advanced Studies, but after I left the Department it did not do much. Yet another project I had in view which I carried out successfully was to hold a series of Seminars, Workshops and Conferences. I was the one who founded the Karnataka History Conference which is still in existence, holding its session every year in some place or other. It was a forum to excite interest in the regional history and to make our people know how rich is our culture, and to excite our scholars to throw intensive light on some aspects of Karnataka history and culture. I held a number of seminars as well, one of 224 My Life which was on Hoysalas. The proceedings of this Seminars were published in a book form which is even to-day a very valuable addition to the History of Hoysalas, who had contributed so much to art and culture. Another contribution of mine as a Professor was the introduction of Karnataka History in the syllabus of Under-graduate studies. Our students did not know anything of the Satavahanas or Kadambas or Gangas or Chalukyas or Rashtrakutas or Hoysalas or Bahamanis or Bijapuris or Vijayanagara or Wodeyars. They were lost either in Greek, or Roman or British or European or World History. They were totally ignorant of their own heritage.I am happy that this aspect was well-taken care of and even today Karnataka History is a subject of study. Yet another contribution of mine is the introduction of Kannada as the medium of instruction at the Post-graduate level. It had never been heard of that Kannada could be used to teach M.A. Classes. Once I introduced it in History Department others followed suit. It is so popular today that almost all Departments of Humanities use Kannada as the medium and that nearly 90% of the students opt for this medium. Holding All-India Conferences whether it was All-India History Congress or South Indian History Congress became a feature of our Department under my leadership. To organise All India History Congress was not a small joke, for over a thousand delegates would come. Their accommodation, boarding, tours and other arrangements involved great labour, planning, team work and imagination. I did it in 1966. It was very successful experiment. So also the South Indian History Congress, whose sessions I arranged. My job was to extend the horizon of knowledge from the class room to the social sector where our people should also know how much Karnataka has contributed to the mainstream of human culture in general, and Indian culture in particular in the realm of art, architecture, literature, philosophy, religion and politics. My Life 225 My other major contribution to the University was the establishment of a separate Department, as if a satellite of the main Department, called Department of Middle Eastern. Studies.The U.G.C. was also encouraging area studies programme where our Universities should take interest not only in their own region and country, but also of the wider world. Some Universities were taking interest in South-East Asia, some in Central Asia, some in USA history, some in African or European. I thought we should take interest in the Middle Eastern history or West Asian history which included Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Arabia. This was the hub of the ancient civilisations from Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian period to the days of Islamic glory, when the world famous Abbasid Caliphate built up a high culture. How this Department came into existence is also interesting. Dr. Srimali thought that the University should establish separate research chairs to promote the culture of several sectors in the society, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity; and Islam. For this purpose he desired to induce those who professed that faith to come forward and institute a chair in the University, which would take care of its academic programme. This was the popular and traditional method in the West to promote cultures of the different sections of the society, and different aspects of knowledge. Working on this concept he announced the proposal and the people immediately responded positively to the call. He said those who donated three lakhs of rupees that amount was quite handsome in those days and name of the area of research they desired, the University would act accordingly. In no time our Hindu friends came forward to institute a chair of Hindu philosophy in the University, and Dr.Ramakrishna was appointed to that Chair. In no time our Jaina friends came forward, and instituted a Jaina Philosophy and culture chair in the University and Dr. Upadhyaya, a renowned Jaina philosophy scholar, was appointed to the Chair. In no time 226 My Life our Christian friends came forward, donated three lakhs of rupees and instituted a Chair in Christian philosophy. Dr. Srimali invited the Muslims too to come forward, donate rupees three lakhs and institute a Chair in Islamic philosophy. No body budged an inch. I tried my level best, met seveal people, explained to them its importance, but the response was not only poor but utterly disappointing. Hardly two or three thousand rupees were collected, a drop in the ocean. The matter rested at that, and Dr.Srimali would not care whether Islamic Chair was instituted or not. Ways of God are mysterious. I had a friend by name Kareem in Kerala, who would often visit me. He was a small industrialist of Malapuram District manufacturing furniture. But he was a good social worker, well-informed person, quite enlightened and helpful for community cause. We used to have long chats on how best to improve the conditions of our people. In those discussions I broached the topic of Islamic Chair in the University. He was excited and he induced me to try one more source. He said Mohamed Koya was the Education Minister in Kerala, and he is such a dynamic person that he would simply jump at the idea of any cause that might promote Islamic culture. He also said this was February, and soon the financial year would be over, and hence act fast in the matter. I thought why not try. I went to Dr.Srimali and asked his permission to go to Kerala, and make an effort. I explained to him that there was some hope in the venture and even if we fail, nothing would be lost, and that the hope of instituting a Chair with the help of Karnataka Muslim was absolutely nil. They are not the one who would realise its importance, but the people of Kerala in general and Mohd. Koya in particular were of a different mettle. When I had a chat with Dr.Srimali, the matter went into his head. He did not permit me to go. He did something better. He thought I was too small a man for that job. He decided himself to go My Life 227 to Kerala. The very next day he moved from his house, went to Kerala, met Koya, explained the whole thing. Koya Saheb was greatly impressed by the former Union Minister of Education, now the presiding deity of an important temple of learning, begging not for Hindu cause, but Muslim cause. He was moved and immediately wrote a cheque, not for three lakhs, but for two lakhs. The rules did not permit a Minister in his descretionary powers to donate more than two lakhs for a cause not within Kerala but outside Kerala. His hands were tied, or else he would have donated the full amount of Rupees three lakhs. Any way in one shot Rupees two lakhs were also handsome figure. It was the month of March and hence funds were also there for quickly to be disposed of before the close of the financial year. Very happily Dr.Srimali returned with a cheque of Rs.2 lakhs for Islamic Chair. But the question of one more lakh still remained. Do what you may no body would open the purse for a penny. Two lakhs were deposited in a separate account in the University. Days passed. Time came for Dr. Srimalis exit. He laid down office in 1970. My good friend Prof. D. Javare Gowda took charge as Vice-Chancellor. He sustained the tempo of development initiated by Dr.Srimali. A lot of good things were done in his regime particularly on the humanities side, the Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies and Culture, the Folklore Museum, the Kannada Encyclopaedia project in several volume, the Ephigraphia Karnataka Revision Project, the Kannada Dictionary project, the Dasa Literature project in 10 Volumes, the History of Karnataka in 6 Volumes project, the Fine Arts College project, the establishment of South Indian Studies, the Jaina Department and so on, would all stand to his credit. It occurred to me that I should revive the project of the Islamic Chair. He was a good friend of mine, a colleague in the same college. In fact, as mentioned earlier, he and I were appointed on the same day as lecturers in Maharajas College way back in the month of December 228 My Life 1945. The University Order listed on the same sheet, three names as lecturers, Javare Gowda, Samuel Appaji and Sheik Ali. I had good response from D. Javare Gowda. He constituted a committee of three to examine the whole issue de-novo. Its chairman was Dr. A.A.A. Faizi who was the Indian Ambassador to Egypt and later Vice-Chancellor of Kashmir University; the second Member was Humayun Mirza, son of Mohd. Ismail Mirza, former Dewan of Mysore, and myself as the Secretary. Faizi Saheb and Humayun Mirza came two or three times to Mysore. We had long discussions. It was Faizis idea that a Chair in Islamic Philosophy was too narrow a field, why not the entire history of the Islamic World. He said we should be realistic of the situation that anything in the name of Islamic Philosophy, or culture, or history would not go well with the Hindus who have not yet pardoned us for the partition of the country. We should be secular in our approach, and at the same time achieve our purpose tactfully. What is there in the name? A rose called by any name would smell as sweet. Discretion is better part of valour. Therefore, he suggested that we should go for area-studies programme, choose the heartland of Islam as the subject of study, throw light on wider aspects than theology or faith or philosophy or religion. The idea of Middle Eastern Studies or West Asia would be more appropriate which would cover the Islamic world where you could concentrate not only on its culture and history but also its politics, society, economy, geography, language and literature. I was also thinking of an area-studies programme for a long time which was a pet concept of U.G.C. When Faizi Saheb gave a twist to the Islamic chair in this way, I thought I would be shooting two birds in one arrow. I jumped at the idea. We met the Vice-Chancellor. He agreed to the proposal and showed me the green signal to go ahead. I had to prepare the details, the draft rules, regulations, syllabus, My Life 229 and every little detail connected with it to bring out a new baby into existence. All the necessary statutes, rules and regulations were drafted by me for this new Department. M.A. Programme consists of eight papers to be studied in two years. I divided the syllabus into two parts, language part and subjects part. In the language part which should have four papers, I gave the choice either of Arabic or Persian. Language is the key to know a societys culture. If our people were to have a good knowledge of Arabic that would open vast vistas of opportunities of jobs in the Gulf area or in Saudi Arabia. If they study Persian that would also be helpful for seeking jobs in Persia, but also to know the language which would be helpful for research in medieval India as all our sources of that period are in that language. Hence, half the course I devised was either on Arabic or Persian. The other half was on history, economy, society, politics and geography. The detailed syllabus of these subjects were also prepared. The Academic Council approved the course of studies and the Syndicate sanctioned the establishment of a separate Department, as a unit of the parent Department of History. The second part of the syllabus had History of the Middle East, Economics of the Middle East, Geography of Middle East, Politics of Middle East, and Sociology of the Middle East. Fortunately there were competent staff to teach these subjects in the University. I was taking History and Culture classes; Mr. Salar Masood was taking Geography, Dr.Rafeeq Ahmed was taking Political developments and Dr.Sadasivaiah was taking Sociology. The Arabic part of it was entrusted to D.Khizer Ali Khan. He framed a syllabus to teach Arabic which was a novel innovation. He chose simple Arabic sentences from Quran and taught the grammar and syntax. He would teach from Alphabets. His method helped not only in learning the language but also the world of God which is Quran. Thus a 230 My Life very comprehensive programme was prepared to teach Islamic History and Culture. We wanted to have a Chair in Islamic Philosophy with one individual to do research. What we got was a separate Department with several academics to teach different aspects of the Islamic countries. We made it secular, wide-spread, more comprehensive, inter-disciplinary and non-controversial, which is functioning today. Even Ph.D. was carried out in this Department. One of my students of this Department Dr.A.K. Pasha, now occupies a very high position in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, as the head of the West Asian Studies Programme. I did one more thing to make this programme popular. In the University. There was no scope for double course in any subject. One could not choose Masters Degree simultaneously in two subjects.Ours was the only exception. We made this an evening course. Any body could opt for it, whether Arts or Science or Commerce graduate. In this way it was an unique course. The Faculty was not regularly recruited staff, but guest faculty who would come from different Departments in the evening. They would get a nominal remuneration per hour. The University had earned interest out of those two lakhs which was spent on this Department. It was no extra burden. It would not mind to work an hour extra not only to get themselves enlightened but also to enlighten others. More non-Muslims sought admission into this Department which is still functioning very well. Later on a few people thought that we have diluted the concept of Islamic studies. Other chairs were concentrating exclusively on a particular faith but here we have widened the scope to cover an entire region and the people. But I feel what we have done is the right thing. Ibn-e-Khaldun, one of the greatest thinkers of the world, thought of writing the history of tribe, the Barbers of North My Life 231 Africa, but thought why only a tribe, why not an entire North Africa; then thought, why only of North Africa, why not of the whole Arabia; then thought, why only of Arabia, why not of the entire Islamic world; then thought, why only of Islamic world, why not of an entire mankind; then thought, why only the history of mankind, why not how history is made. That is why he added his prolegomena, which became the science of culture, or the most profound philosophy of history. Our experiment too bears a distant resemblance to Ibn-eKhalduns thought. Apart from these two major contributions what I did in the Department was to motivate the staff to rise high in scholarships. We had one or two very bright students, whom I took on the Staff. One was K.S. Shivanna who did his Ph.D. under me. He was from a poor Brahmin family. His father Srikantaiah was a bus driver. It should be said that Brahmins are very cultured and bright.They are the cream of the society. They hold the upper hand from centuries. The reason is their intellect. They focused their attention on two essential sectors, learning and priesthood. Knowledge and religion lifted them high at all times and in all circumstances. Their mental superiority made them guides, teachers, friends and philosophers who filled all govt. jobs. They became advisers to the court. Simple living and high thinking made their position as important in the society as head is in the human body. Tradition also says that from the head of Brahma, the Brahmin was born, from the shoulders, Kshatriyas, from the Stomach, the Vysya and from the feet the Sudras. Any way, this Shivanna was my student in M.A. when I took him as lecturer when he passed with distinction. He joined me as research scholar also, and was not completing his job even after a long time. Whenever I asked him about his work, he would say, I am collecting material Sir. Once I called him and told him a story which made him move so fast that within three months thereafter he submitted his 232 My Life thesis.The story I told him was this. There was once upon a time a great King with a large, happy and prosperous Kingdom. He had one weakness, to listen to endless stories. He announced that he would give half the Kingdom if any one were to relate stories until he said enough. If they ended the story before he said enough they would lose their head. Many, many would compete, and would lose their head. One clever person came and challenged for the coveted prize. He started telling the story that there was a king with a large Kingdom. God blessed him with prosperity. There were heaps and heaps of corn in the fields. A bird came, picked a grain and flew away. A bid came, picked the grain,…. A bird came and picked the grain and flew away. The same thing of the bird coming and picking the grain, he repeated again and again, day after day. Whenever, the King asked what then, what happened thereafter, the story teller would simply say there were plenty of birds, Sir, plenty of grain. This story became endless, and the King at last said enough of his story. The King lost the game and the story teller won the prize. I told Shivanna, this is your case. Whenever I ask you about the completion of your thesis, you simply say, collecting the material Sir like that bird picking the grain. The lesson went home to Shivanna, and he acted so fast that in no time he completed the job. He became a very good teacher, rose high to the Professors Chair, made a name as a good scholar, went abroad several times and contributed much to the Department. Unfortunately his last days were not very happy. Love of money led him to wrong path. He met a tragic death. Another good scholar I produced was Syed Azam, who was very bright, hard working, honest, sober and deep. His incisive ability to focus on vital forces in the causality of history was very impressive. There was another student of mine, a lady from Malanad, named Rashida, whom he married. She too was very intelligent and rose to be a My Life 233 gazetted officer in the Government of Karnataka. Prof. Azam too rose high in academic circles, and occupied the Chair as Professor and contributed much to the development of the Department. He is still working with me in social sector as the warden of the New Muslim Hostel of which I am the President. A third person of the Department who did Ph.D. under me was Muddachari. He was very hard working but not deep. Yet another student whom I liked very much and who also did his Ph.D. under me was Surendra Rao of Puttur in Dakshina Kannada District. He was one of the brightest students who did work on Utiliterian Theory of James Mill. Perhaps, he is one of the very few scholars in the country who have attempted to do research on intellectual history. I have not come across any one else entering into this field. Long ago in the Department of Philosophy of our University, there was Raghavachar who had done research on the philosophy of history of Hegel, but from the rank of historians I have not come across any one. I was very fond of this intellectual history and felt happy to guide Surendra Rao who too rose as Professor of History not of Mysore but of Mangalore University. Like Syed Azam he too married another student of mine, Radha, from Coorg who was his classmate. Unfortunately this Radha passed away very recently. Surendra Rao is still working as Professor in Mangalore University, whom I had the opportunity to appoint when I was Vice-Chancellor of that University. As Professor my job was not merely to teach students in the class and guide research scholars for Ph.D. but also to write and publish my own works. By Gods grace there are over thirty books to my credit, and countless number of research papers read in the Seminars, or Conferences or contributed to research journals. My first publication, as elations with H aidar Ali Relations Haidar mentioned already, was British R 234 My Life which in a way gifted me the Chair of Professorship. This work was so well received that Indian Council of Historical Research got it translated into eight other Indian languages. My second great publication was from Macmillan on History: Its Theory and Method. This is a very important work which brought me lot of credit and was published seventeen times. It is on the theory of history, its nature, philosophy, methodology and historiography. I wrote it in a very short time of only 100 days. I feel I had become a recluse or a saint or a Sufi at that time, for nothing, nothing was rotating in my mind at that time except this work. It was a very difficult period for me at that time for Shahi was not too well, and she would ask me to fetch something from a shop. I would move from my chair with only Spengler or Toynbee or Hegel or Ranke or Thucydides, or Herodotus or Ibn-e-Khaldun ruminating in my mind, whom I would churn in my mind to draw the essence of their thought so that I could put it on paper. It was a period of thyaga or tapas, and at the same time very exciting and satisfying to the soul. This is the only book which had brought me a lot of money and is still bringing me money. A book of 418 pages with a price of only Rs.178 brought me once in a single year Rs.30,000/- with only 10% royalty. That means at lest more than a thousand copies must have been sold to fetch me that much amount in that year. This is almost the reference work and a text book in the country on historiography, methodology and philosophy of history. Whenever I go from Kashmir to Cape Comorin to any University History Department scholars greet me with respect the moment they know I am the author of that work. Real moments of joy are those when your soul is thrilled. My book on Tipu Sultan: A Study in Diplomacy on Confrontation, and another work on Tipu Sultan brought out by National Book Trust of India, New Delhi were also well received. My book on Islam: A Study in Cultural My Life 235 Orientation published by Macmillan was so well received that its first publication was sold out soon. In Goa, Panaji, when I was staying in a Guest House, some one from Bombay looked at it, borrowed it for glance, and next day, he returned it, saying that he would go to Bombay, buy all copies from the shop and distribute them to different libraries. He did that. Later on I wrote four books on Dr. Zakir Hussain and another major work I did was on Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, A Leader Reassessed. I invited scholars from Russia and America to our Department. From the University of Moscow a scholar came and worked with us for a month or so. I took him to Gadbanahalli Estate also apart from Belur, Halebid, Sravanabelagola and Somanathpur. Likewise, another scholar, Prof.Bingham, came from America, gave a series of lectures in the Department and became a good friend of mine. He was also helpful for the visit of Masood, my son, for higher studies in U.S.A. Another US Scholar from the University of Buffalo was Howard Senghbush. He and his wife, Beatrice, became very friendly with us. They stayed also a year in the campus in the same row of Professors. We would invite them often for dinners. We took them to Gadabanahalli Estate and also to Malapur Estate which belonged to my co-brother, Mr.Gulame Ahmed. On the social side I became a Member of the Lions Club, which was newly started in Mysore City. An advocate, Gururaj Rao, induced me to be a Member. Monthly dinners would be held. Once I took the family to a Dinner, when Shahi was a young child. It was a buffet Dinner. People rushed to the table with plates. Shahi made a bitter remark about people rushing to the table. That was the last of my membership of the Lions Club. But the social life in the Campus was quite exciting as we had very good friends in R.P. Singh, K.R. Ramachandran, Vishwanathaiah, Rajasekhar 236 My Life Shetty, Patnaik, Razi Saheb, Safiulla, Khuraishi Saheb, R.P. Misra, Alexander and others. We would daily meet and chat and sometime invite each other to table. It was in our house that the engagement of Prof. Razi Shahebs daughter took place with Haroon, son of my cousin, Henley Abdul Wahab Saheb. I would go to the Department before 10.00 a.m. and return home only around 5.30 p.m. skipping the lunch. It was my habit in the Department to collect the colleagues and initiate an academic talk, so that they would be provoked to think. We made it a forum of discussion. My colleague Rangaswamaiah would highly appreciate and enjoy these group discussions. My special field was philosophy of history and intellectual history which I would teach with delight, for history is all mind and events are merely clothes. History unites the objective with the subjective. That means history translates what is in the mind. The thinking process is more important, for ideas rule the world. History merely comprehends the brain waves igniting creativity which takes concrete shape, the narration of which is history. The Union of the two functions, thinking and doing differentiates history from other sciences where either thinking is there or doing is there. In literature and philosophy thinking is there, but in science and technology doing is there. In history we combine both, for a culture is the product of both thinking and doing and the growth of mans culture or progress is the main theme of history. Where the knowledge of the physical world is involved, for example in Physics, we enter into the realm of science, but in history we have both science, which is investigation of realities or facts and the analysis and synthesis to draw proper inferences or lessons, which is arts or thinking process. Therefore history is the only subject which is both arts and science. In history we have different concepts. It is a kind of knowledge, a kind of impact which results in progress or culture, sometime decay and decline. My Life 237 In nature the law is conditioned to a set plan, but in history there is greater complexity which exceeds the processes in nature. Things in nature are predictable, but man who is vain, fickle, credible is most unpredictable. Hence, many a time expected things do not happen. Asoka having won a war did not gloat over the victory, but renounced the War. Bismark, lost in hunting, shooting, riding and in the fleeting pleasures suddenly gives up all that and becomes the iron man of Europe, the maker of history. Moses goes to fetch fire and returns as the Prophet. History abounds in examples where accidents play a vital role. Brutus is friendly to-day to Caesar, but stabs him next day. Since historians is both an investigator and a story teller, he is both a scientist and a poet, thus uniting in himself the subjective and the objective. The world is ruled by ideas. There are two types of ideas, the practical and the philosophical. Practical ideas get filtered through human will to result in realities. Philosophical ideas are theoretical. Buddha renounced the throne. Socrates drank the cup of hemlock. Jesus went up the cross. All because of ideas that were not practical. Normally monarchs do not renounce the throne, home, power, wife, child and take to penance. People do not go to the extent of themselves ending their life when they think they are right. Thus a historian is not a photographer holding a camera, but a painter lost in his skill to produce a Mona Lisa. A historian is a statesman of ideas and a poet of the mind. It would give me a lot of pleasure teaching generation of students this kind of philosophy of history and also to explain the profound thoughts of such great thinkers as Thucydides, Hegel, Spengler, Croce, Comte, Toynbee, or Ibn-e-Khaldun. The greatness of India was that it absorbed ideas from any quarter, which got fertilised in its rich tradition of assimilation. Culturally India has been 238 My Life reinvigorated by mental contact with the West from Alexanders time, with the Middle East from the rise of Islam and with Europe from the time of Vascoda Gama. More than the students I was greatly benefited by the teaching profession, which I consider the noblest job on earth. 10 Experiences in America After the Second World War, America emerged as super-power. Its superiority was there in all sectors of material and intellectual spheres, if not in moral and spiritual. In science and technology, in wealth and treasures, in physical comforts and prosperity, in inventions and discoveries, it had excelled all other nations of the world. Added to its economic strength was there the military power, which made it claim the leadership of the world. When it dropped its atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world was shocked. It was a catastrophe of unimaginable proportion, which took long to recover. The physical disintegration of atoms to produce a bomb resulted in the moral disintegration of man when greed took possession of mans soul. A keen competition took place among nations to waste their resources on possession of these atomic weapons, which became a prestigious issue, a symbol of superiority. Soon Soviet Union entered into that race, followed by Great Britain, France and China. Now even developing nations such as India and Pakistan have entered into the field and Israel already possesses a few of these weapons. Hence, science and technology meant for human welfare is used wrongly for human destruction. America gave a lead in this direction, and other nations followed suit. 240 My Life This is only the negative side of the United States of America, which is having limitless number of positive sides as well. That nation has become a role model for others in material prosperity, in economic development, in democratic structure of State functioning, in the educational sector, and in science and technology. Soon after the Second World War, it did quite a few good things, one of which was Marshall Plan which lifted Europe from the debris of Second World War. It desired to present its picture of welfare states through a series of philonthropic measures such as Fullbright Fellowships, which invited a number of scholars from abroad to study in USA and gain experience. I had applied for those fellowships but could not get it to do research there. Instead I got a chance to go to England and study there. Years passed and I became a Professor. In the year 1976 a pleasant surprise came on its own. Several Universities in USA took up a programme to know the history and culture of other nations in the world. It should be said to the credit of America that it spares no efforts and no money on advancement of knowledge in any field. It suited its global ambitions to know more and more about other countries. They took a lot of interest in Indian history and culture, and many Universities had separate Department of Indian Studies, and those that did not have such Departments desired to have them. Hence, a College of Georgia University in Atlanta by name Augusta College desired to develop the Department of Indian Studies. It advertised the post and called for applications. I applied for the same and it clicked. We received information from United States Education and Culture Foundation that I got selected. Scholars in those days were eagerly looking for a visit to United States, and it had been a very prestigious issue. Many, many Indian scholars had gone there, and quite a few of them had settled down there. Quite a few million Indians are there in USA in all walks of life, scientists, engineers, My Life 241 doctors, teachers and so on. People from all parts of the world had flocked, but the door was open only to the best, only the cream of every country was eligible. Just at this time when the news of my appointment as a Visiting Professor to teach Indian History and Culture in Georgia University was announced, negotiations were going on for the wedding of my first daughter, Asma Kulsum. I wanted to take the whole family, my wife and four children to USA so that they too could get a chance to see that country. My eldest son, Masood, had already finished his course in Engineering. He had done his B.E. and also M.Tech from IIT, Madras. We were very keen he should go to America and study there. In fact our focus was on that point. My eldest daughter, Asma had finished her M.Sc. Shahida had finished her B.Sc. and the youngest son Zakir Hussain was still doing his M.B.B.S. This news came at a very critical time when we had to plan the future of our children. The whole family went to Madras to secure the Visa for the family, all six of us, four children, husband and wife. Before obtaining Visa, all of us had to get our passports. It was not very easy in those days to get passports. Several and several formalities had to be undergone and we went through all of them. Then we went to the American Consulate to obtain Visa for four of us, for Masood, Shahi, Sufia and myself. Asma got married before we left to USA and Zakir was in the Medical College, and we did not like to disturb him. Our great anxiety was to obtain a Visa for Masood. He had already done his B.E. and M.Tech and we wanted him to do some higher course in USA, get trained, and either stay there or come back. Man proposes but God disposes. It is not mans wish that is operative in this world, it is Gods will. Even that would be in the best interest of all. We were disappointed. The officer in charge of American Consulate, a Black Gentleman was gentle towards three of us, my wife, my daughter, Shahida, and myself, but not towards 242 My Life Masood. He said this young man is already graduate and we are afraid he might stay back there which is not our policy in inviting you as the Visiting Professor. You are a V.I.P. but not every member of your family. However, we understand that your daughter, Shahida, is still unmarried, and both of you, husband and wife, are away, she cannot be left alone at home. Therefore, we are giving a Visa to three of you and not to Masood. That was at that moment bitter disappointment to us. We had planned and focused all our attention to see our eldest son would go abroad woud get another higher degree in engineering in USA, and if all went well he would get there a good job.This dream of ours could not be materialised. Our short-sightedness was such that we did not think whatever happened was for our own good. It is a different thing that we sent Masood later on to USA for higher studies, but at that time it was too much of a disappointment to see that what we had planned was not coming through. Any way all three of us, husband and wife, and daughter left for USA via U.K. Mr. Khalid Ghani, my wifes younger brother, was in Wales. He was an Ornothologist working in Wales Museum. He came to receive us and we stayed with him for three days. He showed us a few things in UK to Shahida, for that country was not strange to me and my wife as both of us had stayed there before. We landed in USA. I had been invited to Augusta College of Georgia University as a resource person to teach and set up a Department of Indian Studies. My job was to advise all Institutions of Georgia University, not merely August College, on matters of Indian History and Culture. I was expected to teach a course. A Professor of that College, a lady, had been entrusted to take care of us in finding all facilities to settle down there and also to chalk out our academic My Life 243 programme. She was a Professor in Fine Arts College. She did all that was necessary for our stay, finding a house for our residence, health card, telephone, and arranging official work in the College. We got a small house of two rooms with all facilities in August a City. It was a quiet place with plenty of open space. The landlord lived in a separate house about 50 yards away from our house. Augusta was a beautiful city of Georgia about 200 miles from Atlanta, the capital of Georgia. Augusta is world renowned for Golf, as its lawns are perhaps the largest and finest in the whole world. My impressions of United States are blended with most appreciative factors and also not so appreciative. Perhaps appreciative would tilt the balance in its favour, but a few negative factors would dilute all its good things. There are many, many good things which the world could emulate and learn from America.Their inquisitiveness, their love of knowledge, their craze for good things, their hard labour, their restlessness to achieve more, their stress on quality and perfection, their enterprise, their resourcefulness, are all such that they deserve high appreciation. In political field they have built up a democracy where the will of the people prevails. It is a Welfare State where the largest good of the largest number is the objective. It is a country where full scope exists for individual enterprise, freedom of speech, of movement, of faith, of belief, of thought, of action, and every sort of freedom and opportunity to everyone to grow. America is a country which is Europe writ-large. That means after renaissance and reformation in Europe, a situation arose where conflicts and confrontation forced the finest elements to leave their countries in Europe and move to America for better prospects and for free expression of their thoughts and deeds. Thus the whole of Europe, every country of this continent, was, as it were, transplanted in the new world. Those who migrated were the best of the lot. They carried their special traits as well. They did not make it a colony of 244 My Life their home country, but they made the new country their new home. With the result the white man of Europe built a composite culture, Christian in faith, democratic in polity, capitalist in economy, intellectual in thought, progressive and dynamic in action. For a long, long time America adopted an isolationist policy, not having much to do with other countries. In 18th and 19th centuries when Europe was aggressively colonising, and forcibly dominating over Asia and Africa, America was quietly involved in developing its own land in every sector of life. Her liberation from British colonisation and winning the war of independence under George Washington was a great step in her history for march towards progress. She never looked back again. She invested all her talents in building up the nation, and did remarkably well in business, in industry, in science, in technology and in building institutions that would bring wealth, welfare, prosperity, power and glory. Twentieth century dragged America from its isolation. Woodrow Wilson, a visionary, entered into First World War and introduced USA into the vortex of World politics. England and France would not have won either the First or the Second World War without the massive help and cooperation they received from America. If Woodrow Wilson gave League of Nations to the World, Roosevelt gave the United Nations to the world. The League of Nations did not prevent the Second World War, and we wonder whether the UNO would prevent a third World War. That brings us to the negative aspect of USA. With all the good things in the kitty of America, there are a few bad coins as well, such as its ego, its limitless ambition to remain a super power, its anxiety to dominate over others, its superiority complex that we alone are the best in the world, its lust for resources of others particularly the oil wealth of the Middle East, its exploitation of the My Life 245 weaker nations through such crafty devises as its aggressive policy to impose its ideology on others. Its ideology is capitalism, free market, free enterprise, free society, democratic structure, free press and so on. In theory its policy seems to be good, but in practice it is not in the best interest of all. Increase in wealth increase inequality. One cannot be rich without making others poor. We need kindness more than cleverness. We need compassion more than passion. We need equitable distribution of wealth more than mere reckless production; we need direction more than mere speed; and we need God more than goods. America in its craze for world power has become the greatest threat to world peace. Resistance is building up to its aggressive expansion. Its invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, its policy towards Syria, Lebnon and Iran, its role in Jordan, Gulf States, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, all point in the direction of a new type of crusades against Islam. More frightening is the factor of Star-Wars. It is spending billions to reach space and build such weapons of destruction which no body could challenge. On the one hand it is preventing every other nation not to go for weapons of mass destruction, (the latest campaign is against Iran) on the other hand it is busily involved and arming itself to the teeth with weapons of mass destruction. It speaks of freedom of action and freedom of speech, but prevents others from doing what it does. This hypocricy has alienated the Muslim world as well as the Latin America. This has diluted all its positive factors of massive aid to others. It talks of human rights and denies those rights to others. The inhuman behaviour it committed in Abu Gharib and in Guotinamobay prisons are the latest examples.Into this country of paradox I went with my family to live there for a year, know more about them and share what I knew about my country and culture. Augusta was a small town of just over a lakh of 246 My Life people, but it was very picturesque, green, well planned. It was a historical place reminding the colonial days when the British had named the province Georgia. It was in the midSouth. In the north was Carolina, and in the south, Albama. It was not a highly industrialised area and hence pollution free. It reminded me of the hill stations of India like Ooty, andulating up and down, every where bush greenery, tall trees, eighteenth century old designed cottages, reminding one the country side of England. It was more British than American, away from the tall towers of either New York or Chicago. That country was named Peach country. In America they name regions or provinces by the prominent fruits that grow there. This region was famous for peaches. There were apple trees every where, and they were in such plenty that basketfull of them were kept on the entry doors of grocery to attract customers. You could pick any number you like. There were of course famous shopping centres, like Kay Market and other chain of Super Markets where you could buy anything you need. Shahi used to like shopping. I got her admitted first to a computer course, a diploma. She did not like it. We changed it to a social work course. She was not interested in studies, but she needed something to keep her occupied. Before we bought an automobile, a big Ford Car, a gas guzzler, we had to walk to the College which was not far, but perhaps we were only three, my wife, Shahi and I, who were on the road walking. Every one had a car. It was too much for us also to bear this situation. In the very first salary of mine I decided to buy an used car. A brand new Toyato was in the range of just $ 2000/- but I did not like to spend that much money. My salary was just $ 1450/- per month. But that was too much from our standard of life. Things were very cheap. If you spent just $ 10/- you would get all that you would need for a week. We looked into the advertisements for used cars, and we found a good Ford Car My Life 247 for $ 650/-. It was a very large, very comfortable vehicle, which we used for one full year roaming all over the country. While returning, we sold it again for $ 600/- losing just $ 50/ -. Petrol was less than a dollar for a gallan, that is 4.5 litres. It would hold 55 litres, and if I paid $ 10/- the tank would be full and that would suffice for one full month. We used to go to Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, a very big city, in this car and enjoy the trip. First, we landed in Atlanta airport, and were surprised at its largeness. It should be acknowledged that Americans have done marvels in science and technology lifting sky-high mans physical comforts. On the academic side, my work was easy. I had two types of job, one was to teach in the College and the other was to lecture in other units of Georgia University on Indian history and culture. I had to help such colleges in setting up Departments of Indian studies if they were so interested. I was introduced to the Dean, a very refined and noble gentleman. I had to give a few lectures to the faculty and students on Indian society, politics, culture and history, besides teaching two courses. One course I chose on Modern India and the other was on Islamic History. It did not take much time for me to take classes on this subject, for what I knew was more than enough. What I observed in American students different from our own students was that the former were very inquisitive, and before I finished a statement, a hand would go up, saying Dr.Ali, please elaborate a bit further on what you just now said. They would put a series of questions and would make the class a discussion class. That was a very lovely affair, contrary to our Indian experience where it is one-way traffic, the teacher speaking all the time and the students listening all the time. Here we do not get the impression whether the students have understood a point or not, but there, we were very sure. They would clarify all their doubts in the classroom itself. They would ask what the next topic would be, and they would 248 My Life come back well prepared to ask questions. In other words they were really interested in the subject and made good use of the opportunity to learn what they paid for. This brings us to yet another important difference between the two systems of education. In India higher education is highly subsidised. The students pay a nomianl sum as tuition fee. That fee is paid by their parents or guardians. But in USA the fee is very high and the fee is met not by their parents or guardians, but by their own efforts. They earn the money working somewhere to pay the fees. When that fee which is too high is all paid by dint of their own efforts, the students realise the value of money and make good use of it. In other words American system makes students more motivated and more serious. They plan their life. They prepare well for that plan. Life is very competitive. Unless they excel others, there is no chance to come up in life. The whole ecology is such that survival depended upon great struggle. There is an urge in them that they should not be satisfied without anything but the best and the chances are they get the best. Our psychology is different, our ecology, our philosophy, our approach, our values, our training, are all different. We love our children so much that we do all their jobs. The parents take lot of interest, engage tutors, or they teach themselves without exciting the children to think on their own. We do their homework. We make them parasites depending too much and too much without pushing them into outer world to mend themselves. This makes our youth careless, irresponsible, lazy, indolent and apathetic. Easy money doled out to the children would not make them realise its value. Moreover, our system is degree for job. It is the qualification, the certificate for movement to next higher grading without checking the quantum of knowledge gained. The third defect in our system is that there is no work My Life 249 experience. It is all book-schools; it is not work-school. It is all theory, no practicals. We have forgotten that any knowledge which is not applied knowledge is no knowledge at all. The Americans are very pragmatic and they have made their system such that any institution of higher learning should stand on its own. It should be self-sufficient and hence high fee. Once they charge high fee they ensure quality as well. Quality would depend on love, labour, patience, perseverance and imagination. They have built up over the years a system of management where planning, organizing, modernising, and monitoring are all highly pragmatic, effective and fruit-bearing. Centres of excellence hold the key for the advancement of America. We have very few such centres, such as IITs, but in America that is the general pattern and almost every institution conforms to the general rule, they do not compromise on quality. We went at a time in 1976 when it was election fever, a rare opportunity for visitors. The American political system is praiseworthy. They have devised a structure where separation of powers exists in the three wings of the State, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. Each is independent of the other, and functions in full freedom. There are checks and balances also whereby if one wing goes wrong, mechanism exists to rectify it. Two years before we went there, that is in 1973-74, a crisis occurred when President Nixon was found guilty of a grave misdemeanor. He was about to be impeached when he resigned on the condition that no legal action would be taken against him. His Vice-President, Jerry Ford, who took charge of the Presidency pardoned his lapses in office, and did not allow impeachment procedures to follow. Nixon was very much in the news for his mis-use of his executive power called Watergate. In a free society he had attempted through secret services to bug the talk of dignitaries by installing high technical instruments. This was a very serious breach of the trust, and the President, the 250 My Life role model of the entire nation, should not have committed that offence. Therefore, he was removed from office. It was a difficult time in world affairs, when the War in Viet Nam was not yet over, when emergency had been declared in India under Indira-Gandhi, when China had emerged as a nuclear power and when the Soviet Union was still a super-power. Ford continued the Viet-Nam War, and causing heavy casualties of American life, not to speak of billions of dollars. There was a crisis in Pakistan as well, where another military general, Zia-ul-Huq, was emerging. Hence the media was daily ablaze with international news. At such a time the heat of the election campaign gripped the American public, and we were watching this drama with great interest. Elections in USA are quite different from what they are in India, where excitement prevails in the constituency as the candidates spare neither muscle nor money to win. As a contrast, election campaigns in U.S. are very sober. Meetings and functions do take place, but with great discipline, restrain, decency and decorum. The media is fully utilized, both print media and electronic. People watch T.V. listening to the persuasive powers of two candidates. One great difference between ours and their system is we have limitless number of parties but they have only two parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. The Democrats are liberals and the Republicans are conservatives. Nixon belonged to the Republicans, and Jerry Ford who succeeded him was also a Republican. His rival was Jimmy Carter the Democrat, one of the finest Presidents, after Roosevelt and John Kennedy. Ford was moving earth and heaven, permissible under American rules, to win. Elections in USA are also very expensive. Millions and millions of dollars they spend, not in a week or two, but over a period of a few months. The selection of candidates there is also different from our practice. In our country, whether deserving or not My Life 251 any one is eligible to contest the elections. Consequently multiple number of independents would also enter the arena of contest. As against this the Americans choose their candidatesafter great deliberations spread over quite a few months, examining the suitability thread-bare of every individual candidate. Several preliminaries will be held before the selection. Only two candidates emerge from the parties, one from the Democrats and the other from the Republicans. As Ford had put in only two years in office and had become President not through direct vote to the Presidency, but by virtue of his office as Vice-President, as an exigency had occurred because of the breach of trust of Nixon. He had been successful in getting his name approved through the party. Likewise, Jimmy Carter had been nominated by the Democrats. We watched the elections, the speeches of both candidates, their powerful and persuasive arguments and the analysis by the experts on T.V. of the mutual merits and demerits of both candidates. On the election day we went to a booth as foreign visitors, and we were shown the machines used as ballot box and explained the entire procedure. Again in America, the candidate is not chosen directly but through a peculiar procedure of their own. They vote to the Electoral College. That means each State depending upon its population would have certain candidates who form the electoral college. A big State like California would have larger number of candidates and a State like Navada, which is sparsely populated would have smaller number of candidates. The number of candidates for each State is fixed, and each candidate has certain number of values. The votes would be cast in favour of these local candidates who would be either Democrats or Republicans. When the election is over, counting would be done on the basis whether Democrats or the Republicans are in large number in that Electoral College. Success of Jimmy Carter or Jerry Ford would 252 My Life depend upon how many Democrats or Republicans are there in the Electoral College of each States. Americans do not vote to the person of Jimmy Carter or Jerry Ford, but they vote to the Party, and each party nominates its own candidate in every State. In the final analysis that party wins which has larger number of candidates in the Electoral College. This procedure is quite different from what it is in India, which follows the British Parliamentary System and not the American Presidency System. Any way, the Americans have made their system workable, and it is functioning quite well. We watched this system with great interest. After the election, my guide took me to Atlanta, where Jimmy Carter, who had won the elections had come for thanks giving function to the public. I was introduced to Jimmy Carter, as an Indian Visiting Professor. One thing should be said about American democracy that there is perfect freedom and equality, and that kind of snobbishness of high and low that exists here is not there. However humble a person may be he could have access to the President in a public function. One interesting incident may be related here. As the Visiting Professor to set up Department of Indian Studies, I went to a College where Jimmy Carter had once studied. Being excited naturally, that college invited the President to honour him. A Professor narrated an incident to me that he took his small child, hardly five or six years old, to the felicitation function to the President. Obviously, the President looked affectionately towards the child. But the reaction of the child was quite unexpected. The child burst out to the embarrassment of one and all, Jimmy! I do not like you at all. All were flabbergasted. But President Jimmy Carter, smiled and said, The only person in the whole world who has understood me correctly is this child. All had a hearty laugh. It was a History Professor whose child had expressed what he felt frankly. My Life 253 This incident reminds me of a story narrated in Gulistan of poet Saadi. A great King visited the house of his Vazir, whose young child greeted the king. The king had a bright diamond ring on his finger whose sparkling light attracted the child. The king asked him, have you seen anything brighter than this diamond? The child said spontaneously, Oh Surely! This is just nothing ? The King was greatly surprised and asked what it was. The child said, it is not the ring or the diamond that is bright, but it is the finger that wears the ring. The King was immensely pleased with the resourcefulness of the child. It is also said in the tradition that it was a child who decided the final fate of the prophethood of Joseph (Yusuf) when he was caught in a very agonizing situation. He was blamed for attempting to molest his own land lady, whose servant he was, at a time when his master was at the door. Zulekha, the land lady, complained to her husband, Aziz-e-Misr, that his servant, Yusuf, attempted to molest her, and the proof was the torn shirt which was on his body. This was an utterly false charge, the reality being Zulekha was herself infatuated by the extraordinary handsome features of Yusuf, the very embodiment of beauty. But it was difficult to say who was right and who was wrong merely on the basis of the torn shirt on the body of Yusuf. A child decided the issue, they say, by suggesting if the shirt was torn, from the front, Yusuf was wrong, for he was offensive and the lady defended herself by tearing the shirt. On the contrary, if the shirt was torn from the back, the lady was guilty, for he attempted to run away, and she dragged him to her side. The shirt was examined. It was torn in the back. It became clear that the lady was in the wrong, which was really the case. This incident is narrated in the Holy Quran, in the chapter on Yusuf, but Quran does not say it is child who pointed out. It simply says, it was some one, but a tradition attributed it to a child. Any way, the lesson is children are sometimes very 254 My Life resourceful beyond our imagination. My stay in USA was the fourth stage in my academic pursuits of higher learning. First, it was Mysore, second, Aligarh, third England and fourth America. The entire effort was an organic process, just as the growth of a natural tree, which has roots, stem, branches, fruits and flowers. Mysore was the basic, the foundation or the roots which initiated the process. It grew into a stem when I went to Aligarh and initiated myself into research field. It blossomed into fine flowers when I went to England, where I must admit I learned more than any where else. In the fourth stage of my stay in USA I gave what I possessed; I shared the fruits of my research. I was in the ripe age of fifties having gained much experience both in teaching and research when I went to USA and hence that was the place of sharing my knowledge rather than gaining anything fresh. Nevertheless, there were many peripheral advantages of my stay there. For example I gave a series of lectures on Islamic culture and conducted a course to the students. It occurred to me why not elaborate it into a book form so that others too could be benefited. I started doing it and it resulted in a publication by Macmillan entitled: Islam : A Study in Cultural Orientation which later took the form of Essentials of Islam which is still available. Secondly, I reflected a lot on current events of the time in order to give public lectures. That was the time of emergency in India, and the American academics were very keen to know the events from the mouth of an Indian scholar. That was a very sensitive topic. If I condemned the emergency, which the Americans wanted, I would be betraying my own country. If I defended it, it would be against my own conscience. Very diplomatically I would manage in the discussion that would follow the lecture. I had in mind the concept of diplomacy which Disraeli had used with good effect. Once a very My Life 255 intimate friend of Disraeli desired that as the Prime Minister he should help his friend to become a member of the House of Lords. Disraeli knew that his friend was not deserving and he could not deny his request either. Disraeli said to his friend that he would elevate him higher than the House of Lords. You publicise this fact that Disraeli pressed me to become a Member of House of Lords but I declined the offer. This would create an impression that you are so high that Lordship is just nothing. This is diplomacy by which Disraeli shot two birds in one arrow. He pleased his friend also and at the same time did not offer the position to an undeserving person. Therefore, I would manage the questions on emergency in a tactful manner. I had chosen the Nehru Era for public lectures, and that gave a lot of scope to throw light on the economic and political developments of India. What I liked best was that American society bestowed serious thought on making every individual think for himself. There were thinking tanks in each sector of life, a group of intellectuals who would provoke people to reflect deeply and come out with suggestions to solve the problems of the day. I would take a lot of interest in such discussions. Sometimes the Faculty members would invite us to dinner and after the dinner discussions would follow. They were greatly interested in Sufism and often I would talk on that subject. A society steeped in materialism, physical comforts and fleeting pleasures would listen attentively to Islamic mysticism which had been much influenced by mystic thoughts of other religions as well. Our social life in USA was the weekly meetings in Islamic centre. America had become the last resort of the finest individuals from all over the world to seek gainful employment and settle down. As the country was rich, very large in size and resources and thinly populated, it 256 My Life encouraged emigration, and hence qualified, talented, skilled and enlightened folks from all parts of the world had flocked to that country. There were quite a few Indians, Pakistanis, Japanese, Chinese, Arabs and from every conceivable place on earth. There was a sizeable proportion of blacks in their own population. Therefore, America has become a melting pot of various races, colours, cultures, languages, manners and morals. Those who had come from outside knew very well that their survival depended on giving their best to the land where they stayed. Hence they worked fingers to their bone and tried to excel the locals in every way. America exploited this situation to its own great advantage. It got cheap labour. What they should have paid to the Americans for a particular job, they got it done in less than half of it through Chinese or Japanese or Indians. All these three races were very intelligent, industrious and resourceful and have contributed much to the American society. Among South Asians there were both Indians and Pakistanis. Ever since 1947 Pakistan was in good books of America being a member of the Western Block. As India had formed a third Block, America regarded India as a rival. It was closer to Soviet Union than to America and hence more Pakistanis took advantage of this situation and migrated to America. There were quite a few of them where I lived. Because of cultural affinity they became very friendly. Besides, the large number of Islamic countries as many as 55 in the world had contributed its own quota of emigration to USA, and that country had become a mini-Islamic world of Egyptians, Iranians, Saudians, Syrians, Palestinians, Pakistanis, Iranians, Indonesians, Bengaladeshis and so on. They would all come to the Islamic Centre on Sunday which is the meeting ground. Men, women and children would gather there, and it would be a good social gathering. Each family would bring some refreshment or the other to the Centre and we would share it. It was a good gathering My Life 257 particularly to the ladies, for they needed more than men a place to chat to. I would take my wife and Shahida and they would enjoy it. A Pakistan gentlemen and his wife Shahla became good friends. He would supply us Halal mutton which we would store in fridge. Social life included a kind of picnic to some place of interest. The Pakistani friends would arrange the trips to some place and we would join them on Sundays if we did not go to the Islamic Centre. More interesting were our trips to some country side in the company of Prof.Smith, who became a good friend of ours. He was from the English Department and Shahi had taken a course in English. He became very friendly with us. He would often take us to dinner to some Restaurant, mostly Chinese, where we would enjoy not only the meal but also his chat. He was a bachelor and had a good library. As a Professor of English language the talk was on literature which was of much interest to me as well. I had a chance to visit Wisconsin University which is in the mid-west of USA. A friend of mine, Dr. Frykenberg, Professor of History in that University, was also there in London when I was doing research. He was also at that time a scholar of London University. His father was a priest once in Andhra, and he too knew Telugu very well. He invited me to lecture in the University on the sources for the history of Tipu Sultan. As the budget he allotted for the trip did not permit me to take my wife and Shahi too to Wisconsin, I went alone, not for long, only for two days. He had built a good Department of Indian Studies there. A person from Varanasi, Dr.Narain, whom I knew in the Indian History Congresses, was the Head of the Department of Ancient India in Wisconsin. He too invited me to his residence and we had a long chat. University systems all over USA have a common pattern, and Wisconsin was no exception. It was to 258 My Life invest very liberally on research work and that fund was to be used most effectively by the Faculty. The sense of responsibility the Faculty had, the commitment they had for creativity were all common features of all Universities. America became a Super-power by the intellectual power of those who had a vision that Universities must be supported because they stand at the summit of higher learning which holds the key for the welfare of man. There is very close link between the academics on one side and the executives of big business and industries on the other side.The latter endow heavily on Universities to do research on areas which the industries need, and the former utilise that fund most effectively to advance knowledge. Both are benefited. The industries get the know how at a much less cost by instituting special chairs in the Universities than what they would have incurred in case they wanted to set up separate laboratories, infra-structure and faculty. Likewise, the Universities would feel happy that they were getting massive support from the industries to do that which would have cost them much. The type of linkages that exist in America between the academics and the big business is something very praise worthy. As the travel from Augusta to Wisconsin and back was through night journey, for the night flights are at half the price of day flight, I travelled both ways in the night. I had parked my car in August airport itself. While returning it was 1 AM when I reached Augusta. I was driving home which was more than 20 miles from the Airport when I noticed some body was following me. I speeded up the car, faster and faster, and noticed that the car was also briskly following me, until signals were given that I should stop the car. I did. It was the police car. They checked my passport, licence and all other documents and found them all correct. They allowed me to go. This indicates the vigilance of the Police and the sense of security they have. If this was the case thirty years ago, long before 9/11, one could imagine the My Life 259 type of security they are having at present, when every second of their life is gripped by fear, because of what they have done in Afghanistan and Iraq. Another instance of interest I had in America was my trip to Washington through the same night flights which are cheaper. Because I had to buy the ticket for personal work in Washington I could not afford day-flight. I had to go to Foreign office of USA in connection with the Visa to my son, Dr. Zakir Hussain, who had been left behind in India, and who desired to join us, so that all of us could return together. There was some problem about the issue of Visa, and they needed a clarification for which I had to personally go to Washington. From August to Washington, it is just one hour flight. I reached Washington at 2 a.m. in the night and had to pass the night in some hotel. The Air-port was quite a few miles from the Centre of the City. I took a taxi and told the Driver to take me to a Hotel of medium size where the charges were moderate. He took me to several Hotels, and every where the same refrain was there, the Hotel was full. He roamed and roamed from one motel to another, from one hotel to another but to no use. I could not find accommodation any where. It was almost 5 a.m. for nearly three hours up and down we traversered the boulevards of the sprawling Washington, the hub of global power. At last I asked the taxi driver his name. He said my name is Yusuff. He was a black Muslim. He enquired my name. When I mentioned he was thrilled. One could imagine how happy I too must have felt at that moment of night. He suggested that he would take me to his home where I could pass the night. I hesitated and he guessed I was not willing. He placed an alternative which I accepted. He said I would take you to a mosque where you could rest for a while. It is already 5 a.m. fajar is not far off. It is a mosque where only blacks come. You too could join us for morning prayer. Because you are a Professor I had indicated to him my identity and 260 My Life the purpose of my visit to Washington - you may address the congregation on Islam after the fajar namaz I agreed very happily. He took me to the mosque, which was not very big, had my vazu or ablution, rested for a few moments when morning Azan was called out. I joined the prayers and after the Namaz addressed the gathering on a few essentials of Islamic teaching. They felt very happy. Mr. Yusuff brought me break-fast at 8 a.m. He was with me almost the whole day. At 10 a.m. he took me to the Foreign Office, waited there for one or two full hours until I got my job done. The Foreign Office, External Affairs was called HEW (Home, External Affairs and Welfare) was a massive complex. At last I went to the desk where my work was due, and the officer was again a black person, this time a lady. She was also very kind and courteous, and got the job done in no time. It took hardly 10 or 15 minutes in her office for the whole paper work to be processed. I was free thereafter. I had to pass the whole day in Washington because my flight was again in the night at 12 a.m. Yusuff became my guide to take me to several places of Washington. I was very keen to see the Capitol Hall, the hub of legislative power, the White House, the Centre of World power, the Smithsonian Museum, the symbol of intellectual power, and the office of the National Geographical Magazine, the focus of mans explorations. Yusuff took me to all these places. White House, Capital Hill, we glanced from outside but I spent quite some time in Abraham Lincoln place, and Smithsonian Museum where I saw the relic of what Armstrong had brought from the moon. It was a piece of attraction for all visitors to the Museum, a small rock kept in a glass box, not different from any granite rock. I went through the entire Museum. I went to the office of the National Geographical Magazine, which has done yeoman service to the realm of knowledge in throwing intensive light on Gods wonder in creativity on this earth. History is a drama which is enacted My Life 261 on the stage of Geography, and hence a student of the drama of history desired to inspect the stage which had been made so explicit, so clear, so exhaustive so informative and so interesting. I had a chat with one of the staff there, and he was very kind enough to enlighten me on the history and the mission of this wonderful Magazine. When Zakir joined us we toured many places in America, and visited many friends. A relation of ours Mr.Maqbool Hussain, son of Janab Mohd. Ishaq Saheb of Baidney Estate, was working in the neighbouring State of Georgia. He was an engineer working in a firm. He once called on us and stayed with us for a day. In return he invited us to his place. We went there and had good time for two days. Zakir was also with us. A neighbour of his, an old lady wanted some help, to move her furniture from one place to another. Thinking it would be a help to an old lady, myself and Zakir voluntered to help her. We went to her flat and physically moved the cots, chairs, bureaus and other furniture from one place to another, wherever she desired, hoping the best she could do at the end was to say thank you for our labour. But she calculated every minute and every second of our labour, and calculated that in terms of the permissible wages as per law for every hour. It came to a few dollars, perhaps 10 or 12 dollars. Despite our protests and protests, she insisted that we should take that amount, or else here conscience would prick. This shows the individual ethics of those people, who did not like to take undue advantage from any one. Apart from the politics of that country which has shown increasing tendency to dominate over others, to exploit the resources of others, and to exhibit their superiority over others, the common man had built up a different kind of ethics which is very praise worthy. We would often go to the residence of the Dean who was very kind and particularly his wife would solve any 262 My Life problem we had, She would offer to calculate my income-tax account, which was a bit complicated in the sense that there was scope for tax deductions in several ways which we did not know, and she would help us in this regard. After Zakir joined us we went to Florida to see the Disney land. Both Shahi and Zakir enjoyed the trip. Now we could recall that our experiences in America benefited us in a few ways. It was a good change from the routine. We had heard a lot about that great country which had made progress in all sectors of life. We had a chance to visit that country and get ourselves acquainted with their positive and negative points. The positive points are their quest for knowledge, inquisitiveness, urge to move forward, hard labour, enthusiasm, imagination and perseverance. They were on top of the world in science and technology, in business and commerce, in industry and inventions, in economic power and military strength and also in political shrewdness to spread their influence over the world. It is certainly a functioning democracy where the will of the people prevails. To prevent monopoly of power, no President could have more than two terms, however, popular or powerful he may be. To avoid making him excessively powerful there is the separation of powers, where by the legislature, the executive and the judiciary act independently and enjoy specific powers exclusively without fear or favour. This has resulted in checks and balance and also integrated them into one whole. For example any bill passed by the Congress, that means the House of Representatives and the Senate would not become an Act until it receives the assent of the President. He has the right to send the Bill back for review, but he does not have the power to reject it. That means what the legislatures, the peoples representatives pass should have the approval of the Chief Executive also, who is also directly elected by the people, but stands on a different footing. He is like the King, the only one standing at the summit of constitutional My Life 263 authority, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the Head of Government with powers over every Department of State, appointing his own cabinet controlling, guiding, planning and executing all decisions. Likewise the judiciary is all powerful as a watch dog to observe whether the two other bodies are functioning in accordance with law or not. That is the political machinery is a functional democracy which translates peoples will in all important State affairs. The Americans are God-fearing people as well, and they are deeply religious. But they have separated the Church from the State, and have not allowed the Church to play any part in politics. The negative aspects of their culture is that it is highly materialistic, dollar-oriented, money minded. Every one asks the question, what could I get out of it, how is that helpful to me. It is an individualistic society highly motivated to make progress in every sector. Each for himself is the motive, with the result that children when grow up would not care for the parents. Old age is a problem. Senior citizens have to pass their life in Old-age homes. There is lot of laxity in morals. It is a permissive society. Even gaymarriages are heard of. Woman is commercialised in the sense her body or beauty is used to advance business. 11 Vice-Chancellor of a New Universities A University standing at the summit of higher learning holds the key for the welfare of man. I had never imagined that I would one day hold that key. I had of course, dreamt of something, and that was to be a Professor, which was lifes ambition, which God in His mercy, had bestowed on me, not only in India but also in America. But it was beyond my imagination that Divinity had in view something higher than that to me. I feel the intended position was the highest in the world, for Mr.Harold Macmillan, who was the Prime Minister of Britain, the most powerful nation on earth those days when it had won the Second World War, when offered the Chancellorship of Oxford University, he had said that he regarded this offer of the University higher than the post of Prime Ministership. One could imagine the dignity of the office to preside over a temple of learning. When a person is asked to set up a new University, where none existed before, it could be still higher honour, for he would be the architect of a structure that would shape the destiny of our youth. I returned from America in June 1977 with my family, staying with Khalid in U.K. for two or three days. I reported to duty to the University, but I had to do some urgent work of the completion of the building in Saraswathipuram which 266 My Life was only half-finished at the time we left for America. I have indicated earlier that a new Registrar, Mr.Das, an IAS Officer, had served a notice on all the staff who owned a house of their own to vacate University Quarters, if they had occupied. Since I owned a house, I was not eligible to continue my stay at No.5, Professors Quarters in Manasagangotri. Our protests in this regard did not have effect, but it was a blessing in that we thought of adding a floor to the house, for which the University was good enough to sanction a loan of Rs.12,000/-. The house I had built in Saraswathipuram in 1955 was 1200 sq.ft. Addition of the first floor in 1975, 20 years later would cost 7 times more, for in 1955 I had built not only the main ground floor of 1200 sq.ft. but also 180 sft. of garage also in less than Rs.10,000/-. But only for 1200 sq.ft we needed nearly Rs.75,000/- in 1975, the cost had escalated so much. Thirty years later now in 2005 or in 2007, the cost would be around six lakhs, that means 10 times more than what it was in 1975. Such is the inflation, and such is the devaluation of our money. With only Rs.12,000/- borrowed from the University the house could not be completed. I had to struggle hard. Fortunately, I had saved something from the salary as the Visiting Professor in America, which came to my rescue. The completion of the house in the last stages would require both money and time. We had vacated the University Quarters when we left for USA. A student of mine, Dr.M. Nanjundappa, Lecturer in JSS College, was staying in our house until we returned from abroad, for renting out to any one was highly risky as he would not vacate it when we needed it. He had taken good care of our house during our absence, including planting two cocoanut trees, one of which is still bearing fruits. Since the house needed some more work, I left my family in Gadabanahalli Estate itself. Masood had become a Lecturer in JCE College, and Zakir had not yet finished his Medical course. Asma had been married and staying either in My Life 267 Bangalore or in her Coffee Estate. Within a few weeks I finished the needed work of the house, and my wife returned from the Estate. The three years we passed from 1977 to 1980 were not very happy, as Shahi was not feeling too well, Asma was not happy with married life, and Masood before joining JSE was working in Kudremukh Iron Works which was not a good place. He fell ill, got jaundice and came back. My wife too developed some irritating temper and did not have any cordial relations with me. Domestic life showed increasing tensions. I had to take Shahi several times to Bangalore. During this time of stress I thought the best anti-dote to sorrow was work and got intensively engaged in creative work. I produced three books, of importance besides several other publications. What gave me great relief is the authorship of my book, History: Its Theory and Method brought out by Macmillan. Apart from books on Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan, this is the one that brought me a lot of credit. I had taught philosophy of history, methodology of history and historiography, that is history of history for years, and it occurred to me that I should write a book on it. This work was completed in a record period of 100 days, something lurking in my mind of Napoleonic 100 days. I still recall, those were days almost of penance, when my heart, mind and soul were fully immersed in this task, when I was never aware of anything else in the world except the contents of this work, which were daily flowing through my pen on paper. While walking or eating or even talking to any one, what was upper most in my mind was either Hegel or Spengler or Toynbee or Thucydides or Livy or Tacitus or Ibn-e-Khaldun. The second book published by Macmillan on Islam also gave me a lot of pleasure, but the draft of it I had already written in America. My work on Gangas of Talkad engaged my day time in the Department where I dictated it to the 268 My Life Research Scholar Lakshamma. It also came out very well and was published by Prasaranga of Mysore University. The fourth book on Tipu Sultan was published by Geetha Book House under Rao and Raghavan. Besides, a few other books, such as on West Asia, South India, Hoysalas were also published. Holding Seminars, attending conferences, guiding scholars, teaching students, writing books and running the household had become the routine of the day after my return from America. In the Spring of 1980 some hot news started spreading that the Government of Karnataka was seriously thinking of establishing two more Universities, one in Mangalore and another in Gulbarga, which would be the addition to the already existing three Universities of Mysore, Bangalore and Dharwar. The Government had appointed a committee to examine all aspects and report the possibility of starting these Universities. V.K.R.V. Rao was the Chairman of this Committee which had prepared a feasibility Report. Discussions were going on like this for quite some time, when there was a change in the Government. Mr. Gundu Rao became the Chief Minister of Karnataka, first time a Brahman in office. At the centre the power-centre was Sanjay Gandhi and some young Turks like F.M. Khan were close to him. Suddenly, the new Government decided to do something spectacular, and one of them was to set up two new Universities, one in Mangalore and the other in Gulbarga, areas which had become important parts of Visala Karnataka. Obviously, the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor was the first step to go about this job. This office has been much sought of by academics these days, who do not leave any stone unturned to get this job. The appointment of V.Cs in the Universities has a set pattern under the Statutes. First, a search committee is constituted, normally of four members, one a nominee of the Chancellor, the second of the Senate, My Life 269 the third of the U.G.C. and the fourth of the Government. The nominee of the Chancellor becomes the Chairman of the Committee which chooses three persons, of whom one is picked by the Chancellor, at present by the Government, as the Vice-Chancellor. In the case of a new University this procedure is not followed. A person is directly nominated by the Chancellor, who is the Governor of the State, on the advice of the government. There was hectic lobbying in academic circles for this post, and I was watching the game. Sri Govind Narayan, a very gentle and refined person was the Governor of Karnataka in those days. Day in and day out several names were floated in air for this job. Normally such jobs have been politicised. Gone are the days when mere merit, ability, knowledge, wisdom, skill and experience were the criteria for the selection; now it is caste, creed and influence. As good luck would have it, my name appeared in the news. Suddenly, it occurred to the Government that minorities and scheduled castes have long been ignored in this sector of academic life, and they should be given a chance. When it was the case of Scheduled Caste, the name of Narayana, Professor of Botany in Central College figured out and when the turn of the minorities came up, they turned around and searched for a good academic. There were hardly two or three full-fledged Professors among Muslims in the Universities. It is a pity they are as rare as the horns on the head of a horse. Fortunately, they thought of me. I suspect it was Mr. F.M. Khan, who was very close to Gundu Rao, who might have suggested my name. Both of them hailed from Coorg. When my name was floated there was not much of a controversy. There were no rivals to me in my own community, and other communities could not pick any faults in me to oppose my candidature. I was tipped for Gulbarga University, where the sacred Sufi, Hazrat Gesu Daraz, had once played a major role in the spread of Islam. Newspaper 270 My Life flashed our names, Dr. Narayanas for Mangalore, and mine for Gulbarga. But God knows what made the Government change their mind, the reality moved in the opposite direction. I was selected for Mangalore and Narayan for Gulbarga. It was all very surprising to me. I had never dreamt of that, never lobbied for it, never desired it, never expected it. What I had struggled hard was for a position first of a Reader or Asst.Professor, which I never got, and then of a Professor which I got in a very graceful manner. I was very happy in this position of both teaching, guiding research students and doing research. I felt I was not cut out for this kind of a mundane job of setting up a University, which involved not only administrative skill, academic stature, but also political tact to manage the affairs in a sensitive area such as Mangalore. This job required great tact to deal with the staff, the students, the parents, the public and the governments, both at the State level and at the Centre, where U.G.C. holds the purse. Therefore, when my name was floated I was all alolng nervous whether I would size up myself to the requirements of the job . Still there was a bit of inner delight in the soul that the chair would automatically offer the required potential, and that God would be good to us if we sincerely attempt to use the gifted intellect to the full. The family too rejoiced at the thought that I would be promoted. They had witnessed a long innings of 16 years as lecturer, and another innings of 16 years as Professor without any substantial change in the mode of living and status. A teachers job is noble in character but poor in economic return, and those who measure life in monetary terms would not be very happy. A Sub-Inspector in Police Department or a clerk in Sub-Registrars office earns much more than what a Professor does, and hence people sometimes think that a Professor is only a church mouse. Perhaps, my family too thought what I earned was not enough for the growing needs, and it was a fact also, for as a Professor my My Life 271 account in the Mysore Bank was never written in black ink, it was always written in red-ink, that means over-draft. Even from economic point of view, the promotion was a great relief, apart from social status. In September 1980 I got a call from the Governors office that I should meet him. I went to Raj Bhavan and the Governor was very gracious enough to break the news that the Government had decided to appoint me as the ViceChancellor of a new University, a very challenging job. We had a long chat nearly for an hour discussing the multifarious activities involved in building a new University. I should say God blessed me with the honour of being the V.C. of not one but of two Universities and both these were new Universities. One could be a V.C. of some established University, or of one to be newly established, but the task of establishing of two new Universities in two different places, one in Karnataka and another in Goa, is something rare. I have to thank God, and feel very fortunate that Almighty in His mercy bestowed on me this honour. Sometimes, in lighter vein, I used to say that to be a V.C. of an established University is something like going to the show room of Maruthi Car, buy the vehicle, put petrol and drive home, but to set up a new University is something going to a Workshop, fabricate a machine of motor car, give it full shape of a vehicle, and then drive the car. This was Mangalore, where there was already a workshop, a P.G. Centre and a campus. But to be of another University in Goa, was much more difficult, because it was something like going to the iron-ore, dig the metal, bring it to the workshop and then fabricate the machine. In Mangalore there was at lest a campus, but in Goa I had to actually buy the land, for in the middle of Government land in Bambolim, there was private land which we had to purchase, the negotiation of which itself involved hard labour. This experience of being the Chief Executive prompted me and Janab Hashim Ali of Hyderabad, who too was V.C. of 272 My Life two Universities, but they were established ones, (Osmania and AMU) to think of a joke. A person who was V.C. went to God and pleaded that he should be given at least in the heaven a good berth, for he had suffered much as V.C. on earth. God was pleased to oblige him and gave him a good berth. Yet another person, like Hashim Ali and Sheikh Ali, went to God and said, Oh! God, please give me a still better berth, for we have suffered more setting up two Universities. God said, Go to hell, you are used to hell; having known what the job was, why did you accept the second job ? The month of September has gone well with my stars. That was the month I went to Aligarh, that was the month when I went to London, and that was the month when I went to Mangalore to report as Vice-Chancellor. The earlier two occasions were to gain knowledge, and the last was to administer and manage how best to diffuse knowledge. It was a new experience, and I had my own doubts whether I could be successful in this field as well. When I look back from this distant time I feel God was very good to me every day, I worked hard night and day, and He blessed me with unimaginable success. It was a Friday when a car came from Mangalore to pick me. One Mr.Mani, an Asst.Registrar, had come to take me. The family was very happy at the prospects of a change in the situation of life. They gave me a warm send off. I had to go alone, for the family could not be shifted before residence was arranged there. We left around 9 A.M. and stopped near Mercara at the coffee Estate of F.M. Khan, Blottery and Baikere, and had good lunch. On the way we performed our Friday prayers. For quite a few weeks I had to stay in the Government Circuit House in Mangalore. I took charge of the office. The P.G. Centre was about 18 Kms from Mangalore at Konaje. The University was born, but it was as helpless as a human baby. It had no structure, no office, no staff, no infra-structure of any sort. Every thing My Life 273 had to be created afresh. The first question was to fix an office, a building had to be located. It had to be only in Mangalore, not in Konaje, a village where no facility of any sort was available. Luckily we found a building owned by the Church very close to St.Aloysius College, near the Fort Eidgah in the Centre of the Town. One Fr.Roni Prabhu was in charge, a very fine gentleman who became very good friend of mine. We rented out that building. It was an old bungalow with plenty of space. The Government had posted a Registrar, an IAS Officer, a lady, Mrs. Malti Das. Her husband, Mr. Das was also IAS and was the Deputy Commissioner of the District. This was a good augery, for DC of a District commands a good deal of influence, and when his wife is my Registrar, a key administrative position in the University, it would facilitate many matters. The first problem was the basic core minimum staff, non-teaching, such as Superintendents, Clerks, Attenders, peons etc. We could not immediately advertise the posts and fill them, for that would be raw hands, absolutely without any experience. Hence, we requested the D.C. to spare on loan or deputation staff from his office. He obliged. We got a number of clerks and other non-teaching staff to the University. As for higher staff as Asst.Registrar, Deputy Registrar etc., we got it from our own P.G.Centre. One great facility in Mangalore was there existed already a Postgraduate Centre where a few Science, Arts and Commerce Departments were functioning. It was this P.G. Centre that was to be up-graded as the nucleus of University. The Univgersity was to do two important functions, one was to organise postgraduate teaching and research, and the other was to affiliate Degree Colleges within a particular zone, conduct examinations and award Degrees. There were more than 50 affiliated colleges within the jurisdiction of Mangalore University which consisted of two Districts, South Kanara and Coorg. Coorg had very few colleges, and only Mangalore 274 My Life and S.K. District had plenty of them. Most of these colleges belonged to the Catholic Church which was foremost in the educational field. The second category was of Manipal groups. Dr.Pai of Manipal had done wonders in the educational sector by his new concept that educational doors should be opened to one and all, in particular to those who could afford to meet its cost. Technical and Professional education, like engineering and medicine, available at Govt. institutions had very limited seats, and only a few highly merited or those who came under the reservation quota alone would get admission. In such a situation when private initiative entered the field and opened a chain of institutions, it opened a flood gate to education market. But it was available only to those who would pay donations or high cost to run these institutions. Dr. T.M.A. Pai revolutionised education sector through his privatisation policy, which led ultimately to a business when some unscrupulous persons exploited the concept and made a lot of money. The Manipal group entered into yet another lucrative field of finance. They opened a chain of Banks like Syndicate Bank. Mangalore became a hub of such banks where not one but 25 banks took their birth, five of them like Syndicate Bank, Canara Bank, Corporation Bank, Vijaya Bank and Karnataka Bank were nationalised. The surplus money was invested into the educational sector which brought them double advantage, fostering higher education and gaining good profit through this safe and useful investment. It was the resourcefulness of Pai family which gave a good lead to put education on the national map of India. Apart from the Church and the Manipal group the Bunts of S.K. District had a number of educational institutions. They too were very wealthy, educated and enterprising people. Thus I was dragged from mere pedagogy field into the wider world of vast vistas where I had to deal with several people of diverse interests with different My Life 275 problems, sometimes very naughty. Only one instance is enough to show how complex and difficult was the job of a new V.C. who was a novice in the administrative field. The different colleges whether Arts, Science, Commerce, Engineering or Medical of S.K. District and Coorg had all been affiliated so long to Mysore University. Now a change had to take place from Mysore to Mangalore University. The procedure was to inspect these colleges to find out the functioning and the infra-structure and then take a decision, a kind of required formality. The sensitive institutions were technical and professional which were money-spinning and greatly in demand, particularly medical. I appointed a Commission to inspect the Medical Colleges of Manipal group both in Mangalore and Manipal, with Dr.Y.P. Rudrappa as the Chairman, who was then the Director of Health Services in Karnataka. I never knew that Dr.Y.P. Rudrappa and the Manipal people were at loggerhead. He was very up-right, disciplined and strict officer who would go to the depth to probe weaknesses and short-comings of any institution. He reported that there were many short-comings in those institutions with hardly any full-time Professor. All of them were retired Doctors who had their own private clinics and they came as guest-speakers and took classes on part time basis. This suited both the management and the staff. The Management would get the services of most highly qualified persons with rich experience at a minimum cost, just a token of one or two thousand, and those Doctors were happy not only because they got a chance to update their knowledge through teaching but also because they would get a wider area to popularize their practice in the clinic. A very adverse Report was presented by Dr. Y.P. Rudrappa that the whole position was very unsatisfactory. It became a serious problem to me. If I listened to the Report I had to serve notice to Manipal to rectify the matter or get ready for disaffiliation. Both these issues were impracticable. 276 My Life They would not change the course, for that would affect both their purse and also the quality of teaching for the new recruits would not teach so well as the retired seasoned and matured professors. I could not afford to alienate the Manipal group, who were like terrors, most powerful in political influence, financial strength, management skill and human resourcefulness. I was in a fix. The press too was in their hand. A new Vice-Chancellor inexperienced, a Muslim, could be an easy target in their hands for virulent attacks, and I was no match to them. It should be said of them that they did not immediately burst out at me. The Registrar of Manipal Academy was Ram Das Pai, a sober and fine gentleman. I sent for him. He came and I told him not to get impatient, not to get offended, and not to take hasty steps. I knew without the support of those people who had a big empire I could not function even a day peacefully. I told him I would rectify the matter and I needed some time. He agreed and said he would wait for some time. What I did was under some technical flaw the Report was not to be implemented but to be revised, for which I set up a fresh Commission with Chairman who was not hostile but friendly to Manipal group. It was done. A fresh inspection team came, inspected the Institutions, reported the matter, which was favourable to Manipal, and thus the matter was happily solved. Ram Das Pai was very happy with my action. He became a good friend of mine.That group remained loyal to me thereafter, and supported me in every venture I took. Our friendship continued for a long time. This is only one issue. There were many, many occasion when I had to tread very carefully for that office is full of thorns. I remembered what Lord Ashby had said about this office. Another instance of my experience in the early days as Vice-Chancellor could be narrated. We had a peon in the Accounts Section who was corrupt. He would demand a graft My Life 277 from those who needed a certificate or a voucher or some other work to be done. After taking the bribe he would go to the concerned office staff and say, Registrar wants this to be issued early. The concerned staff would believe him since he was using the name of Registrar and would do the job immediately. Once he was caught. The Registrar was present and it was evident he had black mailed. Registrar said she had not ordered. Since Malthi Das was a strict IAS Officer, who later rose to the rank of Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, she wanted to take disciplinary action. She wrote on the file that the attender must be dismissed. When the file was put up to me, I wrote approved. Later, in the evening I reflected that for a small fault it was not good to dismiss a person from service. He would lose his livelihood, and he would be no where thereafter, as it would be a serious black mark. Next day, I called the Registrar, and said I wanted to give him a less severe punishment and hence the order of yesterday, on revision of the situation, I would like to withdraw. She said no way, it could be done; once you have passed the order, it could not be revoked. She further added that if we overlook this matter which is a serious one, we would be laying a bad precedence. If we are strict in the initial stages itself, we would not face problems later. I reflected a bit on the matter and recalled what Napoleon had said, If the people call a king a kind man, his reign is a failure. Again, what Radhakumad Mukherji had written about Mauryan Empire that its downfall was brought about by Asokas policy of the renunciation of war. In politics if justice is not done, that would be worse than crime. This initial step of punishing one man brought about a system and order, and the staff was careful not to repeat it again. Limitless number of problems confronted me. The choice of three officers was crucial in any University system, one is the Registrar, the second is the Controller of 278 My Life examinations and the third was the Finance Officer. Government had appointed the Registrar, Malti Das had joined duty even before I went there. Appointment of Finance Officer was also the concern of the Government for they would depute on loan for sometime an officer from the Accounts Department. That was also not my affair, but the choice of the Controller of Examinations was left to my discretion. I wanted to take some one from Mysore University. I knew one B.K. Shivanna, who was in the Kannada Department of Mysore University, a reliable, competent and resourceful person. I appointed him. There was an uproar in the whole of Mangalore that Mysore University people were invading Mangalore. Very stiff opposition was built up. One Mr.Shenoy, the Principal of Canara College was particularly in the vanguard. He was hoping to get that job. Examination work needed great integrity, as any leakage would cause scandals. Mr.Shivanna did his job so well, and organised it on such a high level that when he wanted to go back after a year there were pressing demands for his retention. At the lower level we wanted to have good Deputy Registrar. I took Dr. K.V. Kaveriappa from the Academic side. He was the Reader in the Department of Bio-Sciences, which was a good Department. He too rose high later in life, and at present he is the Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University. This choice was also good. We needed in the administration honest, hard-working and reliable men. My first job was to have a good team so that new creative and useful thoughts could be effectively implemented. I wanted to have a good Personal Assistant. The choice fell on Vivek Rai, who rose high later in office. He too became Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University at Hampi and later of Karnataka State Open University in Mysore. A good number of scholars I had encouraged or recruited rose high and occupied the chair of Vice-Chancellor in several Universities.One was Gajendragadh of the Chemistry Department whom I brought My Life 279 from the Regional College of Engineering in Suratkal to be the Professor of Chemistry. He became Vice-Chancellor of Kuvempu University. Dr. Abdul Rahman of the Bio-Sciences became the Vice-Chancellor of two Universities in Kerala. Dr. Siddappa and Dr. N.R.Shetty became the Vice-Chancellors of Bangalaore University. Dr. S.N. Hegde of BioSciences became the Vice-Chancellor Mysore University. Dr. Vivek Rai became the Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University and Dr. Kaveriappa of Mangalore University. Thus several persons whom I had either recruited or promoted occupied high office. When I wanted a reliable personal staff, I chose Vivek Rai of Kannada Department as the Personal Assistant. He was with me only for a few months when I realised he was wasting his life in administrative work, whereas he could do more useful work in the academic field. He was doing research and his thesis was in advanced stage for completion. I suggested to him to take his Ph.D. asked him to submit his thesis soon. He did accordingly, got his chapters typed by more than one typist within a short time. He submitted the thesis and I saw to it that the processes of declaring the result would not take long. The Board of Examiners was appointed who valued it and within a few weeks his thesis was approved for Ph.D. That was the first Ph.D. under my regime. A vacancy of a Reader was created and he was asked to apply for it. Within no time he was selected, for he was the most qualified person. Others were senior but had not produced anything worth while. The image of the University was boosted that I meant business, that I encouraged talent, that I helped the deserving and that things moved fast under my administration. This helped me in the eyes of the public that the University stood to do something substantial. A deserving candidate in the Department of Bio-Sciences by name Abdul Rahman, different from 280 My Life Dr. Abdul Rahman, who was the Head of the Department, was waiting for a long time to join the Department. I issued him an order and appointed him a lecturer, who later worked hard and rose to the rank of the Dean of the Faculty of Science in Kuvempu University. I had not yet shifted my family to Mangalore. The place of residence had to be fixed. I asked my staff to find a suitable bungalow. The University provides free residence to the Vice-Chancellor. It was Dr.Abdul Rahman who found a good bungalow in Jappu belonging to a Pierce-Leslie Company which was vacant for a long time. Before independence the British firms had dominated every sector of economic life and were doing roaring business. This particular Company was very popular in the coastal area dealing with coffee and other merchandise. It was a big bungalow, typical of the British architecture with very long, broad and spacious verandah, big drawing room, bed-rooms and toilets, which were so large as to make some one remark that they were big enough to accommodate a family, if that much space was available in Bombay. We lived for 4 years in this bungalow celebrated Shahis and Masoods weddings here, hosted parties, invited guests, and enjoyed a comfortable life there. There were a few pressing things to be done at the University level. One important decision to be taken was where to locate the University. A serious debate was going on for a long time whether a suitable place elsewhere was to be found for the campus or it should come up in Konaje village itself where Mysore University had located the P.G. Centre. It was Dr.Srimali who had fixed it at the tail end of D.K. District, from where the boundaries of Kerala would start. The public desired that it should be centrally located to facilitate all. The Manipal Group wanted somewhere close to their campus, various interested groups wanted their own choice. I visited many, many places to identify a suitable place. Every place had its plus and minus points. In the My Life 281 thick built up central region of the District there was not much open land for expansion. Near Regional College of Engineering there was a beautiful bit of land facing the shore of Arabian Sea, but it was too small. Dr.K.S. Hegde, who was at that time Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University, and who was from that District suggested a place near Puttabadri, the Central point of the District, but that was not suitable. At last I decided that I should not taken the decision, for whatever the place I might choose however suitable it might be it would not escape criticism, and they would blame me. Therefore, I left the matter to the Government, invited the Chief Minister, Mr. Gundu Rao, to the P.G. Centre, to inaugurate the University and also to fix the place where the University to be located. I had submitted a detailed report of my survey of the different places, and he had made a good study of it. He finally declared that the University would be located where the present P.G. Centre existed, for it had many, many advantages. It was a quiet place away from the bustling hectic crowd of the city life, very congenial for academic pursuits. It commanded picturesque landscape with hills and dales presenting most enchanting scenario, and hence an idealistic place. Moreover, being a village there was lot of scope for expansion as plenty of land was available for future development. Later on, after two years when I invited Sri Rama Krishna Hegde to the University, I requested him to declare that not even an inch of land in the periphery of a few kilometres be alienated for any other purpose, for it was all reserved for the University. Thus an important issue of the location of the University was settled. It was already about 300 acres of land to which another 100 or 150 acres were added to make it a beautiful campus. When Sri. Gundu Rao visited the University, a public function was also held in the City to honour him. That was his first visit to the City, and the Congress Party had made very elaborate arrangements for his reception. They invited 282 My Life me also to speak as the first Vice-Chancellor of the new University which was a feather in Gundu Raos cap. A very interesting thing happened when I stood up to speak. I paid him glowing tribute for conceiving the idea of a University and making it a reality which was a boon to the public. Having said that I made some very embarrassing remarks as well. Mr.Gundu Rao hailed from Coorg and in the Taluk he came from, Somawarpet, he had established a First Grade College. As Vice-Chancellor I inspected that College, for Coorg also came under my jurisdiction. I found it to be most unsuitable, as the building chosen for the college was in a busy market area, the first floor of a structure where down below there were a number of shops both provision stores and cloth emporium. One could imagine that was the least desirable place for the academic purpose. Having praised the Chief Minister for establishing the University, I added this unpleasant note that, if any one other than the Chief Minister had chosen that place for the College I would have put a lock to it. It was a very embarrassing, harsh and critical remark on no one other than the Chief Minister, and one who was my benefactor, for it was he who for the first time in the history of Karnataka had chosen a Muslim as the Vice-Chancellor, and that Muslim was making such bitter remark throwing aspersions on his own boss. People, my friends, who had listened to my speech told me that evening that I should prepare myself for the worst, and better pack up my baggage to go home. Next day, very expectedly I got a call from the Circuit House where the Chief Minister was staying to see the Chief Minister. I went there nervously and saw Sri.Gundu Rao. He was gracious. He patted my back and said I admire men of integrity who do not hesitate to speak the truth to the face of the highest authority. It was a very appreciative gesture on his part. He did not scold me, nor did he snub me but praised me saying that he adored honest and bold persons. Only such My Life 283 men were helpful to the society. Another instance of importance that sticks in my mind is the experience I had with yet another Chief Minister of Karnataka. He was Ramakrishna Hegde whom I invited to the University, when it was facing very serious problems. He was staying in the Circuit House and I went to take him. His wife too had come. We three of us, CM, his wife and I sat in the back seat of the car and the P.A. was in the front. I had planned that I should brief him effectively during this travel time of 20 or 30 minutes from Circuit House to the Campus. When the car moved the husband and wife were busy in their talk and I was growing impatient that I was losing precious time meant for briefing the C.M. At the same time I dared not interrupt the couple from their talk. At last I burst out with a statement which was sensitive to him. I said, Sir, we have planted 1500 trees in the Campus. He was amazed. I knew he liked greenery and afforestation. Suddenly he turned towards me from his wife and said Is that so? I said, they are all dying. He was surprised and asked why? I said there was no water. He said, What should be done? I said River Netravati is flowing quite close by. If you kindly permit us and help us to lift water from there, the problem could be solved. He said: How much it would cost? I said, Engineers estimate it would cost two crores. C.M. sanctioned that money. We worked hard thereafter to complete that project. The Chief Engineer was a Muslim whom I knew, and he was very helpful in hastening all processes. There is no water problem in the campus today, because from nearly 10 Kms. water is brought from Netravati. In one minute, I solved the major problem of water. I continued my talk with CM and said, All our bright scholars in the campus are idle. He was shocked and said, What for? There is no power, no electricity, and we are at the tail end of the District, and the load is so low that we 284 My Life cannot lit even a tube light He said, what is to be done ? I said, Engineers want a new powerful transformer was to be installed. He said, How much would it cost? I said, They estimate a crore of rupees. He said, I would sanction that much amount. He did that, and in another minute I solved the second major problem of power shortage. I had a third project also in mind. I said, I am very anxious to motivate our faculty to do good research work, but they are unable to do so. He said, Why is it so? I said because of the lack of infrastructure, laboratory equipment and other facilities. By this time we were moving on the long bridge of Netravati river. Very jokingly I said, your predecessor, Chief Minister Gundu Rao had done exactly what Dushyanta had done to Shakuntala in Kalidas drama. He said, what has he done? I said, Sri Gundu Rao brought into existence a University and forgot all about it thereafter, just as Dushyanta loved Shakuntala, gave a ring to her and forgot all about it thereafter. I added, perhaps, Mr.Gundu Rao must have thrown that ring into this Netravati we were at that time crossing the bridge and the river was flowing just below us I added further that God must have sent you to find that ring somewhere here. He had a hearty life, and was good enough to sanction ready cash of Rupees sixty lakhs for infrastructure in the University. Thus within a few minutes of a pep-talk with CM, I got 3 crores and 60 lakhs to the University. The shape of the University turned bright thereafter. One point to note here is the fact later I was told that the name of Mrs.Ramakrishna Hegde was also Shakuntala. He must have enjoyed the indirect compliment I paid to him that he was undoing the error his predecessor had committed. When I took him to the Campus, the reception to CM was unpleasant. There was dharna and agitation. The students were on strike. Although the agitators wanted to say that my regime was no good, but I turned their agitation My Life 285 to my advantage and told CM that what else could the students do except agitate when lack of water, power and infrastructure defeated the purpose of their coming here. CM understood the point and announced in the meeting what we had discussed in the car. Added to that he did one more thing. He asked the Deputy Commissioner not to alienate even an inch of land in the periphery of the campus within a radius of a KM and reserve all that land to the University. This was another great contribution of mine to the Campus. I admire Ramakrishna Hegde for the great help he rendered to the University. Earlier water problem was really serious. When I took charge I was told many of the bore-wells were failure. I had sent for a geologist. He had spotted a place which yielded good results. In my early days of office before the visit of Hegde, I got a call at one Oclock in the night that the bore-well we had dug was a great success and water like fountain was gushing out. At that time I sent for my driver, Ramachandra, who was living not very far, and we went to the Campus in the dead of night at 2 a.m. just to see how water was gushing out. It was a sight to see. I was immensely pleased and thanked God for being so merciful. That was the only bore-well that was meeting the major demand of water in the Campus. On the construction side we were doing good job. Before the ministry of Ramakrishna Hegde, Gundu Rao Government whose Finance Minister was M.Veerappa Moily, had sanctioned quite a sizeable sum for construction work, and we had undertaken the construction of Faculty Block, particularly for Science Faculty, a Library Block, Residential Houses, Hostels both for boys and girls, shopping centre. A new University needed several facilities. The need was great for a good, competent, honest and hard-working Executive Engineer. I thought of one Appajappa, who was the cobrother of Kadidal Manjappa, once the Chief Minister of 286 My Life Karnataka for a short period. He was working in the Ministry of Janab Abdul Samad, Minister of Health in the Govt. of Gundu Rao. I approached him. He was reluctant to relieve him, and yet I persuaded him to spare me his services. He agreed and we got Appajappa. I am yet to see a person of his calibre, integrity and efficiency. He was very diligent in his duties. Mangalore monsoons are very severe down pour would be there all the time. I would see him on the roof of the buildings supervising the concrete work. He would himself be there not allowing the work to the junior engineers. We had one Kadiyal also, a junior engineer, who was also very good in his job. I was very much interested in the construction work, and I would be there quite early in the Campus. I too wanted to see the concrete work up on the roof. Appajappa would cry from the top, Sir, dont climb the ladder, you may slip. What I appreciated was the concern of those people, the hard work they did, the commitment they had, and the team spirit we built up. Construction work has been a part of my destiny. Even since I got married I have lived mostly in houses newly built. I have built houses for myself, for my children. Not in one, but in two new Universities, construction galore has been my achievements. Countless number of structures have come into existence under my orders and under my supervision. Even after my retirement I have established a Trust, where construction work of crores has taken place. I am the President of a Hostel, where construction work is still going on. I thank God for this great opportunity to be a part of construction work every where. Constitution of the several University bodies such as Syndicate, Senate, Academic council, Board of Studies and framing of rules, regulations and ordinances took some time. The Syndicate was the most powerful body and it had three powerful non-official members, who took great interest in the University affairs. One was Mr.Mohamed Kamal, an My Life 287 Advocate, who became a good friend of mine. He was very influential person in the District, and also very resourceful. He stood by me in all affais. The other was Madhava Rao, who was also an Advocate, who would be careful to scrutinise every word in the proceedings recorded in the meetings. The third was Mr.Nanaiah of Coorg, who later rose to be a Minister of Karnataka. If he attended our Syndicate meetings they would be finished in no time, for he was so quick in perceptions that he would at once go the bottom of the problem, and would suggest what was to be done. It is seen in the meetings that matters drag on and on endlessly not in useful talk. Nanaiah meant business. As it was a new University, we had a chance to fashion it on right lines. I should say members cooperated in all matters, and things went on smoothly without any fuss. But more important task was to motivate the staff to do good work. There were certain Departments such as BioSciences, Physics, and Marime Sciences which were doing good work. I encouraged them to take up research projects which should be relevant to the needs of the society, do quality work, and finish them within a specific scheduled time. These were the three parameters I placed before them, namely relevance, quality and time schedule. They responded very well and very soon we built up what I used to say academic ecology. To the junior staff also I asked them to qualify with research degrees if they did not have one, and indulge seriously either in contributing research papers to the standard journals or publish books of their own. In science subjects, it was the question of research papers, and in arts and humanities, it is the publication of books that mattered most. Publish or perish was the motto. In subjects like Kannada or languages, books were the criteria to judge the output. I should say Mangalore University did well in this respect. 288 My Life We added a few Departments which were not existing before, particularly in Humanities and Social Sciences. There were only a few Departments such as Kannada, Economics and Commerce in the Humanities. We added a few others such as History, Political Science and Sociology. In Science there was Bio-Science Department and also Physics and Marine Sciences. We added Chemistry, Marine Sciences in the Coastal District was very useful. Besides, a programme to organise seminars, workshops and conferences was also arranged. On the personal side we made Shahida join the M.S.W. (Master of Social Work) Course in Roshni Nilaya. It was during my tenure in Mangalore that Masood went abroad, to USA, for higher studies, and Zakir did his M.D. in Mangalore Medical College in Pediatrics. It is indicated earlier how he was keen to do post-graduation in some non-clinical subject but we desired he should do it in some clinical subject. It was Dr. Hussain, younger brother of Dr. Abdur Rahman, Professor of Bio-Sciences who persuaded him in no time to accept our proposal. What Dr. Hussain told Zakir was this, You have done your M.B.B.S. to hold a stethoscope and not a test tube. That settled the issue, and he gave up his idea to become a Pathologist. I went twice, thrice to Cochin to negotiate the wedding of Shahida with Najeeb, which came off very well. It was again during this tenure in Mangalore that an International Conference took place in Ankara to which I was invited. The trip to Ankara in Turkey was very memorable. Dr. S.Gopal, son of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, was also a delegate. I took my wife also. We visited the famous Museum of World renown TopKapi in Constantinople. I had read and taught a lot about Turkish history, but had no chance to visit that country before. It is like Europe, but not so welldeveloped, yet a modern country of Islamic world. We visited My Life 289 the tomb of Ataturk (Mustafa Kamal Pasha) the architect of modern Turkey, who saved it from the clutches of the Europeans and Westernised and modernised the country. We planned it in such a way that on our return we could do our Umra Mecca and go to Medina as well. First, we went to Jiddah and stayed with Dr. Khaleelullah, Professor of Mathematics, brother of my student, Samiulla, who was kind enough to take us to Meeca for Umra. Jiddah is a modern city and that was our first visit to Saudi Arabia. Later on I had a chance in 2001 to do full haj but this time we did only Umra. Later we went to Medina also and stayed there for two-days. We had the privilege to perform Namaz in Masjide-Nabvi. We were away for a fortnight. The Registrar was in charge of my office. She could not manage things well. There were already disgruntled elements in the campus. Politically too the District was in the grip of B.J.P. They tried to take advantage of my absence and organised a plot for a general strike and dharna. The whole campus was in agitated mood. I had not yet even stepped into the house from the journey, I got a call from the Registrar that I had to rush to the campus, for things were going out of her hands, she was gheroed and the boys were in a very rebellious mood. The ring leader of the whole conspiracy was a student by name Somesh. He came from Scheduled tribes. He was no good for studies, but ideal for agitation. It was the set policy of the rightist political party for itself to remain in the background, and push forward some one from the most backward class to demand all sorts of undesirable concessions. This student leader Somesh was leading a dharna with scores and scores of students demanding all sorts of facilities. It was also a fact that Rome was not built in a day and that surely there were a few shortcomings of infrastructure such as power, water, equipment, housing, transport and others. I was trying to solve one problem after another. As already 290 My Life indicated I had already attended to water, power and equipment problems through my talk with CM, but their implementation would take some time. It was not magic when in a twinkling of an eye things would be done. The moment I entered into the campus, there was a lot of hulla, bulla, shouting slogans, attacking me in all sorts of ways. I had to deal carefully. I did not call the police which would further complicate the problem and make things worse. I did not see here and there, but rushed to that boy, Somesh, who was the ring leader. The first thing I did was to hug him, greet him, embrace him, as if you are meeting a friend on Eid-day in Eid-gah; he had a beard. I started with my both hands touching his face, as if a barber smears the beard of a youth. I spoke to him in the gentlest manner and started counting our own faults, our own short comings, our own weaknesses and our own drawbacks. I started sympathising with the boys, saying if I was a student I would have done much worse. I became also one of the agitators too with them. I thanked them for the agitation and for the strike which would strengthen my hands in bringing home to the authorities the plight of the University. For ten or fifteen minutes I spoke at the top of my eyes, as if I am myself the ring leader of the agitation. The staff and the administrative folks and teachers would not believe what I was doing. That solved the problem. Boys became quiet. I did not allow Somesh to open his mouth. Whenever he tried to talk, I would say, one moment, please. This one moment please refrain was very effective. Then I sat down, took a piece of paper and started listing all the things they needed. They said, we want this, this and this. I jotted down everything and promised that within the shortest time I would solve them. That Somesh, the rebellious boy became a very good student. Later, I was told he entered into politics. I wonder whether he is still alive. Some body recently told me he is no more. My Life 291 The matter did not stop at this. It took a different turn that night, not from the students but from the teachers and the non-teaching staff. They came to my residence agitated in the night and said I let them down all, joined the students, humiliated the teachers by not punishing the guilty, and that my conduct would further aggravate the situation by causing more agitation in the future. To the teachers I had to explain the psychology of the masses how we have to deal with the mob. Defending ourselves in such situation would be putting oil on fire, confession is dousing the fire. If husband and wife were to quarrel, a tear in the eye of the wife would melt husbands heart. My sermon to them which Jesus had given on the Mount silenced the teachers, who said we have to-day learned a lesson and that we have a unique Vice-Chancellor. A few other contributions of mine are these. The Govt. has limited funds to spare to higher education. It starts Universities to please the public, and diverts funds towards primary and secondary education, thinking it had first to strengthen the roots. Therefore, those in the administration of University should think of generating alternative sources of raising funds. I thought of establishing a couple of research chairs in the University through raising funds from the public sector or from the philanthropists. I approached State Bank of India with whom we had accounts. Their General Manager had come from Bombay. I met him and had a long discussion. They have a very small percentage, 0.1, of their profit to plough into research sector for advancement of knowledge. Hyaving come to know of it I suggested that S.B.I. should institute a Chair in the University to advance research into marketing. That would be helpful to the Bank as well, for better type of marketing would result in more profit, more funds, and more flow of money into the banks. The University too could be benefited by lending its expertise in two ways, it would employ more research 292 My Life scholars helping the youth and extend the horizon of knowledge which is the purpose of the University. I told him it was mutually beneficial to both, the University would get funds from the Bank, and the Bank would get expertise from the University. He agreed and sanctioned a corpus of five lakhs, as one time grant, which was deposited in the Bank itself which would allow a little high rate of interest. The amount thus accrued would be released to the University for research. The General Manager was so good that instead of waiting for one year for the interest to accrue, he sanctioned that much amount in advance. Thus a new Chair was established in the University and I publicised it everywhere so that others too can come forward. This Chair is functioning very effectively even today in that University. This was only the beginning. I added six to seven such Chairs in the University. The next Chair was the Chair in Christianity. Such a Chair existed in Mysore University which Dr. Srimali had started in the wake of Golden Jubilee of the University. I met the Bishop and told him how important it was to diffuse highest absolute values of every great religion. It is moral right that finally asserts itself, might is not always right. If the Church were to invest Rs.5 lakhs, a Chair could be instituted whose business would be to go to the depth of the moral teachings of Christianity and make them public. Moreover, it could organise Seminars and lectures to promote mutual understanding and harmony among all faiths. He agreed and in no time Christianity Chair came into existence. I went to the General Manager of Canara Bank and made him institute a Chair. I contacted the Chairman of the Syndicate Bank and placed before him the same proposal. He asked me how much money I needed. I said five lakhs. He said take six lakhs. He wanted to give a little more than what others had given. There was keen competition among Banks to excel each other. There was Corporation Bank which also My Life 293 instituted a Chair. It should be said to the credit of D.K. District it excelled all others in the sector of banking and finance, for as many as twenty five banks took their birth in that district, out of which five banks were nationalised. The Vijaya Bank also instituted a Chair. To induce students to work hard and to promote different disciplines I thought of instituting gold medals to be given in the convocation of the University. When I went to the public, the response was very good. Several people came forward. You could imagine how enthusiastic were the public by one example. When I met Ram Das Pai of Manipal Academy, he said, please institute not one but 25 medals in the name of Manipal Academy. He wrote out a cheque of Rs.3 lakhs for 25 medals in the University. Yet another contribution of mine is to encourage work-ethics in the constituent and affiliated Colleges and the University. One example is enough to show how knowledge could be related to life. A father of a Catholic Church, who had been to USA and had brought some funds for education came to me and said he wanted to start a College and that he needed affiliation to the University. I said, go ahead and start the College, and we will do the needful. A few weeks later he came back and said that college would not be a day college but evening college. I said, fine, start the Evening College itself. A few weeks later I visited that college and was very happily surprised to see it was a new and wonderful experiment. What the father had done was to buy near Brahmavar, beyond Udupi, a big plot of land, nearly 30 acres, made arrangements for water, built hostel facilities for both boys and girls, made that a residential complex, announced that it was all free boarding, free lodging and free education, but it was on one condition. The students should do what the Management wanted them to do. The Father planned to make every student work in his farm, four hours before lunch in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. Classes 294 My Life will be held from 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm. In the farm the boys had to do physical labour to grow vegetables, fruits and flowers. It was a garden worth seeing. Bananas, sapotas, tomatoes and all sorts of vegetables yielded quite a bit of money. The College was self-sufficient for its maintenance. As it was a church institution, the teaching staff was also of the Church, which would not mean heavy burden on salaries. The children were not only learning and getting a degree but gaining the experience of farming which would be helpful later. Dignity of labour was there, diffusion of knowledge was there, acquiring the skill in farming was also there. I appreciated the venture, an imaginative step helpful to a country like India. In that District, not only the Church but others also had conducted the same experiment. Dr. Hegde of Dharmasthala, who had established a chain of institutions, had opened a Hostel for nearly 300 children where boarding and lodging was all free, subject again to the same condition that the boarders should do physical labour at least for two to three hours. He appointed an Agronomist who would take care of the technical side of farming and guide the students how to do the job. Again he had not appointed the kitchen staff. The boys themselves had to do cleaning, serving, cooking and all sorts of things by turn. I should say the Western coast of India, particularly D.K. District could be a role model for India, not only in education but also in living and thinking. They are very enterprising where education was not only privatised but was also directed into new channels most useful to the society. Private initiative from several sectors had brought up almost 100% literacy, had lifted the standard of life, and made their region a hub of commercial and industrial activity. Leadership certainly counts. Dr. T.M.A. Pai was one example who almost revolutionised the concept of education to all who could afford it. If you cannot afford, beg and borrow, My Life 295 but educate your child. Manipal was lifted not only to national but also to international level when students from different parts of the country went there for studies. They concentrated more on job-oriented courses such as medical, engineering and business management. They helped others, and helped themselves also, with the result that these institutions became money-minting machines. Not only Manipal group but also others like Dharmasthala chain of institutions, Nittay chain of institutions, Church chain of institutions were all there to compete with one another in onward march towards development. At the University level I motivated the staff to do research, and at times went out of the way to encourage them to do research. One example is enough to indicate my humble efforts. I was in the midst of a meeting when I got a call from Delhi from one of our teaching faculty. It was Dr. Madhyastha who called from UGC office in Delhi that there was a possibility of a fellowship for him to go to USA if only I were to nominate him from our University. Soon after the meeting I dictated a letter and sent post-haste to U.G.C. It so happened that my letter clicked and he got a chance to go abroad. He stayed there for a year and he got his wife too, and enriched himself academically. I would very often go to the several Departments, before going to my own chamber, sit with the faculty, have a chat as to what they were doing, what they want to do, and what they need from the University to do. Many a time some facilities or financial assistance would go a long way to motivate them to do creative work. To the HODs I would say that they were a mini-University on their own, they have the liberty to generate funds from any quarter, they have the freedom to choose the area of research, to recruit research scholars, and make a name for themselves in the scholarly world. The best way for academic atmosphere or intellectual ecology was to organise workshops and seminars, invite scholars, discuss, debate and at the end 296 My Life publish the proceedings. If quality work was the result of such labour, they would move up very quickly in the eyes of the scholarly world. Thus very quickly three years passed from September 1980 to Sept. 1983, when my first term was over. The Chancellor was Mr.Banerji, the Governor, who had to either appoint a new Vice-Chancellor or give me an extension of another term. He did neither, but did something in between. He extended my term by one year. He had his plans to find a suitable candidate from the Scheduled Castes for the post, and no one was available. When he ultimately spotted one, in Dr.Y.P. Rudrappa, he was not willing for Mangalore, and had to be appointed in Mysore, where a vacancy had occurred. Any way I got a chance of one more year to carry on the work of building a new Univesity. Three years was too short a period for a new University where every thing from the scratch had to be built. By the time you plan and find enough resources, the time will be up. Execution of the plans would take some time. Moreover, to work in a place of diverse forces, different pulls and pressure, almost in a hostile atmosphere, where political thoughts of all sorts were prevailing was not easy. In any University system cooperation from every direction, from the Government, from the public, from the faculty, from the students and from the administrative staff was absolutely essential. Finance held the key for the whole affair. Gundu Raos government started the University, but forgot to fund it adequately. I had to persuade its successors to feed the University with necessary funds for its growth. Luckily, he did. The second most important function is to motivate the faculty to do creative work. This is also a very difficult task in an environment where University system is a white elephant consuming enormously and producing little of effective output. Elephants are either in the temples or in palaces for show purpose. To put these massive animals to good use My Life 297 requires great skill. Our faculty, by and large, believes in counting thirty days, draw the salary and count thirty five years draw the pension. Of course there are a few notable exceptions, but majority do not size up to expectations. Our Universities have become white elephants, ivory towers, with high qualifications but the net result is, they dig a mountain and bring out a mole. In such a situation to motivate the staff to creative work and bring about an intellectual ecology was a hard job. I am happy to say, Mangalore University became a University with a difference. Despite strong pressures we recruited the suitable faculty. Teachers form the king-pins in the University system. I won their heart. They responded in equal measure. They appreciated my sermons that life leaps like a geyser if only you cut through the rock of inertia. A team spirit was built up. They took it as a challenge, and each one to the best of his ability exerted his utmost to justify his existence as a scholar. Even now Mangalore University tops the list in the State in work-ethics. The other factors such as the functioning of the University bodies like Syndicate, Senate, Academic Council and Board of Studies, building of infrastructure like lecture halls, hostel buildings, library, laboratory, water, power, were all matters of details to which also we paid attention, and did what we possibly could do. What I feel very happy is the rapport I built with the public, their love which I won, the way I induced them to donate generously for establishing special Chairs in the University, the academic atmosphere I created through Seminars, Workshops and Conferences, and also the linkages I established with business and industries, together with the funds I brought from U.G.C. and several Central Research Organizations of Government of India, are some of the things I could look with pride, and think that I did not waste any time. It was an opportunity to work hard, and to the best of my conscience I did work hard. 12 Vice-Chancellor of yet Another New University (Goa) Few are given a chance to establish two new Universities. My extended term of one more year also expired in September 1984, yet the Chancellor was not taking any decision to appoint a successor to me. Mr. Banerji was the Governor and the Chancellor, an IAS man ridden with rules and regulations to do justice to minorities and Scheduled Castes. He appointed a Selection or Search Committee to prepare a panel of three incumbents, and he was not satisfied with it, as it did not contain the names he desired. My term was extended by a month. Again another Search Committee, and yet another, and yet another, and this process went on every month for more than six months. Every time I would get an order that my term was extended. This was very disgusting and all were fed up why at least my term was not extended for the prescribed period or why a new suitable person was not appointed. This process was going on in Karnataka when another development was taking place in the neighbouring State of Goa. For a long, long time for more than a decade that State was thinking of having a separate University of its own, disaffiliating itself from Bombay University. Ever so many 300 My Life committees and commissions had been appointed to prepare the feasibility report. Enormous literature had been produced in this behalf, and immense discussions had taken place on this subject ever since Goa was liberated in 1960. At last when Dr.Gopal Singh was appointed as the Governor things took a different turn. He was a dynamic person, very pragmatic, resourceful and matter of facts. He took it to his head to expedite the matter and appointed yet another Committee to examine the whole issue and submit an early report. The Education Secretary to the Government was one Mr. Bhatt, IAS, from Mangalore. In the Selection of experts to prepare the report, he thought of me, for the simple reason that a person who had already established a new University would be in a better position to offer useful suggestions. Moreover, he too was from Mangalore and perhaps regional affinity too might have influenced him to pick my name. I was invited to Raj Nivas, Governors Mansion, where the meeting was held. It was a Committee of more than 15 members with Governor as the Chairman, with Chief Minister, Education Minister, Heads of Education Department, representatives of the public and all those who mattered most were present. In the discussion how to go about, what sort of University Goa needs, what should be its aims and objectives, faculties, disciplines, infra-structure, functioning and a good deal of other details, it was I who dominated the talk. Since I had full experience of building a new University, and had undergone severe stress and strains, I was in a better position to explain them all issues. They were all impressed. No one else could throw more intensive light on the subject. Dr. Gopal Singh, the Governor, and Pratap Singh Rao Rane, the Chief Minister, were listening to me attentively. The meeting went on for more than three hours from 10 A.M. At last when it was over, and when we were moving out, the ADC of the Governor came rushing to me and said that the Governor My Life 301 would be pleased if I were to join him for dinner in the night. I accepted the invitation with thanks. The vehicle from Raj Nivas picked me at 7.30 p.m. and we had a Dinner from 8.00 p.m. in a very relaxed mood. I found out that Dr.Gopal Singh, who had been the Chairman of Minorities Commission appointed by Indira Gandhi, was from Peshawar. He had migrated in the wake of partition. He knew Persian and Urdu. He was sympathetic towards the minorities being himself the Chairman of that Commission with full knowledge of their conditions. He had been brought up in the midst of Islamic culture. Besides, he was a historian too, having written a good book on the Sikhs of the Punjab. Added to that he was a poet and literary figure, having written much both in English and Gurumukhi. His own expectations were so high that one day he hoped he would get a Nobel Prize for his contributions to literature. Besides, he was interested in Sufism and knew a lot about Baba Farid. All these factors were such that excited my interest in him, and I too participated in the discussions that followed at the table to my hearts content. We discussed every thing under the sun, on politics, religion, philosophy, art, literature and of course on University system and higher education. There and then itself we developed a liking for each other. The friendship proved to be ever lasting. Until he died in 1993, we were in touch with each other. That dinner is yet green in my mind, a memorable event when I talked to a Governor as a friend, as a historian, as a scholar and as a human being. We were on the same wave length. What was very pleasing was Urdu poetry. I would quote Ghalib or Mir, or Zauq or Hali or Shibli or Iqbal, and he too would respond with equal measure. This dinner went on from 8.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. in the night. The attenders there were surprised that what sort of dinner was this which was endless. I came back to Mondvi Hotel where accommodation 302 My Life had been booked for me. Next day I returned to Mangalore. A few days passed when I was in the midst of a meeting. I got a distant call. Some one was saying, I am Gopal Singh, I am Gopal Singh. I was responding, who, who? At last he said, I am Gopal Singh, Governor of Goa. Then I realised the caller was the dignitary whom I had met in Goa. Then he said that he would appoint me as the Vice-Chancellor of the new University that was to come up in Goa. He enquired whether I was willing to accept the offer. That was the time when every fortnight my term was extended causing anxiety as to what to do next. It should be said to the credit of the public of Mangalore, particularly to my good friend, Mohamed Kamal Saheb, who did not spare any stone unturned to get my term extended. He collected nearly a few thousand signatures from the public requesting the Prime Minister of India, Sri Rajiv Gandhi, to extend my term. In those days decision was all in the hands of the Chancellor, and not of the Government as at present. But Banerji did not yield. He wanted to appoint a Dalit to Mangalore, but Dr.Rudrappa did not agree. When Dr.Hegde retired from Mysore, Rudrappa was appointed to Mysore and Dr.Safiullah was appointed to Mangalore. When I gave him my consent, within a week I received an order that I was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Goa and that I should join as early as possible. This happened in the month of March 1985. I resigned the job. My resignation hastened the process of the selection of my successor. When I look back on these events, it occurs to me that ways of God are mysterious, that whatever happens is for our own good, that man should have hope and faith, and that we should never pray to God that He may grant what we desire, but that His will may be accomplished in us. In His Will is our peace. I informed the Governor that I would join on 4th March, the day of my wedding anniversary. I gave charge of my office on 1st March, returned to Mysore on 2nd March, My Life 303 proceeded to Goa the next day in conditions of great stress and strain. I took the flight from Bangalore to Goa and reported to duty to the Governor, who was very pleased. They fixed the Circuit House, a suit of rooms for my residence, which became my permanent residence during all my stay of 5 years in Goa. I never shifted to any bungalow which I could have done if I wanted. This Circuit House was located on a hill top called Altino, and it was quite comfortable to a man who had passed through a hell in life. The job of a new University was very challenging. First problem was to make my presence there acceptable to the public. As indicated earlier, this University had come into existence after a very, very long gestation period of 13 years. The people had discussed, and discussed over it thread bare, only because a particular person had an eye on the post. He was a Christian gentleman who had stayed in South Africa for a long time, had gained a lot of experience in education, not in setting up Universities but in teaching. He had a powerful political lobby. Goa was under the Portuguese rule for the longest period, continuously from 1510 to 1960, a period of over 450 years where the European influence was quite deep. Many had adopted Portuguese as their mother-tongue. It was the medium of instruction too, which was gradually changed to English. Portuguese customs, manners, and ways of living were still in vogue. There is quite a strong political lobby of this group in the affairs of the State. This group wanted one of them to be appointed as Vice-Chancellor so that he could shape things according to their tastes. As against this group there was the Hindu Konkani element, who opposed the domination of Western influence and wanted some one from their rank should occupy the chair. Apart from these two, there was a third element of the Maratha speaking people, who were industrialists, very wealthy 304 My Life and rich, who wanted some one from the Marathi-speaking group should occupy the chair. In this struggle of three different forces nothing had happend during the previous 25 years. When Dr.Gopal Singh took charge as Governor, he tried to reconcile the rival groups to come to some understanding and fix a consensus person. They could not do it. He was a realist and dynamic person, who took a decision of his own in consultation with the Chief Minister, Mr.Rane, who headed a Congress Ministry, which was secular and liberal.The Governor had a soft corner for the minorities, being himself the Chairman of a Commission having known their plight. When a person of the minority community had already gained good experience in setting up a new University, and when he had impressed all members of the Expert Committee set up for that purpose, they decided that I should be given a chance. That is how I was in Goa. Did they welcome me in Goa ? No. There was an uproar, almost a war against me. All three forces that were aspiring for the post, joined together in attacking me, opposing me and making my life miserable for a few days. I had to pass through a hell before I was accepted. They planned their attacks through a series of seminars and meetings to which they would invite me as the President. I could not refuse because they were on the University system. The idea was to grill me trying to know my abilities, to test my patience, my plans whether I could size up to their expectations or not. This went on for long. A number of speakers would roll out their thoughts with the intention that I would not respond to their challenges. I would answer all their points, if they were positive and constructive, but to their polemics, I would simply say, Oh! God, forgive them, they know not, what they say ? This affair went on nearly for three to four months, when a series of meetings made Goa University front-page My Life 305 news in the media. Every day my name was there in the newspapers. The media was very hostile. It would say, why did our Governor smuggle a non-Goan in our midst, as if no one was competent among us? Columns after columns were pouring daily on me. In such a situation the Governor went for more than a month to USA to see his daughter. In his absence the virulent attacks were intensified. When all these measures failed to cow me down, they thought of the last resort, to go to a court and file a law suit. Goa Court would not admit such a case. They went to Bombay High Court. It was a new problem. The baby University dragged into legal complications. The area of my struggle extended beyond the boundaries of Goa State. Periodical visits to Bombay became inevitable. We fixed an Agency, Mullah and Mulla, legal experts as our lawyers. The party to the case was not only Bombay University but also the Government of Goa, with Governor as Chancellor, and the newly appointed ViceChancellor. The case went on for a few months. That gave me an opportunity to shuttle myself often between Panaji and Bombay. There was a University Guest House in Bombay, near the beach, where I would stay. I still remember the long walks I would take on the beach. The case was decided in our favour. They would not admit it, saying it was silly. People ought to feel grateful to the Governor for giving them a citadel of higher learning instead of putting breaks in his way. Yet another time when I was walking on the same beach, a refined gentleman spotted me, and asked me whether I was Sheik Ali. He had seen me some where, and had examined all papers we had submitted to the court. He was the judge himself who had thrown out the case. He congratulated me and said, Dont worry, go ahead with your job. This judge later became a judge of the Supreme Court. Thus a long battle had to be won before I was accepted in Goa. The judgement of the Court was the last stone they threw at me. Thereafter they realised there was 306 My Life no point in opposing me. They not only reconciled themselves to my stay, but also started appreciating my work. The next important job after winning the court case was to inaugurate the University, for which several other measures had to be taken. First, where should it be temporarily located before a permanent campus was thought of. In the suburbs of the capital, Panaji, near Bambolin, a big hospital complex of several and several buildings together with accommodation for the Medical College which was in the heart of the town had come up. It was a huge complex, but all empty, almost with a deserted look. At that distance few would go for treatment. Neither the Hospital was there nor the Medical College, only brick and mortar structures were there, that too quite a few. Goa was a new State, freshly liberated hence the pet child of the Union Government which had pumped in massive funds. But the people had yet to make full uses of the generosity. They had built the complex filling the purses of the contractors, but the human utility thereof was yet to begin. In that complex, they allotted one building as the University office. The first thing I did was to put a Board. Before shifting to Bambolin, the University was the residence Room No.5 in the Circuit House where the ViceChancellor was staying. On the day I landed, they made arrangements for my stay there. They provided me a chair and a table. That was the whole of the University office. I got my letter-heads printed. The University consisted of one individual, V.C. without a P.A. or an attender, or a typewriter or assistant, or Registrar. At least in Mangalore all those facilities existed, but in Goa the University was one God above and one V.C. below. All day long I had to attend the several Seminars and meetings that would be arranged to grill me, or hunt for places where the new University should be located, or meet the authorities, either Chief Minister or Finance My Life 307 Minister to find finances, or visit the P.G. Centre to talk to the teachers. This P.G. Centre was located in the heart of the town, in a market place, a few rooms in the first floor of a private rented building, down below there were provision shops. The entry to this floor was through narrow stairs a situation of Gundu Raos College in Somwarpet of Coorg to which a reference has already occurred. At least that was a college, but here it was post-graduate Centre of higher studies which was to be a nucleus of a new University. Such appalling conditions could not have existed any where else. When the Chancellor, the Governor, visited that place, to which I invited, he became furious, and he got his shoes and dress drenched in the rainy water that was dripping on the stairs. My initial hard work in the first few weeks resulted in yielding some good things. Fortunately, the Chief Ministers residence was next to the Circuit House in Altino where I stayed, and it was easy for me to meet him often. That facilitated things and they moved fast. I wanted a good Registrar, and he released Dr.Gandhe, Secretary to the Government in the Revenue and Finance Ministry, a very mature, and experienced IAS, with a Ph.D. and a Degree from London University. His appointment quickened the process. Because he was already in the Govt. and knew all naunces and intracacies of bureaucratic functioning, things started taking shape. Before that, I had to write in my own hand letters to U.G.C. and do all sorts of paper work single handed. Clerks, typists, accountants, attenders and all the parapernalia of an office were all made available. We shifted our office to Bambolin Hospital and Medical College complex. People laughed and said that University is sick, that is why it was in the hospital. I would respond saying that a healthy baby is born under the care of expert Doctors in a good hospital. The second most important work was to constitute the University bodies. We needed a Syndicate, a Senate, an 308 My Life Academic Council and several Boards of Studies. They could not come into existence all at once. One at a time was the rule. First, the Syndicate, the Cabinet or the crucial body on which would depend the entire functioning. It had to be constituted by the Governor in consultation with the Chief Minister who was also the Education Minister. They constituted the Syndicate, one of them was Salgaonkar, one of the three great industrialists of Goa, the mine owners, millionair. He was a young man, a shrewd person, a nominee of CM. The Syndicate had to constitute several SubCommittees, one of which was construction committee in charge of the entire building programme. Salgaonkar was interested in being himself in the Committee. A ticklish problem arose for me. The Governor, Dr.Gopal Singh was not interested in him, but the C.M. Mr.Rane was interested. Both gave a hint to me, one not to take him, the other do take him. I could not please both. The majority was in favour of taking him and he was taken. In any society political interference in the University affairs was inevitable. They would not leave it to the discretion of competent functionaries. The Building Committee commanded lot of influence in choosing contractors, which meant money. At least in Mangalore, which was away from Bangalore, the political pressure was not so pressing as in Goa where we had to function in the power-house of all political authority. When the Senate and other bodies were appointed they were all from different sections of the society, and only a few knew what higher education was. Persons drawn from industry, business, art, film, music, politics, church, and religious institutions would have no knowledge how to build a University. They would talk all irrelevant things. Mangalore was quite different where enlightened souls knew what was best for their children. Here is Goa, it was Alice in Wonderland. I had to manage in such a complex society where expectations were high but in-put was very low. For this My Life 309 purpose I had to prepare a detailed report, almost a book, on higher education, its purpose, aims, objectives, methods, expectations and so on. What I said was that a University was an apex body to revitalize the entire educational system. A University standing at the summit of higher learning holds the key for the welfare of the people. It acts as the conscience of the community. It is an organ of civilization, a sanctuary of the inner life of a society, which produces intellectual pioneers who shape the culture of the society. In modern times, Universities have become the instruments of social change, and the main agency for national development. Again, the functions of a modern University have become extraordinary complex. Its main job is not merely to train the mind, body and soul, but also to draw the best in an individual to the fulfilment stage, to teach him the art of living harmoniously and graciously with his own fellow being, to equip him to face the challenges of tomorrow, and to excite in him the strength of character which possesses finer tastes and nobler aims. It has not merely to conserve, transmit and diffuse knowledge but to act as an agent of great change in the development of new attitudes and values, in the enhancement of knowledge and culture, in the quest of new humanism and peace, and in prmoting skill, wisdom and understanding. It should inculcate in our youth creative potentiality, a critical mind, a sincere soul and an imaginative outlook. In the detailed Report which I prepared on the Education Policy of Goa University, I listed several useful measures how to go about planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, co-ordinating and monitoring. It required clear classification of all facts and issues, correct perception of the inner relations among those facts, formulation of right decisions to solve problems, and bold implementation of those decisions. At the same time there 310 My Life must be some scope for revision and modification of those decisions, if need be. In any venture, the need is great for innovative measures, for creative things, something more useful and attractive than what it existed before. In this report I furnished a conceptual framework of what a University ought to be. Apart from the traditional functioning of acquiring, preserving disseminating and extending knowledge, it should promote scientific temper and rational outlook; preserve cultural traditions and enrich regional languages; inculcate basic human values and virtue; develop work ethics and dignity of labour; cultivate the arts and broaden the humanities; and thus enrich the quality of life. It should be an agency for a creative integration of culture and technology, and it should inculcate in our youth a sense of social responsibility, and a sense of hope, faith and pride in the future of our country. It was a very comprehensive report on all aspects of University system, on academic affairs, on administration, on faculty, on teaching, on research, on curriculum reforms, on examination system, on extension service, on extra-curricular activities, on students, and on problems of affiliated colleges. It was such a good report that it could form a useful book on higher education. When this Report was furnished to those who mattered most, some were deeply impressed that the V.C. would do something useful to Goa, and others who were biased said, it was a tall talk, more a theory than pragmatic approach. What they wanted was just a degree to get a job, and the report was ambitions to make our youth enlightened in every sector of life. The debate went on for some time until we settled down for real business. There were many things to do. New Departments had to be created, faculty to be recruited, infra-structure to be provided, buildings to be constructed, rules, regulations and ordinances to be framed. We started doing one after My Life 311 another. First, the University was to be formally inaugurated. It was a very big function. Almost a good part of Goa turned up for the function. The Governor was to inaugurate and the Chief Minister was the Chief Guest. We had to work hard to make this function a great success, for, on it depended our image. I spelled out our objectives and programmes. Dr. Gopal Singh, the Governor, too was a good speaker, a man of clear thinking, and of effective communication skill.The University was well publicised The next important work was to find a suitable place for its location. All along the Governor took personal interest in all affairs of the University. We surveyed different places, as we had done in Mangalore, for a good campus. Ultimately, we spotted the area overlooking the sea in Bambolim, which was not far from the Institute of Oceanography, a spot about 300 acres on the suburbs of Panaji. A good part of it was Government land which had no problem in acquiring it, but in its midst, there was a bit of private land, which we had to purchase. Obviously, negotiations were very tough. People do take adantage of the situation, ignoring the cause however noble it may be. At last nearly for two crores that land was acquired. The land was now available, but several other things had to be done. What should be the design, the shape, the plan of the University had to be decided. This could be done only by a high-class Architect, a top expert in this field. Dr. Gopal Singh had a person in view. He was Satish Gujral, the younger brother of Inder Kumar Gujral (I.K.Gujral) who became the Prime Minister of India. Satish Gujral was well-renowned as a painter of modern art as well. He had indulged in architecture and had designed very many projects in Delhi, including Belgian embassy. His designs were all very modern, very innovative, very peculiar away from traditional designs. They were neither western nor Indian but blend of his own mind. It was the decision of the Governor that he should 312 My Life appoint him as the architect. There were others also, particularly from Bombay, but the Syndicate had to approve the name of Satish Gujral as the architect. He was a very difficult man to deal with. He was hard of hearing. His wife would come with him who knew the art of communicating with him. He prepared the design. We fixed 4% of the cost of the building as his fee. The total out-lay on all buildings that came up in a period of less than three years exceeded 20 crores, and the architect drew nearly 50 lakhs as his fee. The first building we designed was the Administrative offices. It was a mansion unique in its own design, very appreciative in the eyes of some, and highly critical in the view of those who were pragmatic. Any way all buildings of Goa University are unique in their own right, reflective of the imaginative creativity of a modern architect, who had an aesthetic sense of his own. My term in Goa was more than 5 years out of which in less than three years, we completed the construction work, and I functioned in the new campus for more than two years. Apart from the Administrative Offices, several other structures such as Faculty Blocks, Guest House, V.C.s lodge, faculty houses and so on came up. The question of fixing the contractors was also an issue. If the Architect was named by the Governor, the contractor would have the blessings of the Chief Minister. But it should be said that both took great interest in their jobs and executed the work promptly and efficiently. On the academic side I took great interest in starting new Departments which were relevant to the needs of the society. Apart from such fundamental sciences as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, we went for Bio-Technology, Computer Application, Management Sciences, Marine Sciences, Micro-biology, Bio-Chemistry and so on. On Humanities side we opened History, Political Science, My Life 313 Sociology, Economics, Commerce, Konkani, Marathi, Hindi and so on. We inherited some staff to which we added a few more. My contribution was to motivate the faculty for creative work. They needed facilities and funds. We provided them what they needed. Funds were really the crucial factor. I asked the Departments to prepare such projects which were relevant, turn out quality work, and finish them within a reasonable time. These three parameters of relevance, quality and time-schedule were drilled into their mind. To provide them with money I had to run frequently to Delhi to meet several agencies, Government Departments and research centres who should invest money for research projects. I was to a great extent successful in this venture, for I invited the Heads of those organizations to Goa, made all arrangements for their comfort to keep them in good Hotels, feed them well, please them so much as to extract a promise to help the University. This process went on for long. We got funds for our new departments. This required periodical visits to Delhi, but they were all very useful. Added advantage was the rich experience of Dr. Gopal Singh, who was a political force in Delhi as well. He knew Nehru family. He invited Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to Goa, held a banquet in his honour. I was also an invitee. No function or dinner of Raj Nivas would be held without inviting me. After the dinner in the free discussion with the Prime Minister in the lounge, the University figured very much. I elaborated with great details our projects and programmes. Rajiv Gandhi was very much pleased. The Governor also explained the problem of the nescent University and the help it needed. The Prime Minister was quite helpful. This factor together with the letters I could carry of Dr.Gopal Singh to several Heads of Research Institutions resulted in a boon of funds to build the University on lines of our dream. At one stage, I met the present Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and others in 314 My Life the Planning Commission. Since Goa was a new State, liberated from the Portuguese there was a lot of good will and helpful attitude in Delhi circles. Most of the Babus in Goa government were IAS people having served in Delhi had links with policy makers. This also helped the University. The first two or three years were very challenging. First was resistance of a small section to the very existence of the University which was challenged in a court of law. When they lost the case they tried to obstruct the functioning that it was not planned on right lines. When a detailed report was presented as to what its aims and objectives were, and how it would shape the future of their children, they were silenced. When we attempted to bring massive aid from the centre, recruit qualified staff, organise research projects and opened several useful departments such as Bio-Technology, Computer Application, Management courses and Marine Technology, they realised that what was being done was helpful to them. They started cooperating with me. That was the second and useful phase of my stay in Goa. Early in the morning I would call our Registrar, S.K. Gandhe, to do this, and this and this. In the evening he would call me back saying, I have done this, and this and this. It was a very happy team spirit. Any problem we would personally discuss and solve them. The Registrar was a very competent man and knew the art of getting things done. My job was to give him ideas, and it was his job to implement them. It was my job to find funds for the project. It was my job to motivate the faculty to do creative work, and it was the job of the faculty to come up to my expectations. When we wanted to open MBA programme, we needed a good Professor. We advertised the post and one Dr. S.M .Bijli, applied for the post. He had earlier served in the faculty of Commerce and Management in Aligarh Muslim University, and had served for long in UNESCO. He was a My Life 315 very dynamic, refined, enlightened and knowledgeable person. His memory was terrific and his oratory was superb. We appointed him. He built up the Department on very right lines and lifted it high. He became a very good friend of mine, almost a life-long friend until he breathed his last. Later on he shifted to his own residence which he built in Aligarh. Whenever I visited Aligarh we would meet and have nice time. In Goa we would go for a long walk discussing all sorts of things under the sun. He got interested in Islamic culture because of my contact. A Professor of Commerce wrote several books on Sufism, Islamic Philosophers and thinkers. In Prof.Bijli we had a wonderful scholar. I thought of two important projects on humanities. One was Konkani Encyclopaedia. Konkani was the language of the masses, both of the Hindus and Christians, and when the University took up this project the people felt very happy. A very competent person was appointed as the Director of the Project. The work went on briskly and before I left Goa, the First Volume of the Konkani project was released. The second project was the Comprehensive History of Goa in several volumes. This was also received with great enthusiasm. The Christian friends took it seriously as it meant Portuguese rule in modern times. The work was started under the Directorship of a good scholar, Testonic DSouza. The project was called Goa Through the Ages. Its first volume was released by the time I left Goa. In the initial stages the job was very challenging as I had to be accepted first by the society, which reacted very adversely, but once it realised that I had programmes and projects, which would help their youth, they started cooperating with me. For this my appearance frequently in public functions was a positive factor. By Gods grace my well-thought-out speeches convinced the public that a sincere scholar with a vision was struggling hard to do 316 My Life something good to the society. In this endeavour; Dr. Gopal Singh was also very helpful. He too was a great orator, very pragmatic and resourceful. He would provoke me to arrange good functions in which the public could be taken into confidence. Kala Academy in the Centre of Panaji had a huge Auditorium which could accommodate more than a thousand persons, and the Governor wanted our functions to be held there. For academic functions the response from the public was poor, and it would become a problem for me to get the audience so as to make the hall full. Dr. Gopal Singh would not be satisfied with any thing except a packed-hall. We would intensely publicise and make all students and staff to be present. In the lighter-vein Mr. Krishnan, the Private Secretary to the Governor, and myself had a joke that the only alternative left to fill the hall was to make every patient of the neighbouring Hospital attend the function. But the net result of our efforts was all very healthy, in the sense that the value of higher education was drilled down their ears. The public came to know that a great Institution of higher learning was fast coming up in their midst, and that they should extend a helping hand to it, and not throw spokes into its functioning. The other good thing I did was to motivate the staff to be serious in their work, devote their full time and energy to bring out something relevant and useful, and that they should do it diligently and promptly. For this I encouraged them to hold seminars and workshops, for I realised that such collective effort was the sure method to do something good in the shortest period, as also to excite interest in creative work among a larger section of scholars. These seminars, became so frequent that the Registrar, Dr. Gandhe, came to me and said we were over-doing the job, and that a respite in this regard was required. In Goa I built up very good rapport with the Church. My Life 317 The Christian influence and culture was much more in Goa than it was in Mangalore. They had a number of educational institutions and the percentage in population was also higher in Goa than it was in South Canara. The Portuguese rule had increased their percentage and had given a different western culture. The British in India were Protestants in faith but the Portuguese were Catholics, and Catholics are more religious and more orthodox, particularly the Syrian Catholics. My subject of history and my interest in mysticism and philosophy helped me enormously to build very good relations with the Christian folks. They would invite me very often to their functions and I would utilise those occasions to tell them all about our plans and programmes of the University. Likewise, I built up good relations with big business houses, and they were really interested that a good University should come up soon, which would feed them the required managerial skill for their concerns. The Muslim population in Goa was very small. One of the Ministers in Goa Government when I took charge was Haroon Hasan who became very friendly with me. But the Advocate, Agha Ashraf, was the one who became very intimate. He initiated an Urdu Weekly, called Nida-e-Goa, and came to me to contribute an article. I said I had never written anything in Urdu, which although I knew and I loved, had not been my field to bestow attention. He insisted and persuaded me to write something for his first issue, and I wrote an article on Islam and Knowledge. That was my first article in Urdu ever published anywhere. It was so well received that many letters of apreciation came from different persons and places. That was the beginning, and thereafter I never looked back. Urdu became a favourite subject. I wrote not only three or four books in Urdu, but started an Urdu periodical, Noor-e-Baseerath after my return from Goa, which became very popular. It had a character of its own. It was thematic, either on some important personality like Hali, 318 My Life Shibli, Azad, Iqbal, Saadi, Hafiz, Ghazali, Rumi, Jauhar or on Islamic art, architecture, philosophy, khilafat or history. Twenty six issues on various themes were brought out. That became a major contribution of mine to the world of Urdu literature and language. I became the Chief Editor of Urdu eeklyy SALAR, besides bringing Daily SALAR, and Urdu Weekl out in two volumes one hundred great personalities of the Islamic world from the holy Prophet of Islam down to the present times of Ali Miyan of Nadva. It was all because of the fact Agha forced me to write in Urdu. Nida-e-Goa was the seed that was sown to grow into a full blown rose-wood tree into my mind. Dr. Gopal Singh was succeeded by Khurshed Alam Khan, son-in-law of Dr. Zakir Hussain, as the Governor of Goa. I served him for more than a year. Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister, and Khurshed Alam Khan had served for a short while in the Union Cabinet as well. He became the Chancellor of Goa University, and I came very close to him. It so happened that the Tata Group of concerns published the biography of one of the greatest industrialists of Goa, Salgaonkar. His son was a member of the Syndicate. The Senior Salgaonkar who had built up an empire of business houses was no more, and his family people were very much pleased when Tatas offered to get his life published by a reputed scholar. The book was ready for release. It was a gala function arranged in the sprawling campus of Goa University, when the Governor, Khurshed Alam Khan, was to release that book. The whole of Goa, as it were, was present on the occasion. The volume was brought out by Nani Palkiwala, the famous jurist of the land, who was also present. The policy of the Tatas was to identify some great Indian personality, publish a book, and distribute it free to all libraries in the country, but not allow it to be marketed. While the book was being released, Khurshed Alam Khan told Palkiwala that the scheme of bringing out the life of My Life 319 great personalities was very laudable. If so, why not the Tatas think of bringing out an authentic work on Dr. Zakir Hussain, the great nationalist, humanist, educationist and the past President of India. Palkiwala readily agreed to do so, provided the work were to be done by a good scholar. When Khurshed Saheb found an agency to publish a work, he was in need of a person to write the book. Next day I got a call from Raj Nivas that the Governor wanted to see me. He wanted that I should undertake the job of writing the biography of the great man. He also said that I should do it in the shortest period, and that he would furnish me all the required material. I agreed to do so. My term of five years was already over by that time. He went on extending the tenure month by month. I worked hard night and day. We would meet very often, sometime almost every day in the evening to discuss the points mentioned. I would furnish him the chapters I drafted. He would go through and make comments. This process went on nearly for seven to eight months, until I finished the work in November 1990. This gave me an opportunity to reflect a lot on education, which became my second love thereafter. Life of Dr. Zakir Hussain was very fascinating, as he was the finest flower of Indian renaissance, the first person to lift Jamia-Millia to great heights, and conduct an experiment in educational system of India. He was the person to give shape to the Wardha Scheme initiated by Gandhiji, and he was the person to implement the idea of work-school and cultural goods. He was inspired by the great German educationist, Kreschensteiner, who had conceived the idea that no knowedge which was not applied knowledge was knowledge at all, and that all such knowledge should be based on the cultural foundation of that society. Dr. Zakir Hussain had built up a system of values without which education would have no value. This book was not published by Tatas, as their policy was not meant for the sale of the book. They would give it as a 320 My Life complimentary copy to a few libraries. Therefore, Salman Khurshed son of Khurshid Alam Khan Saheb, found a publisher, Vikas, of New Delhi to bring out this volume of more than 400 pages on Life and Times of Dr.Zakir Hussain. By the time the book was published, my term was over and I had to come back home. Meanwhile great changes had taken place. General elections had been held, Rajiv Gandhi had been assassinated, Narasimha Rao had become the Prime Minister. The book was released by Narasimha Rao in the premises of the Prime Minister. It was a gala function in New Delhi, when the elite had come. I was made to sit as the author along side the Prime Minister, and Khurshed Ali Khan was seated on the other side of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister praised the work, and spoke a lot about the great services of Dr. Zakir Hussain. This was the occasion when Mr.Narasimha Rao broached the topic of the Five Volume Comprehensive History of Indian National Congress. In 1984 when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister a project was conceived to write an exhaustive history of Indian National Congress, in 5 Volumes. It was to be a collective effort of all great thinkers and scholars. Different Chapters had been assigned to different persons. I was also assigned a chapter, when I was in Goa to write the History of the Congress from 1960 to 1965, a crucial transition period when Nehru was yet alive, at the peak of his glory, very soon to be dampened by the Chinese War, the shock of which was so great that he did not survive for long. Soon after Lal Bahadur Shastri took office, he had to fight the Second War with Pakistan, when Gen. Ayub Khan was the Dictator of Pakistan. I had traced the History of Non-alignment, the causes for the Chinese attack, and the events that led to Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. The Chief Editor of this volume was P.V. Narasimha Rao, who remembered on this occasion the Chapter I had written. He said the busy schedule of Prime Ministers job was not My Life 321 allowing any time to scrutinise the material for the fifth volume, and hopefully he would do it soon sometime. That day never came, and the volume was never released. Any way I had the satisfaction that what I had done was acknowledged by the Prime Minister. In the General Elections of 1990 in Goa, Mr.Rane lost power. It was a period of great confusion. One Mr.Churchill became the Chief Minister of Goa. As long as Rane was in office, I had absolutely no political interference in the affairs of Goa University. On the other hand Rane was a pillar of support to the University particularly in financial matters. Things changed enormously under the new regime. They became so bad that I would get a call from C.M.s office that so and so deserves to be the Captain of the Food-ball team. Please appoint him the captain of the team. I should mention here that Goa foot-ball team was well-renowned in the country. The people took a lot of interest in Sports and Foot-ball was their pet game. I had appointed a lady, a dynamic lady Susan DSouza as the Sports Director, whose life-passion was to see her team win the match. We had arranged from the University All-India Foot-ball Tournaments. It was an exciting team. The Director had exerted her utmost, and had spared no efforts in training and motivating our boys to win the trophy. It was a very prestigious occasion. Several teams from different parts of India had come, and the duration of the competitions was more than a week. Our University team went on gaining scores, defeating many in the initial stages, until it won the Semi-final as well, and entered into the finals. That day when the final match was played was the day to be seen in Goa, as if the sports field was Mecca where the devotees of Football had come to pay their homage. The entire area was jampacked to see how the nascent University would fare against 322 My Life the stalwarts. Our boys exhibited their best, fought tooth and nail to win the game, and at last were supremely successful. That was a memorable day. They had won the laurels. The Governor, the Chief Minister, and the whole Cabinet was present. Goa felt as if it had won the World War. Our joy knew no bounds. Cheers from every direction filled the air. My stock in the esteem of public went up high, and they thought that not only on the public platform I could excel in talk, but also in the field of action where competition was tough I could bring glory to Goa. This happened in the very first year of my office. The initial resistance that was simmering for sometime died down, and I settled down with some peace for the real business of building intellectual ecology in Goa. With the completion of my book on Zakir Hussain, my term was drawing to a close. I had stayed in Goa for 5 years and 9 months and the month of November 1990 was fast approaching when I would be 65 years, the maximum age for any V.C. to stay in office. I started my regime in turmoil when hostile glares greeted me from every side, and I ended it in tranquillity when every one appreciated that something good was done to Goa. When I look back on those days, I feel satisfied that I did justice to the job to the best of ability. It had always been my philosophy that there is no security anywhere in life, but there is always an opportunity. Make the best use of the opportunity. You are in the examination hall, where every second matters most, make the best use of those moments, for very soon the duration of examination would be over. It would depend on how and what you did in that hall to build the future of your life. Success in life needs planning and action, love and labour, patience and perseverance. Journey in life involves twists and turns, uphills and downhills, thorns and thistles, we cannot avoid them. We have to face the music. My Life 323 My experience of over a decade in the University system tells me that a person with integrity and industry would get on well even in the midst of most adverse circumstances. What is required is interest, involvement, which should touch the degree of crazyness, and madness in the job you are entrusted with. Success is a greasy pole, where every inch of upward movement needs all your energy but failure is so swift that the moment you loosen the grip, you are drown on floor. One had to be careful all the time, for one small slip was enough to drown him into the deep sea. The second thing I learned was that there was an art of getting things done. It was the method of Socrates, who said that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing. Keeping your own profile low, appreciating the work of others, a friendly gesture and consistent follow on action would go a long way in getting things done. The third thing I learned was the selection of personnel with whom I had to work, particularly the subordinates. I was lucky both in Mangalore and Goa to have very reliable staff. The three key posts in the University system are the Registrar, the Controller of Examinations and the Finance Officer. It is the integrity and industry of these three officers which would bring credit to the University. I was fortunate in having very competent and honest officers in both these Universities. Particularly in Goa, I had Dr.S.K.Gandhe, a mature and experienced IAS Officer who had filled many high posts in the administration. It was my job to tell him to do this, this and this, and he would do that all very promptly and efficiently. The fourth thing I learned in the University system is the kind of relationship you build with several sectors of society, with the staff, with the students, with the public and with the Governmental agencies. Development would depend upon how you would draw the best from each of these sections. If the staff is not happy, if students are restless, if the parents and public are not cooperative, and if the 324 My Life Governmental agencies do not release the funds in time, the whole system would collapse. Hence, tact and diplomacy, vigilance and courtesy, articulation and understanding would all be required to deal with all these sectors. Napoleon said, if people call a King a kind man, his reign is a failure. Hence too much of softness would breed indiscipline and apathy. Likewise, too much of harshness too would invite trouble. Not making any compromise on quality, understanding the problems, ability to solve them in time, imaginative, innovative, helpful and relevant projects, promptness, efficiency and tact are some of the things that would go a long way in achieving our goal. When I look back I feel satisfied that I came out from both Universities in such a manner that when I visit those places, people shower praise on me.They have a good word about me, and not a feeling that my exit was a good riddance. When people do not talk ill of you, that by itself is glory enough, for human nature is such that they take a microscope to find the faults of a person and a telescope to find any good is there in him. 13 Social Service Man is a social being. History is all evolution of men in their individual as well as typical and collective activity as social beings.I thank God for the opportunity to do something as typical individual as also collectively as a team. The building of two Universities was a collective game, but apart from that when I look back I feel I have contributed individually also to the total social good. One has to remember the dictum, give more, and you will have more. It may be wealth, talent, knowledge, ability, love, loyalty, friendship or experience, sharing these values would not diminish their quantity, but increases it. Your worth would be determined by the quantum of talents you share with others. Look at nature. It is all giving every where. The lamp burns itself, gives light to others. The cow grazes the grass and gives milk to others. It does not drink its own milk. A tree does not deny shade even to the wood-cutter. The honeybee works hard only to produce honey which you relish. Nothing exists in this world for its own sake, every thing is for everything else whether it is Sun, or Moon, or hill or river. Man is the only exception who thinks first of himself and then of others. The wisdom of self is the wisdom of rats that are sure to leave the house before its fall. We need the fidelity of dog that never deserts its master. 326 My Life In the busy schedule of University service to find time for any constructive social work is difficult, but where there is a will, there is always a way. Having passed through the school of adversity myself, I could well realise that we should be agents to relieve the distress of others, and to extend a helping hand to those who are involved in such work. Still better service would be to initiate some project which would be beneficial to the society. I feel happy in both these sectors I have contributed a tiny bit of my own ability. As the Warden of New Muslim Hostel, as the founder of Muslim Education Society, as the funder of Sultan Shaheed Education Trust, as the Editor-in-Chief of Urdu Daily SALAR, and Weekly SALAR, as the founder, publisher and editor of Ujrdu quarterly periodical, Noor-e-Baseerath, as the founder President of Dars-e-Iqbal and as the President of Mountain View Chain of Institutions, I have rendered a tiny bit of service to the society. For over a decade I was the Warden of the New Muslim Hostel, Mysore, and at present its President. It was this Hostel which initiated me into social work, and it was this place which sheltered me during my entire period of education. While I was still a boarder of this hostel, it occurred to us that we must collect some funds to help the poor boarders. I myself being a beneficiary of such help, I took deep interest in this project during the holidays, mostly during summer, when we would go to different places and collect funds. I still remember several visits to Bangalore City where we would go shop to shop and collect small donations. It is not easy to raise funds in such a manner. People would suspect that we might misuse money and hence they would first check our bonafide. Very few would open the purse. Still we would collect something. At other times in Dasara or Christmas holidays we would take receipt books to collect donations from our native places, but the yield was not always much. Two other methods we adopted were fairly My Life 327 successful. One was to use the occasions of both Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha, when we boys stretched our towels before the congregation in the Eidgah and begged donations. The response would be not much below the expectations. But the second method yielded substantial results. It was to approach the proprietors of Cinema houses to give us a benefit show. At least two or three theatres would give us such shows in a year. We would work hard for nearly a fortnight selling the tickets, go door to door and persuade people to purchase the tickets. If the picture was good, we would get more money. Out of this we had to pay a part of it to the proprietor towards electricity and other incidentals, and even then we would save a lot for the Hostel. This activity was there when I was still a student and boarder of the Hostel. When I became a lecturer, the range of activities was extended. It was Mr.Mohamed Ishaq, at present oil merchant, in those days keeper of a Provision Stores, who persuaded me to accept the office of the Warden. It was the year 1956, when I received a post-card from him, stressing the need in a persuasive way to accept the job. Ishaq Saheb became a good friend of mine thereafter, and even to this day, more than half a century, our good relations persist. He is a very fascinating person, deeply involved in social work, helpful in many ways to the students, and in particular to Medical College students, perhaps not a single Muslim Medico might have escaped his contact. He knows them all, their social background, and their entire history. He is knowledgeable on current history, political figures, religious dignitaries and other intellectual personalities, such as Maulvi Mohamed Khan Saheb and others. His memory is fantastic and he could quote Urdu verses in any number. He is a member of the Hostel Managing Committee and even to-day he takes interest in its activities. When I took charge of this Hostel, two things I did which are note-worthy. One was to motivate at least a few of 328 My Life them to bring up to surface the best they had. Our boys have talent, but it must be tapped properly. I found a few of them were very intelligent, and they would prove to be a great asset if we bestow a little time on them guiding them on right lines. One of the boarders was K. Rahman Khan, M.P. at present Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, who has risen very high in the political ladder. He was the first Muslim to pass the Charters Accounts Examination and became a successful Chartered Accountant. Then he entered into politics, and became the first Muslim Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council at a very young age. He laid the foundation of Amanath Cooperative Bank, which reached the status of a Scheduled Bank, a rare honour. He was for a long time, over a decade, the Chairman of Al-Ameen Education Society, lifting it sky-high to have as many as 150 different educational institutions. Inspiring the youth to high ideals, prompting them to be creative and imaginative, guiding them to use their time, energy and talent in right channels, would surely result in very rewarding fruits. The other example I could quote here is of Qamruddin Abdul Rahman, who hailed from a poor family, but had the spark of intelligence. I extended him all support and helped him in his educational career. He was sharp and resourceful, industrious and intelligent, good in expression and clear in thinking. My guidance to such boarders shaped their future. Later he made a name in life, served in different places, in Baghdad, in U.K. in Africa, in USA, and even in UNESCO. What is more significant is that one individual from a very, very backward section of the society lifted all his kith and kin, near and dear to high position, and they are leading a very good life in different parts of the world, may be in Germany or in USA. This shows that social service involves detecting talent, scratching diamonds, even polishing pebbles, which would shine like bright jewels. My Life 329 Not only these two but also several others were transformed into bright jewels. One interesting change is of a mischievous medico turned into a noble soul. He was from Shimoga and was very naughty. Once in the playground he beat another player with chappal. The matter was brought to my notice. I sent for the boy and told him that the only alternative I had with me for his heinous act was to inform the Principal of his College about his conduct. It could be end of his career as a Doctor. He pleaded for mercy and I did not yield and said I was firm in my decision.Then I asked him who was the victim of his aggression. I was told he was a boy from Mudigere, a distant relative of mine. When I came to know that the victim was my relative, I told the Medico that I would take no action against him and that I have pardoned him only with the warning he should not repeat what he had done. He was astonished at my sudden change of attitude and enquired why it was so. I told him, the instance of Hazrat Ali in a campaign. Hazrat Ali had overpowered a rival in a battle, and he was about to strike him with a dagger sitting on his chest. The helpless foe down on ground did not know what to do when death was staring at his face. All he did was to collect spittum in his mouth, and spray on the face of Hazrat Ali. The reaction of Hazrat Ali was strange. He did not hasten to finish him off with one blow. He got up, released the foe and said, you go, you are free. It was indeed very strange behaviour in the light of what the foe had done, and he asked the cause for the strange act. Hazrat Ali said I was killing you for a righteous cause in the war, and now that you spat on me I would be guilty of taking revenge for a personal cause, if I killed you. Righteous cause was different from personal cause. The same thing is true in this case also. Earlier I was about to complain the Principal about your conduct for maintaining discipline in the Hostel. Now, if I were to do that, it would mean I took revenge on you because you insulted my relative. To avoid 330 My Life this blemish I am taking no action against you. This action of mine impressed the boy so much that he turned an exceedingly good boy, started praying five times a day and became a fine gentleman. He proved to be a very successful medical practitioner in Shimoga. Thus mercy many a time would prove more effective than poetic justice. Another instance of this sort, although not of Muslim Hostel, but of Ghousianagar, where later I started a School under Sultan Shaheed Education Trust, could be stated here, because it was also of similar nature. Ghousianagar is a slum area, poorest of the poor, where standard of behaviour was abnormal. A poor lady went to the police Station and complained to the Inspector, Ismail Shariff, that her husband was a drunkard and that daily he was beating her mercilessly. Mr.Shariff sent for the man and kept him in remand for three days. On the fourth day the lady came pleading for his release, saying he was at least feeding me and now I am starving. Shariff said it was she who complained his bad conduct, and again it was she who was pleading his case for release. Mr. Shariff called the man and said he would release on certain conditions. He agreed. First, he was to get up early. Second, he was to go to mosque for fajar namaz, and third, he was to report to the Police Station daily. He did that religiously and became a fine gentleman thereafter. Social reformation is a difficult task, but there are certain ways which would do miracles. As for the Hostel life I decided that the accommodation available was not enough for the growing demand. As early as 1927, about 15 rooms had been built which could accommodate only about 40 or 50 students, but the strength of boarders was yearly increasing. There was no dearth of space. Fortunately, Mirza Ismail Saheb had donated a sprawling plot of nearly 5 acres in the heart of the city. From 1927 to 1957 not a single room had been added. Thanks My Life 331 to Sahucar Mohamed Hussain of Arehalli and Sir Haji Ismail Sait of Bangalore there was a roof for a few needy. I decided to put up a Block in the open ground. That had become a necessity for one more important reason. A sprawling 5 acres of land was being used hardly by a few boarders, and much of the land was vacant without being used to any purpose. Moreover, the vacant land was all towards the main road, which attracted the attention of the Corporation. It had bad designs, why not pay some compensation and acquire this prime land ? When such rumours were there, I was greatly frightened and hastened to do something which would protect the prime land near the main road from the evil designs, of some hostile forces. Although my predecessor, Dr. Ziauddin had put up compound to our Hostel, yet the property was not safe. In such circumstances I decided to build a big residential block towards the North side which was exposed to Main Road. Fortunately the boys I had trained in the Hostel were very helpful. They came forward to collect funds from different places. I had an idea that those who paid a sum of Rs.1,500/- would be acknowledged as donor by putting a slab of their name above the door of that room. This idea occurred to me because that was exactly what Sir Syed had done in Aligarh. Sir Syed Hall, Aftab Hall and all other Halls carried the names of the donors inscribed on marble visible on the room they built. The cost of construction was so cheap that a room of 10 x 15 = 150 cft would cost just Rs. 1500/-. We started hunting for donors. Charity begins at home. I first tapped my own father-in-law, Janab G. S. Abdul Hameed Saheb of Gadabanahalli, who very kindly donated one room. Next I approached his elder brother, Janab G.S. Abdul Basith Saheb of Chikmagalur, who donated another room. The third room from Janab K. Abdul Khader Saheb of Golgonda Estate. I had to struggle very hard to extract money from him. At last I was successful. For the fourth room I had to make a 332 My Life long journey to Koppam in Andhra Pradesh, where the father-in-law of Mr.Firoz Nusrat Raheem, a big granite owner was living. He was kind enough to donate a room. Mr. Anwar Pasha of Chamarajanagar donated one room. In this endeavour, Mr. Ishaq Shaeb of Mandi market helped me enormously. He would accompany me every where. An interesting instance could be related how we both faced a very bad situation. One Mr. Sikandar Ali, was the DSP of Mysore, known to be very generous for good social cause. He was a bachelor, and being in the Police Department quiet well off. Mr. Ishaq Shaeb and myself went to his bungalow, one evening when it was getting dark. He thought that some beggars had come for charity. He let loose his bull-dogs on us. We ran from his house like mad persons nearly for a furlong. I could still remember that day how frightened and excited we were. It should be said to the credit of Sikandar Ali that next day when he came to know the purpose of our visit, he came to our Department, apologised for what had happened and gifted a munificent cheque of Rs. 500/- quite a handsome figure in those days. Another experience of mine in the process of fund collections could be narrated here. I approached a very wealthy Coffee Planter, who owned hundreds of acres of coffee land, and had lakhs of rupees cash in the bank. I spoke to him for three hours, and the only response I got from him was that if I were to repeat my performance of persuading him consistently at the rate of three hours per day for three months, he would not pay me three paise. With this reply I came back disappointed. A few months later he passed away. I approached his son and told him that I had bet with a friend that if your family were to give five rupees to our Hostel, I would give him Rs.100/- please see I should not lose the bet. This trick worked so well that he donated Rs. 500/- to the Hostel. My Life 333 For the construction of this Block I had to go from door to door, address the Congregations in the mosques and do every thing to collect even a few rupees. At last I was able to add ten new rooms to the Hostel, which was in those days Herculean task. I should say the Hostel boys were very helpful to me in this task. The second important thing I did to the community was the establishment of Mysore Education Society (MES) which is by Gods grace functioning very well. It is an obvious fact that the Muslims are very backward in educational field, and even at present after sixty years of independence we are at the lowest rung of the ladder. Education holds the key for their improvement, which our people have not realised. The masses are ignorant, and the oppressive poverty is such that they are forced to be victims of child labour, for what the one individual earns is not enough to meet both ends meet. Because of purdah, women stay at home and do not add to the income by working somewhere. Social, economic and political factors have reduced them to a helpless level. Politically they are not powerful after partition to make their voice felt at higher quarters, for the blame that they were responsible for the partition of the land still hangs on their head. All these factors have contributed to keep the largest minority in poverty, ignorance, apathy and superstition. Reflective minds even individually could contribute something to relieve the situation. While I was even a boarder in the Hostel I had entered into the field of social work, as indicated earlier that I was collecting funds for the poor boys of the Hostel. I was as a student going to the Mandi Mohalla for adult literacy classes in the evening. In those days adult literacy campaign had already started. But what made me think of an organized institution to do something substantial was my contact with Dr. P.K.Abdul Gafoor of Kerala. He was a dynamic person who brought 334 My Life about a great change among Muslims, both in educational and health sectors. It was he who established in Kerala Muslim Education Society which did yeoman service in starting several schools, colleges, hostels, hospitals, and even entering into the field of media. In order to encourage education, he instituted even scholarships to the deserving students. One of my relatives coming from a poor family had secured a seat in Medical College and it was difficult for the parents to meet the expenses. Dr.Gafoor had a scheme of scholarship even for students outside Kerala. I approached him, went to Calicut two three times, met him, personally, saw the good work they were doing including running an orphanage on very good lines. I was deeply impressed by the type of training in craft these orphans received in a wellplanned campus near Calicut. Dr. Gafoor had brought about a revolutionary change. Even to-day Kerala could be a role model for the Muslims of the whole country. My contact with Dr.Gafoor continued for a long time. It occurred to me why not we open a branch of MES in Mysore? The idea was good and I did that. It was at that time my wife suggested to me that if I was inclined towards social service, why not I bestow more attention to the roots of the problem, namely pre-primary education.That is the foundation which we have to make it strong. If good pre-primary or nursery schools were to be started, we would catch them young, mould their habits, and sow such seeds which would yield them good results. The idea was good and I started implementing it. In Mandi Mohalla near a mosque we rented a room and the first Nursery or Phool-Band came into existence. First, it was a branch of Kerala MES. Later, we thought we could be independent of others, for contact from one State to another would create problems. We established our own Muslim Education Society which was registered. My Life 335 I became the President of the Society, and Dr. Jalees Tareen of the Geology Department of Mysore University became its Secretary. He was a very dynamic, industrious and imaginative person. Together both of us started building a fine structure of pre-primary schools. One after another we opened nearly sixteen Nursery Schools in very thickly populated areas of Mandi Mohalla and Lashkar Mohalla. It did a few good things. It excited interest among the parents that the child could as well spend the time at school rather than at home until he reached the age of admission to first standard. The School would not only take care of the tiny tots but also put them on right lines for his good future. The parents would be relieved of this duty for a few hours which they could utilise for some fruitful tasks. From the educational point of view that is the period most crucial for shaping the future of the child. No service could be more useful than to mould the character of the child. Starting the schools was not so difficult as maintaining and sustaining these schools. For any institution finances form the heart of the problem. Who would give money ? If we charge high fees the Schools would be closed, for utter poverty of the parents together lack of infra-structure on our part would force the institutions to be closed. We passed through difficult times. Unemployed ladies who had nothing else to do at home had joined our institution, but they too had to be paid. At one stage we reached a crisis when salaries had to be disbursed. I approached Janab Aziz Sait Saheb, who had become a Minister at that time, and explained to him our problem. He went inside and came back with a bundle of Rs.5,000/- and kept it on my palm. My joy knew no bounds. That was in a way the seed money. It was as if a blessing. We were so exhilerated that from that day we did not look back. We had faith in Almighty who tests your love, your labour, your patience and your commitment to the cause. If you are honest and steadfast Gods bounty descends 336 My Life from the heavens. Your interest, involvement, integrity and industry are the bricks with which the mansion of any educational institution could be built. Fortunately, a few dedicated individuals too extended their support to us, one of them was Baba Saheb, a very fine gentleman, who had a heart to help others. He extended full support to me. The idea was to seek Govt. grant. How to do that was the job. Govt. rules permitted grants to preprimary schools of minorities. We had quite a few of them. The salary of the teachers was a meagre figure. He hatched a plan. He told me that some agency would get us the grant cumulatively for the past two or three years since the inception of the Nursery Schools, provided a certain figure by way of inducement was offered to them. The demand was for Rs. 8,000/- which was very high figure for us, but this would be an inducement to receive the arrears since the inception of the schools which would be nearly 2 or 3 lakhs. When we were struggling for a few pennies it was a problem to spare Rs. 8,000/- although the temptation to get the grants was urging within. But common sense would prompt us also to think that we would be risking too much, and it would be a high stake, for we never knew it could be a deception to walk off with our assets. Nevertheless, we took the risk, collected Rs.8,000/- for which Baba Saheb was responsible, paid that to the Secret Agency, and awaited the results. Fortunately, it clicked. It was not deception or conspiracy but the reality of the situation that miracles are possible in governmental affairs, provided sufficient greasing the palm was done.The Government sanctioned grants to eight of our Nursery schools, and we got the arrears of nearly three lakhs, which was substantial sum, with which we moved up from pre-primary to primary and higher primary schools. Later we moved up vertically, took a big plot of land in Eidgah ground where not only a high school but also a College is functioning. This happened after I laid down the office of the President My Life 337 of MES to take charge of V.C.s post in Mangalore in 1980. It should be said that the developments of MES were not exactly what we wanted to achieve. Our aim was to strengthen the base first, make the pre-primary and primary strong to feed good students to higher classes, and pay attention to wide-spread horizontal growth of educational sector. This did not happen in MES after I left it. They concentrated on higher education, college level, vertical growth neglecting the horizontal growth, the base. The neglect of pre-primary and primary led to disastrous results. Problems galore arose which the Management was not able to respond. We had received govt. grants for these schools, and that should have enabled us to build quality education, and make them as popular as the Christian convents or Rotary Schools. Far from that a situation arose where many of these nursery schools were closed, an unspeakable tragedy of Muslim short-sightedness, apathy and incapacity. Great is the man who saves a drowning man; what to say of a man who drowns d Phul-Band a swimming person ? That is what happened to Phul-Ban or Nursery Schools, which were more than a dozen, and which had been raised by sweat and tears and blood of mine. The tragedy happened because of a technical difficulty which could have perhaps solved by a little tact. We had received government grants, the salary was on par with government schools, ours were aided-schools where the teachers were entitled not to provident fund, but to pension. Some mischievous elements excited the teachers to demand provident fund benefit as well. The teachers said that the pension would be too meagre fund for their oldage and wanted provident funds. The Central Government also supported the teachers and the result was a crisis. The Management had to shell down lakhs and lakhs towards the arrears of so many years of the past which they could not afford. The teachers too remained adamant. Instead of solving the problem the 338 My Life Management decided to close down the schools which were more than a dozen in number, located in the heart of the city rendering service to the poorest of the poor Muslims in the thick pockets of the community. It was a terrible tragedy reflective of the incompetency of the Management. Any excuses to justify the closure would not hide the fact that we are very, very poor in organizing schools. The only saving clause is that MES is now concentrating on vertical expansion. If this was a partial failure of our efforts to build educational institutions to promote pre-primary and primary education, there was a total failure in my efforts to build Sir Syed Hall in the City of Mysore, a project of social work conceived not only to provide a good congregation hall for functions, social and educational, but also a centre to provide craft skill to the youth to stand on their own. After my retirement as V.C. of Goa, I invested lot of my time and energy in this project. The year was 1998, the centenary year of Sir Syeds death, the leader who had brought about a renaissance in the Muslim thinking and had changed the course of history. The whole of 19th century was Sir Syeds Centuary, but for whom we would not have been what we are to-day. This much of ability to hold high our head was all due to the services of Sir Syed. Being a product of Aligarh and a fan of Sir Syed, I desired to commemorate his name in Mysore through a Memorial Hall. For this the first requirement was land. I struggled hard nearly for a year to get a good plot of land. Luckily there was such a plot of land down below the Eidgah mosque, a part of which had been acquired by a Motor garauge repairs. Adjacent to that on the road side there was an open ground which was ideal for our project. It was a Wakf property which could be leased out for certain period on a few conditions. I moved earth and heaven to get this land, and My Life 339 was finally successful. It needed all my efforts, energy, time and resources moving up and down to Bangalore. Fortunately for me the Chief Executive Officer of the Karnataka State Wakf Board was Mr.Miniruddin, a KAS Officer, who was known to me. He was very helpful. I saw him several times and finally the matter reached the finalisation stage. I got the information one day that I should come with all the documents for the papers to be signed and finalised. He gave me a time at 10 A.M to see. I went there at the appointed time and handed over all the papers. He said the documents were all to be scrutinised by a legal expert, and hence I should see him at 2 p.m. by which time the matter would be scrutinised. I went there at 2 p.m. and the Legal expert had done the job, but Muniruddin had gone for lunch, he was not there to sign the papers. At 3.30 p.m. I got a call from Muniruddin that he was held up in a court hall where some legal issues needed his presence, and that he would be back latest by 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. I sat there waiting for Muniruddin. The clock struck 5, and then 6, and then 7, and then 8, and Muniruddin was no where to be seen. I was there in his chamber sitting like a statue, unheard unseen, unknown to any one there. At 6 p.m. even the attender left the office saying his Boss would be coming any movement. To my misfortune even electricity was off around 7.30 p.m. and there was no candle near by. None was there except one soul. I was simply sitting doing nothing, just waiting; each moment seemed an age. At last around 9 p.m. I got a call from Muniruddin enquiring whether I was still there in the office. I said yes, and also the fact that there was no light. He apologised and explained his helplessness in the tribunal case where his presence was essential. Around 9 p.m. he rushed to his office, and we signed the papers under the candle light. He searched for the seal and that was done. I got the clearance from Wakf Board, and the property now belonged to our Sultan Shaheed Education Trust. I went 340 My Life from the office late in the night to my daughters place in Mathikere, overjoyed that I had won the battle of Waterloo. The next step was to prepare a suitable plan for Sir Syed Hall. Mr.Mubeen, the Architect, prepared the plan which was not so attractive. Another Bangalore Architect who was engaged by Al-Ameen Education Society, saw the plan, and he would prepare a fresh one. He did it so well that Sir Syed Hall of my dream seemed Viceregal Lodge of Simla. We presented the Plan to the Corporation and religiously followed the procedure to get its sanction, paying the fee which was around Rs.60,000/-. The whole project would cost at least 2 or 3 crores. We got the sanctioned plan. Now the inauguration of the project engaged our attention. We made elaborate preparations. Nearly 24 to 30,000 rupees were spent on arrangements. I persuaded Janab Syed Hamid Saheb of Delhi, former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University to come and be our Chief Guest. He agreed and came all the way from Delhi. We invited Aziz Sait Saheb, former Minister of Karnataka, and Muslim leader of great repute. He was alive then. We invited Dr.Mumtaz Ahmed Khan Saheb, Janab Ziaulla Sheriff Saheb and other dignitaries. A gala function was held, and all wished us well. Then came the task of starting the work. One, Madanna, was our contractor. He did its gudli pooja and was about to start excavations for the foundation, when the whole project was tarpedoed. A few elements raised a hue and cry that such a Hall should not come in the precincts of the mosque. That would disturb the prayers. The mosque itself needed ground. All sorts of silly excuses made them obstruct the work. They physically forced our contractor not to dig. The matter became serious. We pleaded the mosque people that it would be an asset to the community, it would provide many amenities; it would do constructive My Life 341 work of training the unemployed for some job; it would provide a Community Hall for social and educational functions and so on. They would not listen. The matter reached the notice of Wakf Board. They called several meetings. The Mutwalli of the mosque was Akbar Saheb. He was the main impediment. For quite a few months we struggled hard to convince the people. They would not listen until the matter came to a crisis. At first they started abusing me. A series of phone calls in filthy language aimed at making us abandon the project. It was a nightmare every time to listen to this filthy language. When that attempt failed, they tried a last ditch, which was successful to their cause. One evening I received a phone call stating that my good friend, Janab Mohamed Ishaq Saheb, Mandi Market, unfortunately suffered a sudden heart attack and that he was no more, and that the Namaz-e-janaza would be held in Dargahi mosque after maghrih namaz. I believed the story and was about to start to go to the mosque. Even then it occurred to me that I should check the story. I called our Secretary Muneer Pasha to inform him that such a thing had happened. He was very resourceful. He telephoned Ishaq Sahebs and Ishaq Saheb himself answered the call and said that he was not dead, but hail and healthy. It was a serious plot. The idea was to watch my movement. When I was somewhere in the streets they intended to physically harm me, if not kill, at least to beat, or make me fall in the ditch. It was all done to force me abandon the project. They had engaged goondas for the purpose. Their last ditch acted in their favour. I abandoned the project, I had no stomach to proceed further. I did not like to invite further trouble. I gave up the project, although Aziz Sait Saheb came forward and attempted to persuade me not to abandon the project, and that he would see no physical harm would be done to me but I did not yield. 342 My Life When we look back we feel whatever happens is for our own good. It was a blessing in disguise that I gave up that project, for I would not have devoted so much time and energy for my own pet educational projects which I had undertaken in Ghousianagar and Radhakrishnanagar. Ways of God are mysterious, we judge things by their immediate results, it is the long term effects that are mere important. I thank God. He saved me from more troubles and led me towards more beneficial channels. In service to society I could count that I founded a Dars-e-Iqbal, an academic club which literary circle called Dars-e-Iqbal would meet every month on third Sunday in some place to have a discourse on the thoughts, philosophy, teachings and poetry of Allama Iqbal, one of the greatest thinkers of Islam in the 20th Century. If 18th Century was of Shah Walliyullah for the Muslims of India, and the 19th Century was of Sir Syed, the 20th Century was of Iqbal, who was a thinker, philosopher, reformer, poet and leader in more than one sense. Perhaps, no one in the sub-continent has attracted so much attention as this poet, on whom enormous literature, as much as 4000 books, they say, have been written in different parts of the world. It occurred to us that reflections on his thoughts and teachings would be useful to us, for we can make our own life better than before. With this intention we Dars-e-Iqbal. In this endeavour, established a forum called Dars-e-Iqbal Mr.Sarfraz Saheb of Majestic Electricals was very helpful. The first question was where to meet. We had no place of our own where we could meet. A helpful person, Attar Basheer Saheb came to our rescue, who said he had a big house in the Centre of Mandi Mohalla near Sultan Park, where in his big drawing hall, which can accommodate even a hundred people, we could meet. Before we shifted there, we met for a few weeks in a house near Govt. Mosque, not far from Central Police Station. We needed an expert on Iqbaliat. Fortunately we got Prof. Agha Suroosh, who had spent a My Life 343 lifetime teaching Iqbal to College students. I was also deeply interested in Iqbal, and I was and even now I am the President of the Forum. Allama Iqbals philosophy is very profound for certain key concepts such as self creativity liberty action change search for truth and most important love purpose of life . He has written more in Persian than in Urdu, but even his Urdu poetry is very, very significant which throws light more and conquest of nature on improvement of the self . His poetry has three important phases, the early phase which is reflective of his love of the land, patriotic feelings, need for Hindu-Muslim unity, and high appreciation of the beauty of India, such as Himalayas, its rivers, and its culture. The second phase is what he wrote in Europe. His visit abroad totally changed his thoughts. He condemned the western domination in every sector, their limitless greed, exploitation, sense of superiority and proslytisation. Religiously we are meeting in that forum. Agha Suroosh would explain the meaning and implications of some of his verses and hold a discourse, and I as the President would make a few concluding remarks. Fortunately this forum is still alive. After Basheer Saheb shifted his residence from Mandi Mohalla to his new and big mansion in Bannimantap, we held for some time our discourses there, but then he fell ill and we did not like to disturb him. Prof. Riyaz Ahmed, General Secretary of Azam Bait-ul-Mal, offered his library building located in Ashoka Road cross near St.Philomina Church, and we are now holding our meetings there. Agha Surosh is still active, although he has grown old and has his heart problem. Although I am not very regular, still I keep company with 344 My Life them. It is indeed a matter of great satisfaction that a literary forum is still alive. Knowing the psychology of the Muslims who are like soda-water, very enthusiastic to start with, and also very quick to cool off. This has not happened, fortunately, and that is the great thing about Dars-e-Iqbal. But my major contribution to the society is the ust, which is establishment of Sultan Shaheed Education Trust even to-day rendering yeoman service to the community. It was registered in 1992, and ever since that time it has gone on building institutions after institutions. A brief history as to what led to the establishment may be helpful in understanding the background of this Trust. I was in Govt. Service until my 65th year and retired from that service having been a lecturer, a professor and a Vice-Chancellor of two new Universities. For a period of nearly 45 years, I was in teaching, research and administrative job, when every minute was occupied doing govt. duty or taking care of the family. Now that I was free from both of those functions when children too got married and settled down some where, I did not know what to do. My coming back from Goa in 1991 caused me great unrest, for a busy man had nothing to do except eat and sleep. It was a kind of torture and every day I was growing mad. Nothing worthy of me suggested itself to me to keep me engaged. At that time, Mr. U. Nisar Ahmed was a S.P. of Mysore and he became a good friend of mine. We would meet often and discuss matters of common interest, mostly of the Muslim situation. I told him that I wanted to do something but did not know what to do. He took me to several places of Wakf land, and sugested that I should acquire some property or vacant land of the Wakf Board to do some social service. He took me to seveal vacant Wakf lands in the city. Nothing seemed to be suitable. In the first place to acquire the land from the Wakf Board itself was a Himalayan task. Even if we were to get it, where were the resources to put up structures and build institutions ? My Life 345 It would take ages, and resources of Tatas. I wanted some thing more pragmatic. Once he took me to Ghousianagar, a slum area built on unauthorized revenue lands, with 7000 houses with no power, no water, no roads and no drainage system. This pocket of land seemed to be of stone-age. In the midst of that slum, some one whose name was Abdul Jabbar, had built a Shadi-Mahal a wedding Hall. It was all a vacant building measuring about 60 ft. by 60 ft. Who would go there to celebrate the weddings? It seems Jabbar Saheb had mentioned to Nisar Saheb that if some one were to use the building for social work, he would give it for half the amount he had spent on its construction. He had spent Rs.3 lakhs and Rs.5000/had yet to be paid. That means the entire property would be available for Rs.1,55,000/-. We went to Ghousianagar, walked the distance for more than a furlong, saw the building which had two very big Halls, almost of 60 x 40 and four or five small rooms with other facilities of kitchen for watchman, a bore-well and so on. In the entire locality that was the major bore-well to supply water. He showed me this building and said this was ideal place for real social service. You would be helping those who deserved the help most. You would be doing that which would please not only the country and the community but also God. I seemed willing, for I would be getting a ready-made structure and that it was for half the price. It was a wind-fall, blessing of God, Lords mercy and my good fortune. When I showed my inclination, Nisar Saheb did not drop me at my residence, but took me to his own residence.That was almost 8 p.m. dinnertime. He telephoned Jabbar Saheb, summoned him immediately to his residence. We had a chat. Jabbar Saheb said that he would not only part with the property for half the price but also hand over the property immediately if a part payment of just Rs.50,000/- was made to him. I thought this was adding a jewel to the crown.I agreed immediately although I had no 346 My Life ready cash at the moment. The bargain was struck on condition that I would pay him the amount in two days. I came home that night, next morning I got up early, took my State Bank of India Mutual Bonds which had not yet matured. I had invested some money in those Bonds while in Goa so that the savings could be helpful for my retired life. I went straight to Bangalore SBI main branch near St.Marks Road and told the Manager that I wanted to sell those bonds. He said why do you sell those bonds premature, wait for some time, you will get full money, otherwise you would lose quite a bit. I said I wanted money urgently, and I do not mind losing a part of it. I got the desired money of Rs.55,000/- came home, handed over the money to Jabbar Saheb, got the keys for a School. That is how the seed was sown for some social service. Earlier something had happened before I got the property, and those events were also of great significance in bringing about our Sultan Shaheed Education Trust. Soon after I came back from Goa, not only the thought of how to keep myself engaged agitated but also something more. My brother-in-law, sisters husband Janab Belagodu Abdul Sattar Saheb was blessed with long life. He was alive in 1991 when I was a retired person. He would be crossing a century in another two years, for he was born 1893. Ideas were crossing my mind how to celebrate his centenary if he touched 100 years in 1993. My sister was also alive, who had four daughters and two sons. One daughter and one son were no more, the rest were alive. The family had grown with many children and grand children. I mooted the idea with this large family of quite a dozen. We had a meeting in my own house of important members of that family. One idea was to celebrate the centenary by a feast when we should hold a grand party in Belagodu and have a function and a dinner. Not only this idea, but several other ideas were also discussed. My Life 347 I said feasting was not desirable, please suggest something more useful and more lasting. Such ideas as instituting a scholarship to the poor, or building a room in his name in the New Muslim Hostel, and so on were proposed. Nothing gained unanimous approval, until T.C. Muneer Pasha, one of the family members, husband of Dr. Naseema Akhtar, granddaughter of my sister, suggested that the best thing was to start a school, even if it is a nursery school in the name of grand old man, for no investment is greater than investment in knowledge. I supported the idea and all agreed, and that is how the idea of Belagodu Abdul Sattar Nursery School came into existence in the building I had purchased in Ghousianagar. It was inaugurated on 6 February 1993, the Centenary year at the hands of the same U. Nisar Ahmed Saheb, who was instrumental in getting me that property in Ghousianagar. The first step of a long journey had been taken. By Gods grace we started the first nursery school in a slum area where there were no roads, no drainage, no water and no electricity. It was a slum area of over 7000 houses, a thick pocket of revenue lands where people were living in miserable conditions. There was a bore-well in the compound of our building for which there was great demand. You should have seen how people, men, women, children rushed to the truck which once in a day would bring water. Once I took Qamruddin Rahman whom I had helped to come up in life, and who had risen high in life working in UNESCO. He saw the scene of women rushing to get water from the truck and he actually shed tears at the plight of Muslims. In such an area we started a school in the name of Belagodu Abdul Sattar Saheb on 6 February 1993. By Gods grace it proved to be a great success. Things to-day have greatly changed. Roads are laid. Water is provided in taps. Electricity is made available and drainage facility too exists now in the locality. 348 My Life Since I had some idea about education, we did not confine our attention only to pedagogy in the school. We desired to make the school an agent of social change, for which we undertook different schemes. The first was to remember God. Muslims have to have faith in the Supreme and sublime Almighty and hence Deeniyat was the first programme we attached to the school. We designed to have our programme soon after fajar namaz, when children would come to know the basics of our faith. Nearly for an hour or two children, both boys and girls, nearly 200 to 300 would come around 6.30 a.m. to learn how to read Quran and also to know the elements of our creed. We appointed teachers for this purpose. There are nearly eight teachers involved in this job to teach children at different level, some very basic from alphabets, and others advanced how to read Quran. We taught them the basic teachings of Islam as well, such as the life of Huzur Prophet Muhammad and so on. I should say that another NGO with which Sarfraz Saheb and a few friends of Kerala are involved have extended support to us. Deeniyat was the first auxiliary to our Nursery School. We thought that the conditions of Muslims would improve not only through the eradication of ignorance but also through the removal of poverty. Oppressive poverty in a way was the root cause for all over problems, for it does not allow the poor even to educate their children, who are used as instruments to earn something in their childhood in order to help the family survive. Therefore, we thought any help rendered to remove poverty in however humble way it may be, would be most welcome. In our social system women are confined to the four walls of the house.There is a kind of division of labour, man to earn, and woman to cook. With growing population, scarcity of resources, lack of skill and unhelpful traditions have all contributed to our economic misery. If women, who are the roots of culture in any society, remain ignorant and unemployed, that society would ever My Life 349 remain backward. To remove this backwardness, we thought of providing some gainful employment to women who form half the humanity. Craft or skill is one of the ways to earn something. We approached Karnataka Women Development Wing of Wakf Board to sanction us some sewing machines, so that we could train the women in stitching and dressmaking. Luckily the Women Development Board has a scheme to provide such facility if our Trust were to bear half the cost. They would waive the other half. Every year we started getting 30 to 40 Sewing machines from the Wakf Boad, engaged a teacher to train them and then gift the machine to the trainee so that she could use it at home to earn something. The only condition was that she should not alienate themachine, should not sell it, but use it for the purpose of earning, to supplement the income of the family. This scheme we ran for quite a few years and distributed the machines free to women who were deserving and who had undergone the training in our school. We added a few more crafts to this Centre like Zarri work, painting and flowermaking etc. Apart from Deeniyat and Craft Centre, we thought of a clinic for women and children. We started the clinic in the evening by appointing part-time Doctors. Dr. Naseer Abbas of Mamta Clinic in Nelamangala was very helpful in providing us the required drugs and medicine for the purpose. Dr. Naseema Akhtar, Professor of Medicine of Mysore Ayurvedic and Unani medicine, was the physician who rendered free service for quite a long time. As the pressure of work was too much on her, this work is under-suspcion for the time-being. Hopefully we will start the programme as soon as suitable incumbent would be forthcoming. Yet another facility we have added in this campus of Ghousianagar is the school for disabled children. Luckily the 350 My Life Rotany Club of Mid-Mysore also came foreward to help us, and we run a school for challenged children where 30 to 40 children are being taken care of under three teachers. This school is in great demand and deserves to be developed. We are now seriously thinking how best to improve this. If possible, it is our desire to buy a vehicle for the transport of children. We are seeking assistance for this purpose. As our idea was to make this school an experimental laboratory of social work, we desired to have some activity from morning six Oclock to evening eight Oclock. We thought of adult literacy classes, which was so essential in order to remove ignorance. But a serious difficulty was that there was no power supply in that area for night classes. Khurshed Alam Khan Saheb was the Governor of Karnataka at that time, and I knew him very well since the days of my stay in Goa. In fact he liked me so much that he desired that I should stay with him in Raj Bhavan. Very often, he would assign me some writing work or other. This happened while he was still in Goa, when Sahitya Academy of India assigned him the job of writing a book on Zakir Hussain with special reference to his contribution to literature. Khurshed Alam Khan Saheb desired that it should be a joint work of both he and I, and that I should go over to Goa for a couple of days and stay with him in Raj Nivas doing nothing but writing the book. When this call came to him, I had laid down my office in Goa and had come back home. Responding to his call I went to Goa and stayed with him for nearly a month working full time on Zakir Hussain. He provided me all facilities and I worked fingers to my bone daily to produce a work. In the evening the Governor himself would step into my room, check what I had done day long, discuss certain issues which needed clarification, and he would add if something was missing. This went on for weeks until I completed the work. My Life 351 My stay and work in Goa, earlier on Life and Times of Zakir Hussain and later, his contribution to literature, impressed Khurshed Alam Khan so much that he became very fond of me, every time saying I should stay with him full time. Any way he assigned me a room in Raj Bhavan, Bangalore, to come and stay whenever I liked. Taking advantage of this I told him the social work I had started and that the programme I had to start a night school for adults which needed the special permission of the Government to have electricity. He gave a recommendatory letter to the Commissioner of MUDA (Mysore Urban Development Authority) which was the proper authority to give power supply. With that letter of the Governor I went to the Commissioner of MUDA, an IAS Officer by name Siddhartha, and presented that letter. He did not know who I was, and I had not seen him before. He took the letter, glanced through it and said, Well, you have brought a letter from the Governor, the Head of the State, and yet there is something higher than that, the law of the land, the rules and regulations which we the bureaucrats are supposed to follow strictly. The rules say that power should not be given to that area which are unauthorised, and which are illegally occupied by people in revenue lands. It would lead to serious complications. If I violate the rules and give you power, the Government would take serious action against me. At that time the Governor, whose letter you have brought would not come to my rescue. I said what I should do, as I am keen to do some social service to the poorest of the poor. He said, You seem to be an educated person. Why do you waste your time and energy on slums. Why dont you do some quality work in a good area. We have invited applications for CA (Community Amenities) sites in the City. There are quite a few CA sites available to those who wish to do real social service. He pulled the draw of his desk and gave me a copy of MUDA notification calling for applications to CA sites. 352 My Life He also said that if I were to apply, he would help me to get one of those sites. I took the notification. There was hardly a week for the last day to apply. The rules said that only a Registered Trust or a Society could apply for that, and that an initial deposits for each site of application should be credited to the Bank Account of MUDA. As the time was short, I worked very hard first in forming the Trust. I took 15 members as Trustees.That was the time of the celebration of the Centenary year of my brother-in-law, Belagodu Abdul Sattar Saheb, and hence mostly members of the family such as Dr. Naseer Abbas, T.C. Muneer Pasha, Nafees Ahmed, Mumtaz Ali, Khaisar Mahmood, Mohd. Ishaq (Munawar), Humayun, Noor Mohamed (Coir Merchant), Noor Mohamed (Yelwal Farm land) Mohamed Ishaq (Oil Merchant), Syed Azam, Zakir Hussain, Maqdoom Hussain and Sarfraz (Majestic) together myself as the President, were constituted. It was a long list of 15 members. I myself drafted the aims and objectives, and with the help of a lawyer, Iqbal Hussain, we framed the bye-laws and the structure of the Trust, which was quite a long document. We went, all 15 of us, to the Sub-Registrars office in November 1993 and registered the Trust as a social institution with the exclusive purpose of service to the community. The expenses for the registration of the Trust was quite manageable, within a thousand rupees, but the application fee and the deposit amount for the selected site in Sadgalli Layout, near Rajiva Nagar, which was in dimension 1 acre, was quite heavy. It was in those days nearly Rs. 60,000/-. We did not have a penny in our pocket. I had sold out my mutual bonds of the State Bank of India to buy the property in Ghousianagar. I did not know what to do. God came to our rescue. In the Trust Deed we had made Dr.Naseer Abbas as the Vice-President and T.C. Muneer My Life 353 Pasha as the General Secretary, and this humble self was the President. I explained the difficulty to Dr. Naseer Abbas. It so happened that he had saved a summ of money to pay as the capitation fee to secure a seat in a Medical College for his eldest son, Saqlain. But Saqlain was so intelligent and hard working that he got a seat under merit quota. When the family felt so happy at the success of the boy, the amount they had kept in the Bank for the purpose remained surplus. Dr. Naseer Abbas had the large heart to spare Rs. 60,000/ - to the Trust as gift to pay the initial amount for the applied site. Thus working very hard all these hurdles of forming a trust and arranging the initial deposit were all over, and we submitted our application for CA site in Sadgalli Layout. We waited for the results. True to his word Siddhartha, the Commissioner, recommended our case in the sub-committee and our Trust had the prospect of getting a vast sprawling plot of an acre and a half in the fast developing city of Mysore. The only thing that remained was the final ratification of this sanction by the full Board of MUDA. Then the bomb-shell came. Siddhartha was transferred from MUDA. Some one elase became the Commissioner. Politics strayed into administration. Powerful political lobbies came to know that a Muslim Trust was getting quite a chunk of land in the city. Forces started working against us. To our misfortune just at that time D. Banumaiah, a Political figure, a social worker, and an educationist who had built institutions, the most famous being Banumaiah College opposite to Palace, passed away. His wife started a campaign that as a widow she deserved most the CA Site recommended to our Trust. When the full Board met, she won the case less on sympathetic ground and more on political pressure. Her lobby was very powerful, and we were not aware what was happening. Our Trust was on God and then on Siddhartha, but Siddhartha was not there to argue our case. But I should also say to 354 My Life the justice of MUDA that they did not completely ignore our demand. As a compensation instead of 1 acres of land they sanctioned us an acre of land, something better than nothing, a crumb if not the full loaf. We would have been delighted if we had got the larger plot, but we should not grumble that we did not get what was recommended; we got what God wished we should have. It is Gods Will that finally prevails. Our site was not in Sadgalli, but in Yarganahalli Teachers Layout, which is at present named as Teachers Layout in Dr.Radhakrishna Nagar, Rajkumar Road, Mysore-570 011. This plot of land is over 230 feet in length and 110 feet in width, totally about 24,000 sft. Even this is a gift of God. The entire amount we had to pay for that was about three lakhs, which we somehow managed to pay. Thus, our Trust entered into the second phase of our activity with the allotment of a good plot of land in posch locality. We were working very hard in Ghousianagar to build a School, and develop that in different dimensions, so that it should not be merely a book-school, but also be a workschool. We desired to make it a multipurpose institutions, and hence thought of technical education as well. The idea was to train the unemployed dropped out youth in some craft such as fitters, mechanics, radio-repairs, electricians and others, mid-level technicians. It did not require deep theory classes, but only practical training. We tried for some time in these crafts, taking the help of J.S.S. The Govt. of India Schemes encouraged these crafts. We ventured into this field as well. We had two wings now in Ghousianagar. One for women and the other for boys. Women were engaged in sewing and men in machines. Taking advantage of our initiative, others too entered into this field of social service. Prof. Habibur Rahman also opened his Hilal Education Society and he did exceedingly good work. For six or seven years he worked very hard to build Hilal Education Society. It should be said to his credit that he attached a mosque My Life 355 also to his school. In the month of Ramzan, on the holy night of Shab-e-Qadar, himself being present in his own veh mosque, having performed the Tara araveh veh, while presenting the honorarium to Hafiz-e-Quran, he collapsed in the mosque itself. What a noble soul he was! How sacred was the end! How gracious God was on him! He breathed his last having performed the Taraveh on 27th day of Ramzan. One should have seen the way the people paid tribute to his memory by assembling in hundreds and thousands. Noble souls never die. They live in the hearts of the people. Good deeds make them immortal. Very few chosen by God would have such peaceful end and deparfture to the heavenly abode. May God bless his soul, and would to God Mirza Habibur Rahman could become a role model to one and all. We were like this in Ghousianagar when other NGOs also got interested in social work. One of them was MEWA (Muslim Employees Welfare Association) which set up a training centre for unemployed youth, and took up the mid-level technicians job which we were doing. It relieved us to concentrate more on women crafts and on educational programmes. At this time I attended a very important meeting in Delhi presided over by the Prime Minister of India, late P.V. Narasimha Rao. The Governor of Karnataka, Khurshed Alam Khan had become so good to me that he made me one of the Trustees of Dr. Zakir Hussain College in Delhi. This College had a history of its own. It was formerly called Delhi College set up by the British soon after the events of 1857 in order to please the public that the colonials were interested in promoting the culture and learning of the Indians. This Delhi College was the most reputed college where Maulana Hali, Mohamed Hussain Azad, Zakaullah, Inayautullah and other great luminaries of the scholarly world had taught. It was doing exceedingly good work when in the wake of partition it fell a victim to almost total destruction. In the riots and holocaust of those days 356 My Life its library and all other things were destroyed. The refugees had almost occupied the entire area, when Dr. Zakir Hussain risking his own life saved this college from total destruction. When he became the President of India, the Government honoured him by naming that as Dr.Zakir Hussain College and created an autonomous Trust for its functioning, the Chairman of this Trust being no other than the Prime Minister of India. There are a few permanent members of this Trust and also one or two rotating Trustees picked from all over India who have a standing in education and social work. I had the good fortune to be a Trustee of that very prestigious institution for a short time. When a meeting of that Trust was held, I was invited and it was held in the evening at the residence of the Prime Minister. The HRD Minister of the Government of India was also ex-officio member of this Trust, and at that time Gaekawad was the Union HRD Minister. He too came to the meeting and also Janab Sayid Hamid Saheb, Retired IAS and former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University whom I knew since the days of my Goa tenure. We were all chatting because the Prime Minister with his busy schedule would not be prompt in attending the meeting of an educational Trust. We were waiting and waiting. I was sitting next to Hamid Saheb, and talking everything under the sun to pass time. Naturally when we meet on such occasions the topic of the talk would be backwardness of the Muslim community, their ignorance, poverty, apathy and the need how best to improve their lot. In such a discussion sketching the conditions of the Muslims, I quoted the verse of the Urdu poet, Mr Taqi Meer, who had said : When I recited this, Hamid Saheb was excited to listen to this. It was a graphic description of the utter apathy, My Life 357 negligence, carelessness, indifference and hopelessness of the Muslim community which would be in deep slumber even on the last day of judgement, the crucial day of accountability when the fate would be decided either to go to hell or to heaven. Even on such a critical day the Muslim would like to have a snap until his name was called out by Almighty to present his records. He is saying to a way farer, if you happen to pass by this way, at the time my name is called out, please be kind enough to wake me up. When Hamid Saheb who is so quick to discern the full implications of this verse, listened to what I intended to convey, he said, you seem to be well motivated to do good to the community. Why dont you build a good educational institution, which is the only key we have for the Muslim upliftment. I am the Vice-Chairman of Maulana Azad Education Foundation, New Delhi (MAEF) and this Foundation extends help to all those who are readily interested to do some good work, not for name or fame, but only to please Allah. He also added that it was a grant mostly for women education, and that if you could prepare a nice project in this regard, MAEF was prepared to grant even 50 lakhs, which was the upper limit, and not more than that. When I listened to this, my inner joy knew no bounds. God was in His mercy showering blessings and blessings. I said I would surely do that. Having come back home from Delhi, the first thing I did was to prepare a nice project on Maulana Azad Residential Girls High School. I mentioned we had already a good plot of land in a posch locality given to us by MUDA for community service, and that if grants were given to us we would build a good institution. I realised the maximum limit was 50 lakhs and hence I prepared a project for 48 lakhs and sent it with all documents of our land, the Trust deed and other details. True to his word Hamid Saheb was helpful. He processed the papers speedily. Luckily the financial year was likely to end soon, and hence they acted fast. Within a 358 My Life month I got the good news that our Trust got the grant of Rs.45 lakhs to be paid in two installments for the project we had prepared. When I got this letter my eyes would not believe what was contained in the letter. Rupees Forty five lakhs as grants was quite a sum to a person who had not counted anything more than hundreds. To a person who was begging for pennies for a social cause, who was selling calendars to fetch one or two rupees for the poor boys of the Muslim Hostel, who was going from door to door to collect tiny amounts to build a block in the Hostel, who was selling Cinema tickets for the same cause, and who was delivering sermons in mosques to get charity, a lump sum of Rs. 45 lakhs was something like Prophet Moses going to Mount Sina to fetch a cinder of fire, and there he would be blessed not only with the vision of divinity but also the miraculous staff with which he could frighten the Pharaoh of Egypt. My position was exactly that. Ways of God are mysterious. God certainly helps those whose intentions are good, whose actions are good and whose relations with one and all are good. This was the seed money which came in a big way to build the several institutions of the Trust, which are nearly a dozen at present. I thank God, I thank Hamid Saheb and I thank MAEF for extending such a generous and helpful hand to me. It is interest, involvement, integrity and industry that pleases God. It is love, labour, patience and perseverance that pleases God, who says, you sow a tiny seed and I would reward you with countless number of fruits. The law of nature is there before us to learn the lesson of love and service. God tests our integrity and industry, gives us an opportunity to show your mettle, if you size up to Lords expectations, His graces would shower on you like monsoon downpour. MAEF was a milestone in the history of our Trust. My Life 359 There was no looking back thereafter. We had a dynamic Secretary, who knew the art of getting things done. We planned Maulana Azad Residential Girls High School. There were two things to be done, first, get the building constructed. We had a good plot of land given b y MUDA. We applied to the Corporation for licence, we got an architect, Mubeen, to design the building; he did; one Madanna was the contractor. Munir was there to supervise. Things went on smoothly. In less than a year in 1996 we completed the building. To obtain Govt. sanction for English medium school was a problem. It needed several visits to Bangalore. I did it. Fortunately a helpful officer was there who was good enough not to cause us great worry, and not to make us spend money greasing the palm. We got the Government sanction late in the month of June of that year. Although it was very late for admissions to High School First year, we did not hesitate to start the classes. By Gods grace our High School in the name of Maulana Azad came into existence. It is functioning exceedingly well, the results in the year 2006 were 100% success with several in First Division. We developed Ghousianagar school as well, which was our first step. It carried on multipurpose training programme, with Deeniyat, nursery, primary, upper primary, womens craft centre and a clinic. The building we bought from Jabbar Saheb, which was Shadi Mahal was not enough for our purpose. Not far from there we bought on the main road of that Mohalla a revenue site measuring 75 x 25. Some one had put a foundation on it. We started constructing a building to accommodate our growing needs. Attached to this plot of land, there were six other small sites of 25 x 20. We desired to buy it. Once I had engaged an auto-rickshaw to go to school which was driven by a person who had only one leg. He took me to the school, and on the way we chatted what we were doing in that locality. When he came to know what we had launched in the locality, he said his mother-in-law 360 My Life owned a site close to our newly acquired plot of land, and if we were interested we could buy it. I jumped at the idea, and said, surely we would do it. The price was also negotiated, and in the bargain we agreed that we would pay them Rs. 18,000/-. He agreed. I discussed the matter with our Secretary, T.C.Muneer Pasha, who is very resourceful. The parties came for the final deal. Mr. Muneer argued that the price of Rs.18,000/- was too high for the revenue land. It might have been purchased once for 500 or 600 rupees, and that we were doing charitable work for a good cause, and hence we could not afford that much. Those people were so much convinced that they were prepared to reduce the negotiated price and came down to Rs. 12,000/- giving us a concession of one-third of the original agreed price. The other people in the area who owned five other plots came to know that we would buy the land in any case. We were of course interested to make it a big plot, and I was not only eager but also anxious to acquire the whole unit before others entered into the competition. Then came the brokers for the other plots. They were all elderly, hale, healthy, unlike the poor auto-rickshaw driver who did not have a limb at all. These people seemed very pious with long beard in true Islamic guise. We sat for the negotiations. For the same bit of land which we had paid Rs. 12,000/- these people demanded Rs. 75,000/-.I argued and argued, and spent three hours to reduce the price. They would not listen. Our Secretary too used all his intelligence and persuasive powers to make them yield to a reasonable price. Just a week ago we had bought the same extent of land for Rs. 12,000/- and now these people were insisting on five times that price. Our Secretary was not at all for paying that much money, but I had an eye on the land, and felt land value would not come down. We are in their grips, they want to exploit us; if we miss the bus, another opportunity may not come again. With great difficulty we reduced Rs. 2,000/- we paid Rs. 73,000/- My Life 361 and bought this land. These are lessons of history. Human nature is complex. The poor have the heart of gold. A disabled person, and poor-widow could understand what we were doing, but people with the guise of piety have a shylock soul. Their look is different from their deeds. That is why Allama Iqbal has said : Any way, through these transactions we gained rich experience. God was good and we bought all the plots one by one to make it a presentable unit where we built two storeyd building, ground plus first floor in two wings. Out of those six plots we got five. The sixth one was not available as he was not prepared to sell. We added quite a few class rooms in this building which is quite sufficient for Nursery, lower primary and upper primary. A part of this is being used for literacy mission, Sarva Shikshana Programme Programme. Nearly 500 children are studying at present in this school. We have made the upper primary classes of VI and VII standards English medium, so that our children should not be behind any one in the competitive world. It should also be said that it is all up-hill task to give quality education in this slum area. The social background, the lack of interest, poverty, apathy are all inhibitive forces that impede progress in quality work. That was one reason why we concentrated in a different area for quality work. If Ghousianagar School was for masses for basic education, Maulana Azad institutions in Radhakrishna Nagar were for quality education. In Maulana Azad institutions we aiamed at shaping the future of our children on right lines. Fortunately we got good staff. In Mr.Mahboob Sharieff we got a good, 362 My Life experienced and mature Head Master. The initial stages are very crucial, and we did our level best to see quality was not compromised. We started nursery and primary classes also here. Our Secretary took pains to see that our infrastructure was second to none. We can boast that our nursery and primary schools in Radhakrishna Nagar are of high standard, on par with Rotary Schools or any Convent. Our idea was to have good feeding school of our own. Building institutions is not easy task. It takes every ounce of the energy and every moment of ones life to plan, implement and monitor the project. It is not only physical and mental labour that is required but also financial resources which are hard to come in our community. We have to beg for every penny. People suspect that their hard earned money would be misused. It is also the case in certain instances where institutions in the name of social service have become commercial houses to exploit peoples good will. In such a situation good institutions too would suffer. Fortunately I have waded through very hard waters and come through unscathed. I could recall how myself and our Secretary, Muneer Pasha have laboured hard, and both of us know every brick that has gone into the structures, every door and window would bear witness with what care we fixed them there. I would sit back seat on his scooter, a pinion rider, to move about here and there, and every where to find whether we could save a penny in the purchase of the material for construction. Muneer would ride a distance of 5 Km if he knew a particular truck load of sand would cost Rs. 5/- less than what others had quoted. He was on the staff of an engineering college and had gained immense experience constructing a number of houses, and hence knew what was available where, and at what price, and of what quality. This experience was a precious asset to us when we got an unbelievable grant of Rs. 45 lakhs. Every penny we have utilized in the right manner and we erected structures at a My Life 363 cost which was less than half the cost quoted in the market or at the prevailing rates. Not only we completed the ground floor, the first floor of the main school building but also the Hostel for the girls. We built nearly 250 sq.m. costing just about 30 lakhs, which would have been double the cost in the normal circumstances. The rest of the amount we spent on equipment and building other structures. Thus within five or six years we created assets of over a crore to the community, but our structures were still half complete. We needed funds. When 20th Century was over and when we stepped into 21st century, two good things happened to me in the year 2001, one was the haj-pilgrimage with Nafees Ahmed and Ashraf Jahan, which is already stated in this account, and the other was my visit to USA with the main intention of fund raising. Every year the Muslims of USA and Canada hold a convention in some big city or the other to take stock of the Muslim situation in the whole world and to suggest how best to make progress. In the year 2001 the Convention was to be held in Chicago. Dr. Naseer Abbas and Nafees Ahmed, both of them Trustees of our organisation suggested that we should go to USA and try our luck in fund raising. Their main interest was visit abroad, as they were very keen to see America, and my interest was fund raising, and not sight seeing, for I had been to USA, had stayed there for a year and had lectured there in the University of Georgia. But they planned in such a way that we should roam about the whole of USA, they would be visiting places for sight seeing and I would be lecturing at several Islamic centres to explore the possibility of fund raising. They planned that all expenses of my stay and tour in America, they would manage as they had friends and wellwishers all over, and I had to bear the cost of only air-journey to USA and back. The whole thing was well planned. The Convention 364 My Life was to begin on 1st September 2001, and would go on for three days in Chicago. We were to leave India on 28 August. When all plans had been finalised, my wife fell ill. She was almost on death-bed and had to be hospitalised. I thought I would not go. It was almost my final decision. My wife recovered a bit. She was discharged from the hospital. Even then I hesitated, for we never know the ways of God. It was at that critical hour, Mr.Muneer, our Secretary goaded me to go. He said God is great. You are going for a good cause. God will not let you down. He knows your intentions and purpose. Be bold and take a positive step. Opportunities knock at the door but once. Who knows something good may turn out from this venture. I listened to his advice and said, Gods will, and I shall trust in God and hope best for my wife. We left for America. Nafees was good in planning. Their main interest was tour of Europe and America, and hence they had planned exceedingly well with the help of the Tourist Bureau how best to see maximum number of places in the shortest time at the least cost to our purse, and mostly at the expense of the several Airways who had been engaged. We had several stops on the way to see Frankfurt and other countries in Europe before we touched New York from where we went to Chicago. In Chicago we stayed at the place of Dr.Mohamed Ismail Saheb, relative of Dalvi Saheb, well known to Dr.Naseer Abbas and a well-wisher of our Trust. We attended the Convention. I addressed a group and presented our activities. We had prepared a comprehensive CD exhibiting all social and economic activities of our Trust. One Dr Ghori was the Chairman of the Muslim Relief Fund where I had a power-point presentation. We met several dignitaries. Those days were prior to September Eleven, just on eve of that the good days, when the Muslims of America were on top of the world. The Convention was My Life 365 something like a mela when thousand and thousands of people had gathered under one roof, several discourses, lectures, presentations and resolutions were taking place. It was quite an enjoyable occasion. Visa to Muslims in those days was so easy that both Dr.Naseer Abbas and Nafees Ahmed just for applying got a VISA for ten years at a stretch. Later on when they tried for the VISA for their wives, Dr.Salma and Ashraf, it was denied. What was given to the husbands for 10 years before 9/11 was not given to their wives even for a day after 9/11. When the Convention was over, which was more academic to me than funds yielding, I planned a visit to Appleton, Wisconsin about 300 miles from Chicago. Naseer Abbas did not accompany me, for he wanted to go to his nieces place, whose name was Asma married to one Abdul Khader. Nafees and I went to Appleton, where Dr. Majid and Nasreen were living. Nasreen happened to be daughter of Nazeer Ahmed Saheb Mecci and Naseeba, whom I would regard as my own sister, for Naseeba happened to be the eldest daughter of Alijanab Jaffar Mohiyuddin Saheb in whose house I stayed during my school days. A reference to this already exists in this work. Dr. Majid was also from Hassan, son of Janab Abdur Rub Saheb of the department of Agriculture. Dr. Majid as a medical practitioner was leading an affluent life in Appleton in a big bungalow over looking a nice lake, owning even a Yatcht. As a successful doctor he had earned a lot and was enjoying a luxurious life. Both Dr.Majid and Nasreen were very happy at our visit, took us on their Yatcht to row over their lake. It was a picturesque place, almost like a paradise, so enchanting where nature stood in its pristine purity and beauty. It was Nafees Ahmed who enjoyed this visit more than I did. My job was to meet the circle of friends, both Pakistanis and others, presenting before them the projects we had, the kind of service we were rendering to the poorest of the poor, and the kind of help 366 My Life we needed for them. Dr. Majid also did a good lot of lobbying for me. Our project was to add Second floor to our existing building. He invited a good number of his friends to dinner where I explained our projects and programmes. They were generous and helpful in giving $ 4,000/- to build two lecture halls one in the name of the father of Dr. Majid, Abdur Rub, and the other in the name of Fox-Valley Association, the name of the donor organisation. Thus my first campaign was successful when I got four thousand dollars. Dr. Ismail Saheb was surprised and felt happy at my success, for fund raising whether in India or in America was not an easy task. My next visit was to Mr.Mohd Ismail of Columbus in Ohio. Mr.Ismail happens to be the younger brother of Mr. Noor Mohamed, son-in-law of my father-in-laws elder brother, Alijanab Abdul Basith Saheb of Chikmagalur. Mr.Ismail is an engineer who rose to a high position in USA as the Director of Road Transport System of Ohio State. He is very intelligent, God-fearing and helpful person who was very generous towards our Trust ever since its beginning. It was through him I got the sponsorship of Masood, my eldest son, for higher studies in USA, and it was through his sponsorship that Dr. Naseer Abbas, Mr. Nafees Ahmed and myself could plan a visit to the American convention in 2001. We had planned that I would stay with him for three days at Columbus, on 6th, 7th and 8th of September 2001. Soon after the convention in Chicago which was over by Sept. 2, I went to Appleton for 3 days to stay with Dr.Majid, as stated above. After that visit I planned to go to Columbus on 6 th September. Suddenly on the night of September 5, we got a call from Mr. Ismail that he and his wife were forced to go to Atlanta, because of the tragic death of his niece, sisters daughter, who suddenly died because of an accident. She was the daughter of Murtuza, my contemporary in New Muslim Hostel, whose children had settled down in USA. Nevertheless, Mr. Ismail told me that I could visit him, that My Life 367 all arrangements would be made for my stay in Columbus, despite the fact he would not be present. Accordingly I left alone for Columbus from Chicago, where Dr.Naseer Abbas and Nafees stayed back to see more places of USA around Chicago. I landed alone in Columbus where a Pakistani friend of Mr.Ismail, Janab Kokan Saheb was present at the airport to receive me. He took me to Mr.Ismails house, which was locked because of his visit to Atlanta. It was a very nice house in a quiet locality amidst picturesque surroundings. The neighbours took care of me. In the same town of Columbus lived Dr. Aziz-ul-Haque, son of late Janab Nabi Saheb of Basavanagudi of Bangalore, good family friends of my father-in-law. I visited him. His wife, Dr. Malika Haque, from Madras, a Medico, who was teaching in a Medical College, told me that she had devised a course in Islamic teaching for all the medical students of her college. The authorities accepted her suggestion that faith had healing touch, and would be very helpful in fast recovery of the patients. The basic tenets of all faiths which teach goodness, compassion,love, generosity and good will would all be helpful in the treatment of patients. It should be said to the credit of American open-mindedness that the authorities accepted her suggestion and introduced a course in Islamic theology in the syllabus of the Medical College. Dr. Azeezul-Haque took me to a very important Rugby Football match of a University. That match was the final of a tournament, and people had booked the tickets for months in advance. He possessed the tickets and we spent two to three hours watching the game. To me it was all funny. We were used to see regular foot-ball, cricket, hockey and tennis matches, but this American rugby seemed a little strange to me when the players would fall one upon the other, as if involved in a scuffle. Any way, it was a game, and the crowds would get excited whenever one team scored a point over the other. 368 My Life I could not collect much from Columbus, as Mr. Ismail was away from the town, still I could recall the warm reception of the Pakistani neighbours who did everything to make my stay very comfortable. My stay in Columbus for three days was sorrowful for one more reason. If Mr.Ismail had to rush to Atlanta for the sudden death of his niece, I heard from home the sad news that my eldest brother-in-law, Mr. Abdul Wajid suddenly collapsed in Chikmagalur. As stated earlier, my wife was not feeling too well at the time I left for America. For a good cause I took the risk of being away despite her illness. She was in Chikmagalur, and she had been admitted again into a Clinic as she too had some problem. A day previous Mr. Wajid, it seems visited my wife in the Clinic, felt sorry that she was so ill, went home, took his dinner, went to bed, but suddenly at 2 a.m. or so he felt the chest pain. It was a massive heart attack. By the time he could be rushed to the hospital, he collapsed. This sudden news flashed to me to Chicago from where I got it at Columbus in Ohio. This sudden death of a dear one made me very sad and depressed. I was all alone, in a different land, none but a telephone wire being the only link between me and the whole universe. Moments of sorrow ignite memories of the past. I sat down and reflected and reflected on the past, events of over half-a century when several and several things had happened, some very good and some very bad. In 1993, suddenly a co-brother of mine, Mr. Muktar Ahmed, husband of Azra, collapsed suddenly doing yeomen service to humanity. He had helped, guided, and steered the ship of Azras educational empire, and he died within a few hours even before he could be taken to Unity Hospital in Mangalore. In 1997 another co-brother of mine, Dr. S. Abdul Kareem, the pride of our family, a high star officer of great repute, who had risen high in official cadre, retired as the Joint Director of the Health Services of Karnataka, a loveable person of great undestanding, wise and My Life 369 mature, far-sighted, passed away, being admitted to Mallya Hospital. He had left us green memories of his goodness and affection, sharpness and intelligence, integrity and industry, which were all put to so good use that he lifted the Al-Ameen Medical College at Bijapur to a high level. We had hardly recovered from this shock in 1997, soon followed in the next year in 1998 the death of another co-brother of mine, Mr. Gulam Ahmed of Hassan, a gentleman to the core, a person who would go out of the way to help others, a person who had in his genes the qualities of his grand father, Al-haj Sahukar Mohamed Hussain of repute, so generous, so hospitable, so service-minded, so compassionate and so humane. Hardly had this happened we lost another member of the family, Muneera, wife of Gulam-e-Ahmed, younger sister of my wife, who too possessed qualities, which were all highly admirable. Her hospitality knew no bounds. God had not blessed the couple any issue of their own. They adopted two children, a boy and a girl. The boy was Faiz, nephew of Mr.Gulame Ahmed, and the girl was Nageena, a destitute, whom Muneera adopted and loved more than her own child. Nageena was an extraordinary beauty, so good looking and charming that every one appreciated the good taste of Muneera. She brought up these two children, gave them good education, married them and endowed on them enough property for them to lead a good life. Muneera passed away in 1998. When all these three shocks were not as if enough, I got the news, that too in a distant land that Wajid Saheb was also no more. Wajid Saheb was unique in his own way. He possessed immense creative power. His special field was agriculture. Not having been a student of any agricultural college, he thought of the Japanese way of paddy cultivation. He introduced that in his paddy fields and was so successful in 370 My Life his experiments that others followed his example. He was very original in his thoughts. Away from the plantation at Gadbanahalli, he set up a farm of his own near Sakrepatana, over 20 acres, near a big beautiful lake, and the farm had both wet and dry lands. There was a farm house. He had married Rafath, daughter of Prof. Abdul Shukoor, who was once my colleague in Maharajas College, later became Professor of Economics in Farooque College in Kerala. Rafath is a remarkable lady, so pious, God-fearing, hard working, lovable and affectionate. We would go to their farm on vacations, and enjoyed the trips, the lake view, the forests, the birds, the wild animal. Shaeeb Ali was a good hunter, and we would enjoy to our hearts content in that farm. The couple had two children, Nadeem, a boy and Hina, a girl, both of whom very promising in life. They have settled down now in life, Hina is in Canada married to an Engineer and Nadeem doing business in Bangalore. All these facts flashed my mind when I heard the sad demise of my brother-in-law, Mr. Wajid. But more tragic, more disastrous news of world significance was to follow within two days after my return from Columbus. I came to Chicago, and joined the group of Dr. Naseer Abbas and Nafees to proceed to San Francisco, California, where Mr. Inamdar Saheb would be our host. We landed in Sans Franscisco on September 9, 2001, where Inamdar Saheb had made all arrangements. Hardly a day, Sept. 10, was over, we were having our early morning tea at 6 a.m. when suddenly Nafees Ahmed rushed to my room, and asked me whether I had listened to T.V. and heard the ghastly news. I said No. We switched on the T.V. and lo! We were witnessing the most horrible, the ghastly, the tragic news of World Towers in New York burning. They were literally on fire. The flames were rising sky-high, there were black clouds all around, the T.V. announcers loudly crying, America is under attack, America is under attack. You cant My Life 371 imagine what was happening. Not only New York World Towers, but also Washingtons Pentagon too were under attack. Not bombs, but planes which were high-jacked by terrorists were dashing against these structures and reducing them to ashes. History of the world was being changed. We were witnessing it over the television what was happening. If a personal dear one were to pass away through natural death, it was a personal loss of an individual, but if a country were to be attacked, it was disastrous to humanity, to the world at large. If that attack were to be on a country which was super-power, leader of the world, shaping the destiny of many other nations, at the summit of political power, financial power, intellectual power, in the vanguard of inventions, scientific discoveries, military power, economic strength and political hegemony, one could imagine what a terrible havoc it would lead to. September eleven became a tragic day in the history of the world. What happened thereafter and what is happening even to-day was all the product of what happened on 9/11. It was a catastrophic day that turned history. America was a super power and none could dare look at it in a sarcastic way. Far from that now its places of pride, the citadel of strength, power, command, and the towers of worlds wealth, the financial hub of whole globe, the marvels of technology, the Mecca of financial wizards were all under attack. The whole world was witnessing the drama that the pride of America was up in flames. The wallowing and weeping, the distress and the disaster, the havoc and the chaos were such as to escape description. The hell itself, as if, was let loose, and man was aghast at what he was looking at. Man has witnessed many a Waterloo before, but never had one seen so few, hardly 19, done so much havoc to so many and in such a short time. Accidents, chances and coincidences 372 My Life change history, but here was a lava burst out on one who had perpetrated misery in every corner of the world, and the nemisis was over taking a Dracula, who had in the guise of bringing a new world order caused so much misery to mankind. Quite a few days before dropping the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, America had bombed Tokyo in May 1945 which killed as many as 1,90,000 men in a few moments. That was the carpet bombing. Then followed a few weeks later atom bombs which took the life of hundreds of thousands. Greed poisoned the soul of America which attacked for no good reason, Korea, and the war took a heavy toll of innocent men, women and children in numbers that could not be counted. A country that was united was divided into North Korea and South Korea to perpetuate tension between two brothers for all time to come. As if the war in Korea was not enough, America invaded Vietnam and fought a war of attrition, nearly for a decade. Here it used even chemical weapons, but liberty is so dear to man that Vietnamese were equal to the task to defend their land. They stood firm and retaliated the attack with such good measures that America lost thousands and thousands of its soldiers, drained its resources in this perfectly useless war, raised loud protests within its own country and was forced to withdraw under humiliating conditions. Far more grave was the American policy to support the Jewish lobby to create Israeli which was injecting poison into the conjugal vein of the Arab land. Palestine was Arab land from hundreds of years since the days of Hazrat Umar, when peacefully in 637 A.D. the people of Palestine, the Christians, had handed over authority to the Muslims. When the Christians attempted to seize it during the crusades, Salahuddin Ayubi was brave enough to inflict a blow on them and recover the sacred place. Ever since that time in 1147 My Life 373 A.D. Palestine was under the control of the Muslims. It was in the First World War of 1914-18 the imperialists maneuvered under mandates to occupy Palestine and encourage Jewish immigrants. But it was America soon after Second World War that was responsible for the creation of the Jewish State of Israel in 1948, which ever since that date drove away the majority of the Arabs from their home land, occupied more than 70% of the Palestine, fought three major wars in that area, occupied a good part of West Bank, Gaza and Golan heights of Syria, enslaved the Arabs, forced them as refugees and inflicted such pain and misery that even now the Palestinians are under the control of Jews. More than 50 years of misery was all due to the consist support of America to the Jewish State of Israel. Apart from these political interference in the Islamic world, America had sucked the resources of the Islamic World. In the guise of friendship towards the Shah of Iran it sucked all the oil resources and made the Iranians so angry that there was a back lash and a revolution in Iran where Ayatulla Khomeni threw out the Shah and established an Islamic State. It is again America that has exploited and is exploiting all the oil wealth of Kuwait, Muscat, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States of the Emirates. It has controlled the oil wealth of the entire region. It was the American policy towards Palestine that was the root cause for all the lava bursting in the heart of Muslim world. Sensitive Youths who were saturated in the glory of the Islamic past would not stomach the continued humiliation, western domination and cultural degradation in not responding to colonial challenges, which had erupted in the new guise of liberalization, globalization and privatization. As a result of all these simmering causes a few youth had been powerfully influenced by the reactionary forces that had emerged under the leadership of a Saudi, Wealthy 374 My Life resourceful leader named Asama-bin-Laden. He is from the aristocracy of the ruling class of Saudi Arabia, who had been in the American Camp as long as Soviet Union had occupied Afghanistan. He played a key-role with the help of the Americans to drive away the Soviets from Afghanistan. He learned all the arts and tactics of underground work of subversion. When the Soviets left Afghanistan, the vacuum was filled by a group called Taliban. They were reactionaries, deep in the religious thoughts of reviving the glory of the past and introducing Islamic law or Shariat in the State administration. When they over-powered all their rivals and established their own authority, they had a chance to enforce Islamic laws, which they did. This infuriated the whole Western world. It was here in Afghanistan where Asama Bin Laden initiated his Al-Qaeda movement, which was to liberate the Islamic world from the clutches of Western domination. His movement was intensified because of one more important political reason, and that was the First Gulf War of 1991-92 when Bush the Senior, President of America, declared war on Iraq, defeated Sadam Hussain, President of Iraq who had foolishly provoked this war by needless invasion of Kuwait. The Americans who were waiting for an excuse to fish in the troubled waters of West Asia, immediately jumped into the fray, organised a global coalition of several western powers and fought a war against Saddam. Unfortunately, Islamic States too such as Saudi Arabia and the Emirates of Gulf and Iran too joined this coalition. Iran had a reason to join because Iraq had invaded Iran in the 80s and had fought a long war of attrition. Obviously a small State like Iraq could not stand against such a powerful coalition of several mighty powers, such as USA, UK, France, Germany, Australia and Canada. The result was disastrous to Iraq. Saddam was not My Life 375 only defeated but was humiliated in the sense that the Security Council imposed long-drawn sanctions which crippled its economy and inflicted severe hardships on its people. Worse still this war gave an opportunity to America to station its armed forces in seveal Islamic countries such as Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. It is the presence of these American forces in Saudi Arabia that infuriated Bin Laden. He planned retaliation. He could not fight a war, as an individual or at best a terrorist group could hardly face the Super Power of the day. What he did was to train a few youth in terrorist activities to hurt America in the most sensitive areas. No place stood more glaring in his eyes than New York and Washington, one the Centre of Wealth and the other, hub of Political power. The World Trade Towers of America were the symbols of modern marvels of financial manipulations where the human skill had touched the peak in the art of commercial sorcery. Again Washington, the nerve-centre of Super-Power where Pentagon was located, was the command and control of the modern Pharah or Alexanders, claiming America was the Centre of the Solar System round which all others had to rotate. It was this country that was under attack on that day 9/11. About nineteen pilots organised a conspiracy to hijack four commercial aeroplanes taking off from New York. These youths, mostly Saudi Arabians, dodged all security checks, boarded the plane, kicked the pilots, hijacked the plane and dashed against the World Trade Centres, twin towers, one after another, and set ablaze them in a manner the World had never seen before. The third plane aimed at Pentagon, hit that centre, damaged a good part of it, but did not destroy it completely. The fourth plane planned to hit the White House, the power centre, the residence of the President, but the passengers overpowered the hijackers and 376 My Life diverted the plane to a different place where it crashed. All passengers were killed but White House was saved. This affair that happened was at a time when I was in San Fransisco witnessing the whole drama on T.V. which was showing again and again the Towers going on flames. It was the most sensational and disastrous day for America which was so long boasting that none could point a little finger at it, and that any attempt to shoot at it would be frustrated the moment you think of it. Now the destruction had become an actuality and the millions and millions not only in America but also in the whole world had witnessed how helpless America was to prevent its own destruction. Never had America suffered greater humiliation at the hands of so few and so suddenly. The whole world sympathised with America, which thought of taking revenge in a brutal way on the entire Islamic world. A question arises who was responsible for it ? Obviously they say it was Al-Qaeda of Asama, who had planned very skillfully the entire terrorist attack. But several other theories have also been advanced. The secret service, CIA, was aware of it. Deliberately it let loose something to happen in order to gain an excuse for attacks on Islamic countries. Mr.Bush, the President was not present on that day in the White House. He was away in Texas in his own Ranch. Not a single Jew went to work on that day to the Centres of World Trade. Nearly 3000 people were there. Except the Jews all others were present. Why were they absent ? Again when Pentagon was hit, it was damaged, but not destroyed. When World Towers were hit, they went on flame, the whole of them, not one or two storeys but the entire structure which were so strong, so well-planned, so fire-proof, yet in no time they were reduced to ahses. Research is going on into this question, and American scholars are advancing the theory that without prior planning My Life 377 of the destruction, just the hit of the plane would not have caused this havoc. Whatever the cause, the hijackers opened a new chapter in history where man reversed his march from development to destruction. The new chapter that was opened was one of confrontation, wars, ravages, invasions, occupations, misery, death and destruction, mostly of the innocent, of the masses belonging to the Islamic world. America went beresk, lost all sense of balance, invaded Afghanistan, removed Talibans from power, occupied that country, and caused untold misery to the people. Afghans are freedom loving people. They would not tolerate foreign domination. But a backward country could not openly challenge a host of powerful foreign powers with all their deadly weapons. What the liberty-loving Afghans are doing is to surprise the foreigners through suicide attacks. It is a powerful weapon, a human bomb, where selfrespect results in self-destruction, but not before hurting the foe, who coming seven seas across, is attempting to establish his authority, his ways of life and culture, his institutions and his own morals and manners. The war is still going on and will go on until truth and justice prevails. Not being satisfied with the occupation of Afghanistan and liquidation of Taliban, America took revenge by capturing hundreds and thousands who were not only imprisoned but also sent into captivity to a distant land near Cuba, Guintanoma Bay, where inhuman, brutal, savage punishment and torture were inflicted on those who were fighting for the liberty of their land. Those who were not involved in the attack on America have been needlessly put to torture. It is a blot on the fair name of America which boasts itself of high civilisation. It is a curse on that country which is inviting the wrath of God sooner or later. Bush was not satisfied with the invasion of Afghanistan. The neo-conservatives dream of converting the 378 My Life whole world to their way of living, thinking and doing. They need the oil wealth of the Middle East. There is no end to their greed, nor to their high handedness. A dragon would invent some excuse to devour whatever comes his way. Bush planned invasion of Iraq. USA policy towards Iraq was most inconsistent. There was a time when Sadam was their darling. They helped him with arms to the extent of becoming a power in West Asia, so that he could wage war against Iran. They encouraged him to invade Kuwait. Once they thought that he was powerful enough to stand on his own, and not become a puppet, they changed their policy and became his bitter enemy. Very adroitly Sadam was playing the game of making one Western power a rival of the other in the economic field. Both European Union and United States wanted the share of the oil wealth of the Middle East. Saddam was adopting the policy of best advantage to Iraq. He tilted his balance from United States to European Union and made Euro the currency for the exchange of oil wealth. It was at once a great blow to dollar and America, the Super Power was set ablaze in anger. It started to bring about a regime change in Iraq. The first attempt was the First Gulf War. Saddam some how survived at that time. Despite the crippling sanctions, he was still in power. Then came the elections of 2000 when the Democrats lost power and Republicans gained authority. Bush Jr. came to power. His father had fought the First Gulf War. This Bush was more ambitious and less mature. He desired to excel his father in war glory. The Republicans formed a clique called Neo-conservatives, with colonial ambitions, expansion of American ideology, domination over the whole world, exploitation of world resources, and sucking the blood of all to lift America to new heights. Bush Junior was more hawkish, more greedy, more aggressive and more impatient. He belonged to a group called Round Heads who were akin to Nazis of Hitlers days. My Life 379 America had set an example of a really civilised, humane, liberal and helpful country which desired peace in the world, goodwill of all, prosperity of every nation. Soon after Second World war it had poured billions and billions under Marshall Plan to reconstruct Europe. When Israel invaded Egypt with the help of Britain, Eisenhower, American President, intervened in an effective way to stop aggression. British Prime Minister, Antony Eden, was forced to resign and Israel got a slap on the cheek. Such good deeds of America had become things of the past, and the regime of young Bush reversed the gear and set a policy of aggressive aggrandisement. For this policy the Jewish lobby of America was responsible. The Jews in America are very few, but they play the same part in the body-politic of America as brain plays in the human body. Their sharp mind, financial resources, hold over the media, control of business and industry, and the persuasive ability to get their things done make the Jewish lobby most effective pressure groups in America. They are the most powerful exponents of Israeli interests in the United States, and their desire is to make Israel the dominant power in West Asia. This policy resulted in scheming and scheming which at last resulted in the tragedy of 9/11. Bush thought of regime change the moment he removed the Talibans from power in Afghanistan. The whole of 2002 was devoted to false propaganda that Saddam had hidden weapons of most destruction (WMD). Britain joined the refrain. Bush hastened the planning of invasion. America excels the whole world in having the deadly weapons of destruction. Its stock of atomic weapon itself is so much that it can blow off twenty times the size of our own globe. Even in conventional weapons its stock exceeds perhaps the stock of nearly three-fourth of the world. Except Russia and China none can reach even a fringe of its potential in destructive mechanism. In March 2003 America invaded Iraq, 380 My Life used all its deadly weapons, caused havoc in that country, destroyed the oldest civilisation on earth, levelled down the whole country to the ground, killed hundreds and thousands of innocent souls, and made rivers of blood flow in the street, overthrew Saddam and occupied Iraq. This occupation still continues at the time when this account is being written. What followed the occupation is the most disgraceful blot on the face of America. The colonial power exceeded all limits in greed in looting the oil wealth of the land, the main purpose for which the invasion had takes place. It destroyed the entire administrative machinery that was existing. It dissolved a social order that was functioning. It incurred the hostility of the whole Islamic world for its unprovoked, unjust war. Worse still, it started a system of punishing the people in the Abu Garib jail which shocked the whole world. Brutality, savagery and vulgarity seemed personified in American soldiers who treated the Abu Garib prisoners, the innocent freedom fighters who resisted the foreign occupation, in a manner devil too would acknowledge their superiority in vulgarity. Even to this day their terror is in full force. Yet it should be said to the credit of freedom fighters who have become human bombs that they are inflicting severe blows on the invading army. The tragedy of Iraq War is the civil war that was set in motion because of the wrong policies of the Americans. The Shias and Sunnis who were so long living like brothers under Saddam have become bitter enemies and are killing one another. The tragedy continues because under the American influence they have framed a constitution and installed a puppet Government which is highly sectarian, giving all power to Shias and denying the rights and privileges of the Sunnis. Under the name of democracy, a powerful minority which was so long in authority is totally displaced, and it would not reconcile itself to the loss of My Life 381 power, hence tension, violence, disorder, terror and misery to the people persist in the land. All this is the result of 9/11 which I witnessed in America. Mr.Inamdar Saheb, our host in Sanfrancisco asked us not to go anywhere for four or five days, for tension was already building up in American cities at what had happened on 9/11. There were riots, attacks on Muslim mosques and violence here and there. It was almost like emergency in US when police was there everywhere, severe checking was there in air-ports, masses were gloomy and distressed. They were angry on the Govt. which could not avert the tragedy. Despite consistent report from CIA that terror attacks were possible, no effective steps were taken. It was in such situation that we were on a trip to America to raise funds for our Trust. Despite this tragedy of 9/11, we were able to do something in different places. For five or six days we stayed in Sanfrancisco where two people were immensely helpful for fund raising, one was Inamdar Saheb, a saintly soul, very helpful to our Trust ever since its inception, and the other was Mr.Junaid, son of Noor Mohamed Saheb of Mysore. What these two people did was to organise a fund-raising dinner of $ 100/- each. The response was so good that Inamdar Saheb was able to collect in all $10,000/- in Sansfrancisco including his own personal contribution of $1000/-. In Chicago I had collected $ 4,000/-. This good response was perhaps due to a series of lectures I delivered at several Islamic Centres and in mosques soon after Isha prayers. It was Inamdar Saheb who had organised these lectures. Soon after Isha prayer, he would make me sit on a chair and speak to the congregation. I would speak mostly on Islamic culture, our history, our contribution to knowledge, to well-being, to art, to the administration, and present a picture of to-day how we have fallen down, and what the need of the hour was to lift us again to a better position. This became a routine in every city or place we visited. 382 My Life We went round the whole of America, from coast to coast, from Chicago to San Francisco, from San Francisco to Florida, and from Florida to New York. Our next destination was Florida, where our good friend, Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, originally from Tumkur, who was another patron and benefactor of our Trust ever since its inception was staying. He had been a pillar of support to us at every stage of our development, including B.Ed. College, for which he personally contributed nearly two lakhs of rupees. He and Inamdar Saheb were particularly helpful to us. We stayed for three days at Oriando, Florida, with Dr. Imtiaz, enjoyed his hospitality, went round several places including Space Research Centre, which had put man on moon. Dr. Imtiaz is a very generous person for community cause. He has established an Islamic Centre, just as Inamdar Saheb had done in Sanfrancisco. Dr. Imtiaz has married the daughter of an educationist, Janab Ahmed Hussain, and this lady too is truly saturated in Islamic spirit. We collected nearly 2000 dollars here for our Trust. Our visit to both Francisco and Orlando remained memorable. From Orlando we went to New Jersey near New York where Dr. Noori Nisar and Dr. Nisar lived. Dr. Noori is the daughter of Prof. M.A. Khader of Mysore, a renowned literary figure of Urdu language. We had very close rapport with this family as Dr. Noori was also one of the strongest supporters of our Trust from its inception. I stayed with Dr. Noori for three days. Dr. Naseer Abbas and Nafeez would go sight-seeing to New York which was hardly a few minutes distance by train from New Jersey. I did not accompany them except once, when we went to the place where the World Trade Centres were once standing, but now raised to the ground causing world-wide havoc sketched above. We visited Dr. Tasnima Shamim also who was also one of the great benefactors of our Trust. She had once given us a sum of one lakh of rupees at a stretch. She is the grand My Life 383 daughter of Prof. Habibunnisa, who was the sister of Isamail Shariff, the first Muslim Officer to have passed the Mysore Civil Service (MCS) examination. We visited Mr. Mahmood, son of Prof.M.A. Khader and brother of Dr. Noori, who has married the sister of Tasnim. They are living in places quite close by leading quite a decent, dignified and affluent life. Having spent more than a month, we returned home, once again seeing different places in Europe on our way at the cost of different Airways. Our main purpose was to raise funds for the Trust. By Gods grace we were able to collect more than $26,000 equivalent to 13-14 lakhs of rupees which were needed both for the extension of our buildings and also for our B.Ed. programme which we were planning for a long time. It needed quite an outlay, at least of Rs.15 lakhs. We would have perhaps collected a little more if only that incident of 9/11 had not happened. Any way we must be thankful to Allah for what we got, for there is no limit either to mans ambitions or to greed. Our last lap of journey was from Chicago where we had landed, and from where we took off. Dr. Md. Ismail was our host, and he too did a lot in fund raising. He invited to dinner the cream of intellectuals in Chicago with whom we had an academic chat of great interest. We felt that America was lucky in attracting the finest brains from all over the world who were gifting America the finest and the best of their creative potentiality. In return they were earning enough to lead a very comfortable life which they could not have thought of in their own country of birth. In conclusion of our visit to the Mecca of our modern western culture, I should say it has both plus and minus points. The plus points are modern science and technology which has lifted the standard of life to a high degree. The Americans enjoy all the comforts of life, every kind of facility to meet your physical needs. You have a good 384 My Life house, well furnished; you have good transport, dazzling automobiles; you have good jobs demanding your skill either of managerial type or productive type; you have liberty and freedom of every sort, where you feel proud that your democratic system has bestowed on the common man the right to choose the government or the party which would serve him best. A visit to any American city would impress a visitor of its planning, of its hustle and bustle, of its throbbing life as if every one is in a hurry in an examination hall before the duration is over. You will also get an idea that every one counts every moment in terms of dollars, what do I get out of it. Life is labour; life is hard work; life is doing; life is enjoying. From the material point of view, from knowledge point of view in inventions and discoveries, and from the civic point of view in having a welfare state which takes care of the physical needs of man, America has done exceedingly well. The negative point is its global vision where it desires to assert its own superiority to dominate over the whole world. It is indeed a very rich country, perhaps one-third of the wealth of the whole world is concentrated there. It is at the top in every sector of life, financial, intellectual, political, social, economic and cultural, but it is directing its wealth in the wrong channel of armaments. Its defence budget is astronomical. If only she had spent a fraction or at least 1% of it in eradicating poverty, ignorance and ill-health of poorer countries, she would have been adored and worshipped. On the other hand, its production is in the area of mass destruction, its earning is through the sale of those weapons, and its superiority is through the threat of the use of these weapons. As if not being satisfied with weapons that are deadly to blow the surface of the earth, it has poured billions and billions on Star-wars, weapons that would be deadly in space. Research on star-wars, missiles, atom bombs, hydrogen bombs is not the only item that is sucking the wealth My Life 385 of America, but also invasion of other countries, whether Japan, or Korea, or Viet-nama or Cuba or Afghanistan, or Iraq or Palestine. The third minus point is its desire to impose its own ideology on others, its own institutions, its own trade and commerce, its own way of living and thinking for which it creates zones of influence, whether it is Israel, or Egypt or Japan or Saudi Arabia or Kuwait or Emirates. It desires to have a circle of dependencies which would act according to its whims and fancies. Yet America is a great country. After returning from USA with some funds we took up the work of increasing accommodation for our development plans. We had envisaged for a long time to add a B.Ed. College to our campus. For this purpose I had struggled hard ever since 1998 the centenary year of the great educationist, Dr. Zakir Hussain. At that time his son-in-law, Khurshed Alam Khan was the Governor of Karnataka with whom I had close rapport since the days of my Goa stint. He too was keen to leave behind some worthy memorial to that great man. A Committee to celebrate the centenary was formed, of which I was the Convenor and the Governor was the Patron. Ever so many meetings were held, and ever so many ambitious programmes were chalked out, including a B.Ed.College in his name. The Government promised a crore of rupees provided matching funds were collected from the public. Not a pie was collected and not a pie was given by the Government. It was all a tall talk, eye-wash to please Muslims. Added to this, differences arose between the Governor and Janab Roshan Baig Saheb who was an important political figure. A war of words followed resulting in no development. But I took up the cause of at least one small thing, a B.Ed. College in Mysore. I exerted so much that at one stage the Chief Minister, J.H. Patel gave us a NOC to start a college. At that time there was a blanket ban on the starting of B.Ed. Colleges, for the Government thought that there were so many B.Ed. College that there was no need for 386 My Life any more. As a special case in some mood CM wrote it may be given. I went to his residence with the application at a time when a good friend of mine, Mr.Nanaiah was present. He was once a Syndicate Member of Mangalore University whom I knew very well, and who had subsequently become a Cabinet Minister in J.H. Patels ministry. His presence at the time at Krishna, CMs residence, was helpful to me and I managed to obtain the NOC from Chief Minister. I felt very happy that at least my dream to have a Teachers College would be objectified. With that letter I went to the Secretariat to get the proper sanction from the bureaucrats, the administrative machinery. Lo! They turned it down. The Principal Secretary said it is true CM has okayed it, but to-morrow other applicants would go to the court that discrimination had been made in giving the sanction to one and denying it to others. In that case it is not CM who would go to the court, it was the Secretary and hence when total ban was there, not even CM had the authority to break it. I was totally disappointed. But we went on with the other programme in extending our buildings and adding one more floor to the existing structure. From 1998 to 2002 I waited for four long years, when the election season came. The Congress was in power. It wanted to win the new elections as well. It lifted the ban on B.Ed. Colleges, and invited applications for the College. Hundreds of people applied, and we were also one among them. One Dr. Parmeshwar from Tumkur was the Minister of Higher Education. Here also politics played its dirty game. Those who paid huge amounts to Congress Party funds got the sanctions, and since we could not afford to pay, we were ignored. When the results of the sanctions were announced, we were utterly disappointed to find we were ignored. I met Dr. Parmeswar ; he felt sorry and said you should have met me before. That means you should have brought the purse which others had bought. My Life 387 Being totally dejected I resorted to one more last trick. I met Mr.Veerappa Moily, former Chief Minister of Karnataka whom I knew very well since our Mangalore days. He had very soft corner for me and regarded me highly. He took up his phone to Dr.Parameshwar. He was on a tour to Gulbarga. He contacted him there and banged him what great injustice had been done to a renowned scholar, a genuine educationist, and to a person who deserved it most. It was the last day to apply to NCTE for its approval, or else a year would be lost. It was 30th December 2002. 31st December was the last day to submit papers to NCTE in Bangalore. Dr. Parameshwar sent a Fax to secretariat sanctioning the B.Ed. College to us. We heard it over the phone. A lot more had to be done to prepare the papers. Hardly a few hours were there to complete the process. The application form was down loaded on the night of 30th December at 1 a.m. in the night. Scores and scores of formalities were there to be observed, including taking a DD for Rs.40,000/- in favour of NCTE from a Bank, and swearing before a Magistrate in Law Courts. We worked hard every second and rushed to Bangalore to submit the papers to NCTE before 5.30 p.m. on Dec. 31. We did everything, umpteen number of things. In Law Court fortunately I met a student of mine, an officer, who was very helpful to get the Magistrate sign our papers and put the seal. We caught the Shatapbdi Mail to Bangalore at 2.10 p.m. reached Bangalore 4.15 p.m. rushed to NCTE office Jalahalli and submitted the papers within the time prescribed. We got the sanction for B.Ed. Course after a few weeks. When we look back on all these things we feel that the ways of God are mysterious. He knows best what is good for us. We are in a hurry, God is not. We are impatient, nature is not. God in his wisdom gets things done in moments, in minutes and seconds, which man despite his best exertions would not do in years. I was struggling since 388 My Life 1998, and even a year earlier in 1997 when centenary celebrations of Dr. Zakir Hussain were in progress. I built up a file for B.Ed. College which was daily growing thick, but nothing had happened. Yet when time came, things moved so fast that I saw Veerappa Moily at 11 Oclock, got the sanction from the Minister who was in Gulbarga, and obtained the order from the Secretariat the same night. Fortunately Nafees Ahmed was present in Bangalore. He sat in the Secretariat late in the evening, greased the palm of the staff who acted with the speed of electric current, to translate a fax from Gulbarga into a GO of the Education Ministry. That GO was faxed to us, and we down loaded the application from computer processed it non-stop within a few hours. It shows that we should never pray to God that He may grant what we desire, but that His Will may be accomplished in us, and that in His Will is our peace. This is the lesson we got from our adventure to start a B.Ed. College. The major steps of Government sanction and application to NCTE for approval being over, we had still stupendous tasks to perform, as there were limitless conditions from these different authorities before we could say the baby of B.Ed. College was born. The three authorities were first Government sanction, second Mysore University affiliation, and the third NCTE approval. Of the three only Government NOC we had on hand. We had to deal with the other two. Once we got the Government sanction we contacted the University College Development Council. They have raised affiliation fee sky-high. It was nearly one lakh sixty thousand. We deposited the amount. Then we turned towards fulfilling the conditions of NCTE which had furnished us a long list, the required infra-structure, accommodation, library, laboratory, equipment and staff. The recruitment of staff was crucial. They wanted eight members of staff, seven teachers, one Principal and two or three non-teaching staff. My Life 389 We advertised the posts, invited the applications, and had good response. Fortunately, for the Principals post we got Prof. T.S. Gopala Krishna, the retired Principal of Sharadavilas B.Ed. College. He happened to be the younger brother of Dr.T.S.Rao, whom I had appointed as Professor and Head of the Marine Sciences in Goa University. Prof.Gopala Krishna had heard of me through his brother, who is at present unfortunately no more. On the day of interview he was not present, but had sent a letter that he would be willing to serve us, given an opportunity. Our Secretary telephoned him whether he would come for a chat. He agreed and came within a few minutes. We found him most suitable, experienced, matured, sober, competent, well-informed, exceedingly good both in academic and management. He joined us. He is a great asset to us. Since he joined us our institution has vastly improved. He is a committed teacher who does the job not for the remuneration but for love, for service, for doing good to society. Although he joined to set up our B.Ed. College, he is helping us to improve and manage all our institutions from KG to PG (K.G. is our Kindergarten and PG is our Post-graduate B.Ed. College). His subject is Chemistry. When we had a shortage of a Science teacher for our High School, he said, Dont worry, I will take Chemistry Classes. Thus we are very happy with our Principal, Prof.T.S. Gopala Krishna. The other members of the Staff, Shabana Tabassam, Rana Tabassum, Shaheen, Nagaraj, Somasekhar, Kempanna, Nanjundaswamy, and all others are all very helpful. We had already two batches of B.Ed. and all of them passed, and all of them got first division. We are indeed very happy with this performance. With our available finances and the funds collected from USA we constructed the required lecture halls, laboratories etc. for the B.Ed. College. We must acknowledge 390 My Life that B.Ed. College required at least 20 lakhs and at this hour of need Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed and Mr.Mohamed Ismail came forward in a big way to help us. Dr. Imtiaz single-handed helped us to the tune of more than two lakhs and Mr.Mohd. Ismail, nearly a lakh of rupees. The Trust is highly grateful to these gentlemen. The visiting teams that came to inspect the College, both from the University and the NCTE were greatly impressed by what we had done. This B.Ed. College which was my dream came into existence, and by Gods grace it is functioning very well. When this Teachers Training College project was fully realised, we thought of the next step of development, a Pre-Degree College, for what we had was only upto matriculation, only Secondary level. We wanted to move up to tertiary level which is the terminal course for any professional admissions, either of medical, or engineering. A good PUC College was also essential. In the year 2004, AFMI (American Federation of the Muslims of Indian Origin) thought of honouring this humble self ; Mr. Akram Syed, who hails from Bangalore, and who had risen high to the rank of President of AFMI, was the person who thought of an award to a man from Karnataka, who had done some social good. His choice fell on this humble self. This organization of USA holds annually a session in India to confer an honour to some one who had done some goodwork. I was invited to Delhi and Sir Syed Award was conferred on me. Taking advantage of that function I expressed my desire to Mr.Akram Syed that we wish to start a PUC College and that we needed help from AFMI. Mr. Syed was good enough to have a positive response and within a few months we heard that AFMI would extend us to the extent of Rs. 12 lakhs if we start a PUC College. We agreed and started processing the project. Anything in India needs elaborate preparations, a lot of paper-work, officla procedures and red-tapism. We applied My Life 391 for the College and the authorities would not move papers until palms were greased. This is apart from the prescribed fees and deposits which run into lakhs. Fortunately we got everything done, and the PUC College came into existence. Our Principal, Prof.Gopala Krishna looked into all the details relating to academic and administrative affairs of this College. The permission came to us late in the year 2006 by which time admissions had all been over. Yet we did not like to lose a year. Our PUC College was started in June-July 2006, hardly about 25 joined the First Year PUC. I must say our experiment of PUC proved very challenging. It is not upto our expectations. The boys who have joined are not motivated, are not used to hard work; they are not what they ought to be, quite indifferent, callous, mischievous and irregular. It has become a problem how to shape them. Our staff are doing their level best to improve matters. Our High School is in good shape; our Nursary, Primary and Higher Primary all are in good shape; our B.Ed. College is in good shape, but not our PUC. Hopefully we will mend matters. When we had B.Ed. College, it occurred to us that why we should not have a D.Ed. College as well. It is the Nursary and Primary that matters most. It is the root that is to be strengthened. Our B.Ed. was a successful project, and we had built up good infra-structure. We applied for the course. The Government sent us soon its NOC, sanctioning the D.Ed. College, but the NCTE took long. Although we applied in 2005 to start the course in the academic year of 2006-07, they did not move the files. Now in April 2007 they have sent an inspection team to report the feasibility. This team came on 12th April 2007 consisting of two members and have reported their findings to the Regional Committee of NCTE in Bangalore. It is now approved. D.Ed. classes will start from the year 2007-08. 392 My Life As mentioned earlier, we have two campuses, one at Ghousianagar, and the other at Radhakrishna Nagar. What we have at Ghousianagar is only Nursery, Primary, Upper Primary, Deeniyat, Craft Centre and School for Challenged children. In order to improve standards we thought perhaps English medium from VI standard would be helpful. For this we struggled hard for three years to get the Government sanction. Red-tapism, and graft are so intensive that things would not move. At last we got the Government sanction for English medium at High Primary level. We have started Nursery and Primary at our Radhakrishna Nagar Maulana Azad Campus as well. By Gods grace it is functioning very well. We have built good infra-structure. Our idea was to have a good feeding school of our own for our High School classes. Here also from VI Standard we wish to have English Medium School for which we have submitted the required papers. Lately I have initiated two more projects, one is Dars-e-Quran in the New Muslim Hostel where we wish to inform our boarders the essential features of Islamic teachings. The other programme is in the City of Mysore where all the NGOs of the city, nearly 35 of them, have chosen me as the President of the uslim Welfare Council Central M Council, an organisation which Muslim intends to bring about a great social change in the conditions of Muslims, who have fallen low in every sector of life, whether social, educational, political, economic or cultural. This Organisation is a Registered Society with several working groups to do intensive social work. Hopefully it may have some impact. Its inaugural function took place on April 17, 2007. A reference has been made earlier in this chapter that while passing through the journey of life, one faces sometimes moments of intense depression, one such was in September 2001, when on personal level we lost Wajid Saheb, a dynamic member of the family on Sept. 7, 2001, and four My Life 393 days later on 9/11 the world witnessed the catastrophe both in New York and Washington. A similar tragedy occurred on April 9, 2007 when suddenly another dear member of the family, Mymoona Kareem, passed away in a few moments. She was a source of help to each and every one of the family, whenever any help was needed. Ever since the demise of Dr.Kareem in 1997, she would shuttle from Bangalore to Chikmagalur, and Chikmagalur to Mysore, wherever any one needed her help. She was a wonderful lady, unique in several respects, so talented, so witty and cheerful, and so proficient in household affairs. Just three days before I had been to Chikmagalur where she attended an Urdu Mushaira on Friday, and an Annual Day Function of Basera, an Orphanage run by Shaeeb Ali, on Saturday. We were together almost the whole day not knowing her last days were drawing so near. On Sunday, I came back to Mysore and on Monday, April 9, I got a call, Mymoon fell down, was rushed to the hospital where on scanning it was detected severe hammerage. She was advised to be shifted to Bangalore. An ambulance was arranged and Rafath, W/o Wajid Saheb, was the only member of the family accompanying her in the ambulance, which had hardly covered half the way she breathed her lost near Channarayapatna. The stroke was at 9 a.m. and the end was at 2.p.m. hardly five or six hours duration. The lady who served so many and so many, did not take the service of any one to have a glass of water. She was laid to rest next day, on April 10, in the grave yard of Neelasandra, Bangalore, next to the grave of her own husband, Dr. Kareem, who had passed away ten years earlier on October 10, 1997. He too was an unique person who had earned the love and affection of multitudes. When I reflect I feel I had a hand in the negotiating process of bringing these two to wedding lock. God bless their soul, for they lived, not for themselves, but for the well-being of all. It is not I alone who was involved in social work, but many, many who have contributed much to our efforts. 14 Intellectural Pursuits God is all intelligence. Greatest gift of God to man is mind, source of all intelligence. It is this gift that has done wonders on earth. Now man has landed on moon, scanned the sky, swept the floor of the oceans, split the atoms, and is reviving even a collapsing heart. What was man only a few thousands years ago? He was in the stone age. It was the miracle of mind that brought him from that age to the modern age of science and technology, when man is challenging the powerful forces of nature, and is imitating Gods creativity and precision. In the evolutionary process, necessity prompted him to become more and more inventive, productive and creative. Destiny acted as an organic human jet propeller to lift him higher and higher into the realm of civilised life. He dreamt of things, he thought of things and said, why not these things. One thing led to the other rationally, collectively, instinctively and intuitively. When things went wrong, reformers came forward to set right things. Prophets rectified the morals and manners. Philosophers explained the unknown. Scientists invented new things to make life comfortable. Leaders thought of better art of governing. The individual learned to live in society, and build better institutions to march on the path of progress. The State became a powerful institution to protect life, liberty and property. The family 396 My Life became a loving unit to perpetuate human race, and the society became an organ to evolve culture and civilisation. The source of all these activities is mans mind which has wrought miracles on earth. Each one of us has to put the question what have we added to the sum total of mans culture. As every leaf has a role to play in the life of a tree, so too every individual is supposed to contribute something to the society, however humble and tiny it may be. The quantum of contribution would depend upon the quality of mind. Some contribute so much that they become immortal, and some, so little that it is not even noticed. But in the wisdom of Gods creativity, destiny has assigned each a role which is being irresistibly played, whether we are conscious of our own role or not. The mother, the father, the leader, the teacher, the artist, the scientist, the thinker, the philosopher alone are not the agents of change, but also those great unknown struggling masses of men and women, who are at the base, and they are the real dynamic force that lift a society to a higher level. Judged in this perspective this humble soul too has done a tiny bit, which is just a grain of sand on the shores of human wisdom. It is rightly said that of all the graces of God the art of writing well is the master-piece. Solidity is only to the writing. Aristotle or Plato, Newton or Mecaulay, all live in history only because of their pen. God be praised that this humble self too was initiated into this realm at an early date of his service in the University. Hardly a year after my permanent appointment as a lecturer in 1948 I took up to research working for Ph.D. of Muslim University Aligarh from 1949 onwards. Although the Doctorate Degree was conferred only in 1954, which appeared in a book form much later, I started contributing articles to learned societies and journals. All India History Congress was the forum which became the My Life 397 main media for my research. I attempted to understand the significance of history. The best prophet of the future is the past, for the seeds of the future lie buried in the grave yard of the past. A person or a nation that forgets the past has no future, for history is the memory of man, and if memory is lost, his life would not be worth living. He would ever be a child. History is all rich experience of man, and what we do in history is to revive and reconstruct those experiences, find new meaning and new directions to those experiences, so as to put man on the path of progress. Again, history is mans mind, clothed in events. Events and occurrences are the products of mans thinking, which is the root for all things to happen. Hence, probing deep into mans mind is more important than mere narration or description of what happened. The three questions a historian puts are, what, how, and why, and they indicate the upward movement of a historians job. What is the base, the elementary observation or information of the reality, which presents the unknown. When we move to say how that reality happened, we take one step higher, and when we analyse Why did it happen, it is the highest step, for we have moved from effect to cause. Processes of causes and conditions are higher steps in history than merely presentation of facts. Hence, history is a science that investigates and presents in psycho-physical causality facts determined in time and space of the evolution of men in their individual, typical and collective capacity as social beings. This is the correct definition of history which takes into account the full implications of history, where history is a science, no less and no more. That means a systematic knowledge whose main aim is to reconstruct the reality in its entirety, and then examine it in the light of both objective and subjective, physical and psychological context the causes and conditions that brought about those happenings. Since 398 My Life history is the story of man, and man is so complex that there are no limits to the dimensions of his activities, history is a very comprehensive subject, where many doors have to be opened and many vistas have to be covered. It is not possible for any single individual to comprehend the totality of history and hence, he chooses a narrow area and throws intensive light on it. For my part I chose a tiny part on this globe called Karnataka, and in the vast history of Karnataka from paleolithic age to modern days with the rise and fall innumerable dynasties and empires, I chose two actors, Haidar and Tipu, who played a vital role, just for about 40 years, which had world-wide impact. In other words the field of my specialisation is Mysore history of the period of Haidar and Tipu Sultan from 1760 to 1799. It is not the duration that is more important, it is the paramountcy of the events that are more significant. I am supposed to have thrown some intensive light on the role of these two great makers of history, devoting over a dozen years from 1949-1961, working hard in different places, both in India and abroad. First I took up Tipu Sultan (1782-1799) as a subject of my study for Ph.D. degree of Muslim University, Aligarh, for which I took six long years from 1949. Even on Tipu, it was an aspect of his foreign policy, his relations with the Marathas, with the Nizams, with the English, with the French, with the Turks and with the Afghans that engaged my attention. Later on Tipu became almost a subject of my life-long study, who left on sands of time deep impressions of the aristocracy of his intellect. It was Tipu who fought not one but four wars against the colonials, and inflicted severe blows in two of those wars. No State had fought four wars against the English except Mysore under Tipu, and no State had humiliated a colonial power which was proud of its superiority and invincibility. Even Sir Hector Munro who My Life 399 boasted himself as the hero of the battle of Buxar where he had defeated the combined forces of three great rulers of India, Shah Alam of Delhi, Nawab Shuja-ud-daula of Oudh, and Mir Qasim of Bengal, had to run away from the field throwing all his guns into the tank of Conjeevaram and sought shelter in the fort of Madras, when Tipu confronted him in the Second Mysore War. Earlier, the commander of a British force, Colonel Bailley was captured and his entire army was either cut or captured. The same thing had happened to Braithwaite, who too was captured. The English had to beg before Tipu for peace which they signed in the Treaty of Mangalore, accepting humiliating terms. Earlier in the First Mysore War (1767-69) Tipu had inflicted a blow on the English, and had almost taken the entire cabinet of Madras Government captive, when they ran and took shelter in the ships on the shore. In the entire history of British rule in India, no one had defeated them except Haidar and Tipu, no where had they suffered so much as in Mysore, and no one was a more formidable foe than Tipu. It is not in the battle field alone that Tipus rule is significant, but also in inventions and innovations. His reforming zeal touched almost every department of life including coinage and calendar, weights and measures, banking and finance, revenue and judiciary, army and navy, morals and manners, and social ethos and cultural affairs. Had he not been engrossed in exasperating wars, he would surely have ushered Mysore into an industrial renaissance and reformation of great magnitude. It was he who was the father of rocket-system, which is so much in the news to-day. It was he who had thought of a navy, and had built nearly a hundred ships, both for war and commerce. Among scores and scores of rulers and emperors, none had thought and built a navy in India. It was Tipu who thought of building a dam across the river Cauvery, which became a reality a century later, but it was he who thought of sericulture in Mysore, 400 My Life and got the silk-worms from Bengal, sowing the seeds of an industry which has gained a place of pride in Mysore. It was Tipu who built iron factories in four different places of Karnataka, in Srirangapatana, Bangalore, Chitradurga and Bidnur and called them Tara Mandal andal. The temper that was given to the guns manufactured in his factories was so superior as to attract appreciation even from his enemies. It was Tipu who established a Technical University at his capital moor called Dar-ul-U Dar-ul-Umoor moor. It was Tipu who started the first Urdu aujiAkhbar newspapers, F Faujiauji-Akhbar Akhbar,, in Srirangapatan. His interest in trade and commerce, was such that he established trade centres not only in India but also in such distant places as Najaf, Basra, Muscat and Pegu. Tipus concept of the nationstate, his elimination of feudal system, his creation of an efficient civil service, his introduction of modern laws and procedure, were all such as to make his state a model State. No less an authority than James Mill, the great thinker, has observed: He (Tipu) had the discernment to observe what is so generally hidden from the eyes of rulers in a more enlightened state of society, that it is the prosperity of those who labour with their hands which constitute the principle and cause of the prosperity of the State. His country was accordingly the best cultivated and its population the most flourishing in India, while under the English and their dependencies of the Carnatic and Oudh, hastening to the state of deserts, were the most wretched upon the face of the earth. Tipu never allowed either pleasure or sloth, bigotry or conservatism to interfere in his administration. He was eager to profit himself by western science and western technology. His mind was restless and energetic. He was one of the most industrious rulers of the time, a fascinating My Life 401 figure of 18th Century who offered his blood to write the history of India. He preferred death to dishonour, and his dictum was that the life of a lion for a day was far better than the life of a jackal for a hundred years. He would say, dont cut a tree to get at the fruit and that history is nothing but the drama of human freedom, political freedom, economic freedom, social freedom, and freedom from want, hunger, ignorance and superstition. Nothing lay outside his scope, science, medicine, religion or military strategy. The result of his policy is well summed-up by his own contemporary, an English man who was by no means friendly to him, a foe who fought against him in the Third Mysore War. Edmund Moore, a captain, is on record, When a person travelling through a strange country finds it well-cultivated, populous with industrious inhabitants, cities newly founded, commerce extending, towns increasing and every thing flourishing so as to indicate happiness, he will naturally conclude it to be under a form of government congenial to the minds of the people. This is a picture of Tipus country, and our conclusion respecting its government. Many great men have failed in their mission, whether Jesus or Imam Hussain, Napoleon or Gandhiji, yet history has placed the crown of honour on their head. Tipu is also one among them. My magnum opus was on Haidar Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan. It was Haidar who built up the Kingdom which humiliated the colonials. It was he who had become a terror to Leaden Hall Street in London, which was the Head Quarters of East India Company. It was his cavalry that had horses, which the British soldiers believed had wings to fly over their forts. It was he who won not one but two wars against the English. It was he who brought into existence Vishala Karnataka. It was this work which I did in London that brought me great credit, and won highly enthusiastic reviews from such scholars as Prof. K.N.V. Sastri who observed: 402 My Life No single historian in India has ever touched this peak in the twentieth century. It is a model of historical research regarding the sources, selection of facts, interpretation, style, background and general erudition. Rarely does true history thrill or inspire but this historical writing performs this Deccan Herald, 22-2-1964 miracle. (Deccan 22-2-1964). It was this review that made me jump straight from a Lecturers chair to the Professors chair. As indicated earlier in the Selection Board for the Professorship, it seems, one of the experts who knew the worth of my work, threw a challenge to show whether any one else was of this calibre. That silenced the Chairman, who was insisting that I should be first made a Reader before putting straight into the chair of Professor. Any way God be praised that my labour brought me full reward. It was because of Haidar Ali, the son of a soldier, who possessed neither the privilege of birth nor of wealth. His personal abilities had a profound effect on the events of the time. He was bold and enterprising. Although he could neither read nor write, he had an extraordinary memory, and could go through arithmetical calculations of some length with equal accuracy, and more quickness than the most expert accountants. His military abilities were acknowledged even by the English whom he harassed. He was not selfcomplacent, and adopted his own methods of war. His political abilities exceeded his military abilities. His clear perception of an issue would make him take right decisions. His shrewdness would extricate him from difficulties. His resolution, prudence and activity would translate his designs into reality. His presence of mind and sagacity never failed him even at times of his worst difficulties. Such an important person was bound to play an important part in the politics of the period. He played a vital role in the history of mid-eighteenth My Life 403 century which was a period of great confusion in India. It witnessed the clash of three powerful, interests, the Mughals, the Marathas and the Colonials. The Mughal power was on the decline, that of the Marathas at the peak, and that of the Europeans, just rising. The period offered a fine opportunity for ambitious persons to carve out almost independent Kingdoms. Ali Vardi Khan in Bengal, Nizam-ulMulk in the Deccan, and Shuja-ud-daula in Oudh had carved out a separate Kingdom of their own, which were independent in all except in name. Likewise, the Maratha chieftains owed no allegiance to their central government in Poona. Another feature of the age was the divorce of the de facto power from de jure jure. Both in the Mughal and the Maratha courts the ministers were all powerful, and the sovereigns were made mere figure heads. Shah Alam was almost a prisoner in the hands of Najaf Khan. The Peshwas usurped power from Shivajis descendants, only to be treated likewise by their own ministers. No other State offered a better example of both these features, namely that of the rise of ambitious persons to the peak of authority, and that of reducing the legitimate rulers to a non-entity than Mysore, where Haidar Ali Khan rose into prominence. The regime of both Haidar and Tipu began with wars against the English, and ended in wars against the English. From 1760 to 1799, Mysore had become the most formidable foe of the English. Haidars possession of a long sea coast, a navy, his quick reduction of a number of neighbouring principalities, the discipline and training of his troops on the Western lines, and the control of a chain of strong forts on the Karnatic frontier made the English highly nervous. Under his leadership Mysore army proved a school of military science to India. The dread of an European army no longer wrought any magic on him. With Haidar as the neighbour other powers learned to unite on the threat of attack from the English. It was during Haidars time and because of his 404 My Life efforts, a powerful confederacy of Indian powers, the Nizam, the Marathas and Mysore, was formed in 1780 to fight against the English. Haidars success in the First and Second Mysore Wars did much to damage the English reputation as an invincible power. Grant wrote to Shelburne, An English army much superior to one which under a Lawrence or a Clive, five and twenty years ago made Hindustan, nay some of the powers of Europe tremble at the bare recital of its victories, now for the first time retreating in the face of an Indian army. We read in Alexander Dows history, we were alrmed as if his horses had wings to fly over our walls. Yet another British observer made a remark: He (Haidar) is in Hindostan what Zingis Khan, Timur or Nadir Shah were or would have been, under the same circumstances south of the Krishna. Thus, both Haidar and Tipu are important because they elevated a small principality to the position of a powerful State, and because they brought that State into contact with the bigger world. Haidar sent his agents as far as Iran and had contact with France. Tipu further enlarged that contact to be in touch with Turkey, Afghanistan and the Middle East. As long as Haidar and Tipu were alive, the British never had a chance to promote their interests. I am supposed to have written over 25 books both in English and Urdu, but I feel happy only about a few of them which gave me great satisfaction. Some of them are merely run of the mill, which I wrote under the compulsion of my profession or as a natural sequence of duty in the University. Such books are: The Hoysala Dynasty; A Short History of World Civilisation; Essentials of Indian Culture; History of Modern Asia; History of South India; Goa Wins Freedom; Approaches to Harmony. These are not substantial works. My substantial works are: British Relations with Haidar Ali; Tipu Sultan: A Study in Diplomacy and Confrontation; History: Its Theory and Method; Gangas of Talkad; Islam, My Life 405 A Study in Cultural Orientation; Zakir Hussain, Life and Times; A Leader Reassessed, Life and Work of Sir Syed; and Maulana Azad: Life and Work. It is History: Its Theory and Method, which has become well-known all over the country from Kashmir to Cape Comorin. Any one in any Dept. of History of any University, who has not seen me before were to meet me suddenly, he would greet me with respect and regard as the author of a work which has benefited generations of scholars. I have taught the subject of Philosophy of history, its method and historiography, and I thought that I should put it into black and white, which I did in a record period of 100 days. I recall I had become a Sufi during those days, not caring anything else except the contents of this work on which I poured every ounce of my energy, time and knowledge. This work has three aspects, namely, the theory of history which is nothing but nature and philosophy of history, the methodology illustrating the several processes involved in the art of writing history and historiography, which is the history of history or how history has been written through the ages ever since its inception to the present day in different lands and at different times. In the first part of this work, detailed analysis is given about the theoretical problems as to what constitutes history, its nature, value, subject matter, philosophy, structure and form. The second part is about methodology, wherein a graphic account is given on the technique of writing history. All aspects of methodology from conceiving a subject to the completion of the work are dealt with. The third part is on historiography from the earliest period to the present day. The merit of the book lies in the interpretation of ideas. A lot of thinking has been bestowed and difficult concepts have been made lucid and intelligible. A special feature is that all concepts are illustrated with suitable examples from Indian history and world history. On many aspects such as the nature of history the author has 406 My Life presented some of his original and creative ideas. This work was published by Macmillan India Limited and was printed seventeen or eighteen time. This is the only work which has benefited the author financially to a very great extent. The fourth book which gave me great satisfaction is Islam: A Study in Cultural Orientation again brought out by Mcmillan India Limited. I was a visiting Professor in USA in the University of Georgia where I taught Islamic Culture for a year. I made a deep study of that subject, started reflecting on its several aspects. The result was a book which was in effect essence of Islam throwing light on several aspects such as religious aspects, ethical principles, mystical trends, philosophical approach, social order, political spirit, intellectual pursuits, art and architecture and Islam in recent times. Islam in its hay days touched almost every sector of civilised life. In the religious field it played such a vital role as to attract millions to its fold, and today it is the third largest faith in the sheer number of its followers, being in majority in as many as fifty six countries. In its efforts to offer intellectual guidance and spiritual solace, it attempted to reconcile rationality and transcendentalism. It emphasised the idea that truly religious spirit is not where you acquire miraculous powers through piety, but where one earns the daily bread through sweat of brow, and having earned it, shares half of it with the needy fellowmen. Thus Islam presented the highest social ideals of equality and brotherhood. In the sphere of art, literature, philosophy and culture, it contributed so much as to form an essential strand with which our entire civilisation is fabricated. This work examines the structure of Islam in terms of its inherited, borrowed and original aspects. It assesses the place of Islam in the battle of faiths and ideologies and it takes into account the impact of the modern world on areas that vitally concern Islam. A reference was made above to my book on My Life 407 historiography. I feel that part of the book has a lot of food for thought, beneficial to man all his life. For example Thucydides, one of the greatest thinkers of the world, only 13 years younger to the father of History, Herodotus of Greece, has summed up beautifully the nature of man. He wrote and narrated the great Peloponesian wars of the Greeks for an unimaginably long period, and then reflected philosophically on the consequences of those wars. He said what would remain maxims all time to come. (1) Not every brave man wants war. (2) Nemesis follows upon good fortune. (3) Justice is better than expediency. (4) Love of fame often lures to destruction. (5) Revenge though sweet is not always successful, though it may be just. (6) God protects the right, might does not become right. (7) Death penalty will not frustrate; too severe punishment is inexpedient. (8) Political injustice is worse than violence. (9) Human nature is prone to transgression and to domineer over the weak, to be credulous, jealous, fickle, prone to error, vain but fundamentally the same. Likewise, the most celebrated Arab historian, Ibn-eKhaldun has contributed so much that his philosophy was made the foundation of all the modern theories of history. He was the first to write the history of the world, not of a region or a tribe or a country but of the entire mankind. 408 My Life He was the one to analyse the science of cultures and show how they rise, grow and decline. He offered four factors, the material, the mental, the moral and the final causes in his analysis of the science of culture. Very rightly he said, without material factors such as food, shelter and clothing, forests, minerals, rivers and land, where would man live and how could he make progress ?. This material factor was made much of by the modern theorists such as Karl Marx, Darwin, Bury, Buckle and others, who laid great stress on economic determinism. But a single factor of matter alone is not enough. Africa is rich in material resources, and it is called a dark continent. Hence, the next factor of mans mind, his resourcefulness and ability to put these resources to right use becomes important. Man thinks rationally, collectively, instinctively and even intuitively and produces some things he needs and cultures come into existence. Ibn-e-Khaldun made the State the main instrument of mental activity to organise all things properly for mans march towards progress. He has analysed all types of governments, aristocracy, oligarchy, timocracy, plutocarcy, democracy, monarchy, kingship, dictatorship and so on, and says that rational state is good which is in the best interests of the people. He has examined the Islamic polity also in this connection. But he says that this second factor of the State too is not enough, as so many States exist and yet they have brought misery to man. He says that the material and more mental factors must be supported by moral factors, such as unity, harmony, cooperation, solidarity, goodness, righteousness, compassion, kindness, truth, justice, knowledge, value, virtue and creativity. This third factor too is not enough until man knows what his destiny is, his objective, his goal, his ultimate aim. It is the spiritual factor that finally decides. In other words it is the ideology of that society that is the final factor. All great cultures had their own ideology. Confucianism stood for balance and order. Hinduism for humanism and tolerance, My Life 409 Buddhism for patience and compassion, Jainism for nonviolence and truth, Christianity for love and service, and Islam for equality and brotherhood. Thus, Ibn-e-Khaldun became the father of the science of culture. History is a special subject of study of the Semetic people whether Jews or Christians or Muslims. It is the weakest link in the Indian system of thought. They had forgotten even such a great emperor as Asoka until Princep, working in a mint, found out through coins that there once lived a great emperor like Asoka. Later on researchers dug out the ancient Indian history. It was the Muslim rule in India that brought historical consciousness to this country. Their contribution is so great that Elliot and Dowson have summed up in eight bulky volumes just the short contents of the chronicles the Muslims wrote in India. Muslims paid great attention to the study of history and regarded it in importance next only to religious texts. As for example Ziuaddin Barani, author of Tarikh-e-Firoz Shahi lists seven benefits in the study of history. (1) It introduces us to the lives of great men, prophets, saints, thinkers and sultans, (2) It opens us to the wisdom of the past. (3) It excites in us reason and judgement by the study of the experiences of the past. (4) It comforts us in our misfortune and adversity; it prevents us from worrying about hypothetical dangers; it offers us warnings of dangers ahead; and it prompts us to be sober at times of success and glory. (5) It encourages patience and resignation. (6) It provokes respect for the righteous and contempt for the wicked. (7) It is the strongest foundation of truth. It is the depiction of the drama of right and wrong, justice and oppression, obedience and rebellion, and virtue and vice. Barani was a historian who wrote as if he had a mission in life. He thought that the duty of a historian is to teach the lessons of history. These were all the books I wrote while in service, besides 410 My Life numerous research papers published in periodicals or speeches delivered at Seminars and conferences. But after my retirement in 1990 when I had full time at my disposal to do what I liked, I devoted more time to creative work. At least six books in English, five in Urdu and 26 issues of Noor-eBaseerath, a Urdu periodical, each of which is a volume in its own right written entirely by me, were published. Three of these English books are on our great leaders Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Maulana Azad and Dr. Zakir Hussain, on whom I have done very exhaustive work. Since I am a student of Aligarh University, I had a passion to write on Sir Syed, who was destined to shape the destiny of Indian Muslims. It was he who brought about a rapproachment between the British and the Muslims who had been characterised for over a century as the inveterate foes of the colonials. It was he who lifted the Muslims from the depths of despondency to hope and faith, and made them march in the direction of modernity. He laid more emphasis on the people than on governments, more on mind than on matter, more on realism than on conservatism. He reconciled the intellectualism of the West with the traditionalism of the east, and planted a Cambridge in India at Aligarh which brought about a renaissance in the thought process of the Muslims. As a social reformer, a political leader, a religious thinker, and as a moralist, a rationalist, a humanist, and a jurist, he contributed much to the realm of theology, philosophy, religion, history, literature, education, art and politics, besides building institutions which aimed at eradicating ignorance, apathy and superstition of his people. We could say Sir Syeds vision penetrated time and space. His firm grip over the past with full knowledge of the present enabled him to plan for the future. His fertility of mind made him realise that reason and knowledge were mans imitation of divinity. His nobility of soul made his whole life a long saga of service and sacrifice. His intense dynamic My Life 411 activity brought about a renaissance and a reformation among Muslims within his own life-time. His heart to God, mind to think and hands to work melted the frozen rigidities of centuries, as he warned that those pools which are stagnant activate no mills. His unselfish intellect rose like a perfume over the polemics of his critics. The harmony of his desires, emotions and ideas excited a lava in his people to march towards higher objectives. In short his life summed up an age which witnessed great moments of history, not those that built up an empire but those when good things of mind were obtained, and freedom of will was gained. Sir Syed has left an indelible mark as a builder of institutions, as a reformer of social change, as the architect of Aligarh movement, as the path-finder of a new trend in Urdu literature, as an educationist Par-excellence and as a humanist and rationalist of high repute, and more than all, as the saviour of a community that was on the verge of collapse. Despite his monumental work, Sir Syed has become controversial on two scores, one is his religious thoughts and the other political leanings. I have thrown intensive light on these two aspects why it was so, and have titled the work A Leader R ea ssessed Rea eassessed ssessed. Sir Syed regarded religion as a storehouse of ethics. Its essence is truth rather than faith. He identified truth with nature, and thought that natural laws support a moral code acting as a base of social ethics. The logic of natural laws would necessarily indicate a final cause, a Prime Mover, which is God, and it is faith in this God which is the cardinal principle of Islam. Thus, Sir Syeds interpretation of Islam was so much based on rationalism and nature that his critics called him a heretic. He disagreed with the close association of fikha relating to such concepts as miracles, hell, heaven, jebrail. He said they should not be taken in the literal sense but in the allegorical or symbolic 412 My Life sense. They must be interpreted in the light of the Arabic idiom of the Prophets time. Sir Syeds main idea was to prove that Islam is a very rational and natural religion. His political thought also came under hostile scrutiny. He was accused that he did not join the main stream of Indian National Congress. For this we have to understand that he had to fight on two fronts, against his own community to change and against the British to adopt a more liberal attitude towards the Muslims, who had fought for over a century a ceaseless war against the colonials, and had hopelessly failed in every venture. He defined his own position in the context of scenario. He laid down his principles clearly which were two in number. One, to the Muslims he said that they should take to western education, and second, to the British he said that Muslims were not opposed to them. In other words he thought of a reconciliation which would be in the best interest of both. It would win the support of the largest minority which could play a balancing role in the politics. Sir Syed said that the British had so long supported the Hindus, who having gained much from the western learning, had enormously changed their position, and the Muslims had been left far behind. The position was to be reversed. He thought that Hindus had learned enough from the west to oppose them, and that was because of western learning and knowledge. Muslims too should first acquire that knowledge and skill before they could oppose the English. The British were shrewd enough to know that prudence lay not in adopting a constant policy but in alternating it to suit their interests. Therefore, they changed their policy, and the Muslims too had realised the depths of their despondency. To them Sir Syed exhorted a more realistic approach to forget the past excesses of the English and focus on the advantages they would gain in remaining loyal to the English. My Life 413 Loyalty became the principle of Sir Syed. He urged them to believe that there was only one way left for them to survive, namely loyalism in politics and modernism in institutions.The Muslims were not aware how progressive and advanced was the west in intellectual pursuits, in science and technology, in economic and social sector, and in military might and political insight, and hence he urged them to know, learn, understand and then enter into politics. He brought about an intellectual change in a moribund society. This he achieved through the establishment of schools and colleges, through educational conferences, through the media of his own powerful press Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq, Aligarh Gazette, through the setting up of a Natural and Scientific society, which undertook the task of tranalsation, and through the collection of a band of selfless workers like Hali, Shibli, Mohsin-ul-Mulk, Viqar-ul-Mulk, Deputy Nazir Ahmed, Zakaullah, Maulvi Chiragh Ali, who became the Nine Jewels or Now-Ratans , a galaxy of brilliant stars of the Solar system, the Sun being Sir Syed himself. The tasks of evaluating western civilization in terms of the extent of its absorption by the Muslims, the theological response to the increasing missionary zeal of the west, a re-orientation of Islam in terms of the rationalistic traditions of Mutazila School of thought, and the appreciation of Christianity in terms of the common values, ideas, code and conduct with an ethics of love and service were all herculean tasks in nature, but Sir Syed performed the miracle. He tried to resolve the conflict between religion and science. His service to Islam in the theological field began in 1870 when he applied the western techniques to the study of Islam. In short Sir Syeds contributions to Islam in general and Indian Muslims in particular were so profound that he could easily be listed one among the great men of Islam. He gave new life to a dead society, which within a short period regained its vigour and self-confidence to such an extent as to demand a separate 414 My Life State for Muslims in India. Such a separate State was in the best interest of the entire Muslim population of the subcontinent is a different question, but the reality is that in a way he laid the foundation of a State which would have been the largest on the face of earth, if only it had not been split into Pakistan and Bangladesh. Both his political and religious thoughts carried within them debatable points, both positive and negative. Which of them were overwhelming history has yet to prove, but this much is certain that he changed the course of history. If we could name one person, who shaped the destiny of millions and millions, we could boldly say it was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the man of Nineteenth Century. My main subject is history but from 1990 I shared that love with yet another subject, and that was Education. This interest was developed in Goa when I was in the last leg of Vice-Chancellors post. It was the Governor of Goa, Janab Khurshed Alam Khan Saheb, who initiated me into the subject when he asked me to write a comprehensive work on the life and times of Dr. Zakir Hussain. A reference has already been made in this account how it occurred to Khurshed Alam Khan Saheb to speak to Palkiwala of Tatas to undertake the publication of work on Zakir Hussain, how he agreed, how the necessity arose to find an author for that, and how finally it fell to my lot to write the biography of that great man. I took up the job seriously, worked hard night and day and finished the work within the stipulated time. In the process I developed great interest in the discipline of education, for Dr. Zakir Hussain, the finest flower of Indian renaissance, was one of the greatest educationists of our age. When I dived deep into that subject I found it was worthwhile to get wedded to yet another subject, apart from history. Education became a fascinating subject. Education is My Life 415 the art of making people live harmoniously and graciously with their own fellow being. It is the training of mind, body and soul. It is sowing the seeds of knowledge that should fructify on the horizon of human fellowship. Education means character building, creative vision, finer taste and nobler aim. It is a process of revising human experiences, reconstructing human experiences, finding new meaning into those experiences and finding new directions to those experiences. It is the job of bringing up to service the best one possesses and to excite the best in others. It is the job to move up from knowledge to skill, from skill to wisdom, and from wisdom to understanding. It is the development process of not only the individual but also of the society, of the State, of the nation and ultimately the humanity at large. Thus, when I entered into this subject many doors were opened, many vistas were writ large and I was so infatuated that I entered even into the field of building educational institutions. I found Zakir Hussain was an educationist, a humanist, a nationalist, a writer, a leader and a statesman, who nourished perfectionist conscience in the quest of humanism and peace. History has judged him as one of the most creative educationists of modern India, who stressed the concept that national renaissance could come not through the narrow gates of politics but through the flood gatges of reformative education. He presented a social philosophy which desired to resolve the crisis of the present times with the value system of the past, gifted to humanity by the Indian sages, Sufi saints and the Western philosophers. Dr. Zakir Hussain fought against dehumanised, irrelevant and alienating education, and made life-long commitment to the promotion of new attitudes and values in the society, to the creative integration of a composite culture, to the fostering of social responsibility among the different segments of the society, to the inculcation of a sense of hope, faith and pride in the future of our country, and a sense of 416 My Life urgency to live harmoniously and graciously with our own brothren. He stood for the socialisation of education which reflected the thought process of Platos humanism, Hegels idealism, Kerschenstiners ratonalism, Deweys pragmatism and Gandhijis liberalism. Dr. Zakir Hussain would ever be remembered as the builder of Jamia Millia, which became a national laboratory for his creative thought, and also for the Wardha Scheme of basic education, which if implemented would have revolutionised our entire system of education. He placed before us the concept that the goal of mankind was knowledge, and not pleasure. His plan of action to free India from the colonial shackles in the educational field, his zeal to force the Muslims into the mainstream of national life, his patriotic fervour in the national movement, his intense love to identify himself with the hopes and aspirations of the people, and his stewardship as the President of the nation, all entitle him to a high place in history. But the gentleness of his mature mind, the compassion and love of his sensitive heart, the humanism and liberalism of his inner soul, the unifying and pacifying love for all mankind, and the simplicity, sincerity and purity of his life, mark him out as one of the finest flowers of Indian renaissance. The hunger of his soul for truth and beauty, for value and virtue, for knowledge and wisdom, for service and sacrifice and for social good and peace bring him closer to the Aristotelian concept of ideal man. I have written four books on Zakir Hussain. One is his biography about which I have just said something. The second is his work as A Great Teacher where I concentrated mostly on pedagogy. The third is his contribution to literature which Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, brought out. It is a joint work of myself and Janab Khurshed Alam Khan Saheb. This was done after my return from Goa. He invited me specially for this purpose to Goa, made me My Life 417 stay a couple of days in Raj Nivas with him and complete the work. For this we got the remuneration as well from Sahitya Academy. The fourth book is the translation which I did of the Urdu lectures of Zakir Hussain entitled Talime-Khutbat which were published by Har-Anand Publications, New Delhi under Education and National Development. In the work A Great Teacher I said Dr. Zakir Hussain was a great teacher who had a vision of mans destiny, which was to move towards higher objectives of life. This movement was to be through intellect, the greatest gift of God to man. Intellect yields knowledge, skill wisdom and understanding which should be transformed into moral energy in order to build a system of values that would help civilised life. His modus operandi for translating this idea into reality was the education of Indias masses. He said the destiny of a nation was made in the classroom and the architect of that destiny was a good teacher. A good teacher is one on whose life volume is inscribed not knowledge but love. The love of books, the love of children, the love of work and the love of whole universe would transform the entire personality into moral personality which would build bridges of understanding between man and man, which would change kinetic energy into moral energy, which would inject new attitudes and values, and which would bring new humanism and peace. It would stimulate a search for truth and a quest for those creative ideas which sow the seeds of higher knowledge. It would make one realise that God dwells in man and that is his conscience, and when you kindle your conscience with the torch of learning you would understand the responsibilities you owe to the society. Thus Zakir Hussain believed education alone held the key for human welfare and progress, and that a great social change could be brought about in India not through the 418 My Life narrow gates of politics but through the flood gates of reformative education. He was not happy with the system of education imposed by the colonials which was good enough only for subordinate jobs as clerks in offices. He desired to change this pattern through his experiment in Jamia Millia where he introduced not book schools but work schools. He believed any knowledge which is not applied knowledge was no knowledge at all. His second great contribution was the emphasis on value-based education which he called as cultural goods. Any system of education would be worthwhile if only its foundations were to be laid on the value system that society chrerishes and nourishes. If India stands for humanism, liberalism, secularism and universalism, it has to fashion its education on those values. If USA stands for liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation, it has to focus on these concepts in its educational programme so as to sink deep into mind and conscience of the masses. So also if Russia and China believe in communism, they cannot run away from those concepts. If Islamic countries believe in equality, brotherhood, freedom, unity, harmony and solidarity, they have to make these concepts fundamental in their educational programme. Zakir Hussain not merely propounded this kind of educational philosophy but implemented it through Jamia Millia which proved to be a national laboratory to evolve a new pattern of education which would suit the Indian needs. He really proved as a teacher of new trends. My third work on Dr. Zakir Hussain was on his contributions to literature as one of the makers of Indian literature. His integrated personality manifested itself in different ways. A child of Indian renaissance and nationalism, he was a renowned educationist and a humanist, but he cannot be ignored as a liminary of literary art as well, for his writings covered the entire gamut of human experience, and he became the pace-setter of a new trend in literary craft. My Life 419 All exposure of sensitivities, impulses, emotions, joys, sorrows, ideals, and ideas of man associated with great literature are also reflected in the writings of Dr. Zakir Hussain with one difference. They are all channelised through his own value system with the intention of making man a better man. His writings are not mere mirrors which reflect the realities of man, but they show the direction of mans march towards his destiny. He is fully immersed in the substance of life whose meaning and significance he has fully explained in his writings. The inner link between life and literature and his full involvement in all aspects, from the chair of a teacher to the throne of Rashtrapati, have resulted in a class of literature which entitle him to a high place even among literary figures. His essays, speeches, addresses, books, writings are in themselves gems of exquisite beauty that touch, stir and move the hearts of the people and teach delightfully. As a thinker, philosopher, educationist, humanist, psychologist, economist, sociologist, nationalist, reformist and a statesman, he had to think, speak and write enormously. His rich experience, profound thoughts and beautiful style enriched the treasures of literature. Many a time he reflected not only on man but also on plants and stones. Cultural goods is the new concept he introduced into our literature. He said our country did not need our warm blood to ooze out from our necks, but it needed the sweat of our hard work, sincere work, ceaseless work and serious work. The peasant, the artisan, the teacher were the three parameters round whom he built his social philosophy. Only one example is enough to show how he injected into youth the habit of reading through the importance of books. He said: The book indeed is the life companion of modern man. And indeed it is a marvelous companion. It never speaks unless it is spoken to, and alternatives listened to. It can wait extremely for your approach. It is ever ready at all times of the day and night to oblige and to offer the best it 420 My Life has; to whosoever seeks it, it instructs, advises, inspires, rebukes, but stops immediately you have had enough of these. It never gets irritated at the silly questions one sometimes tends to put to it. It just smiles and holds its breath. Yet the book is a wonderful companion. It is a wonderful teacher for those who wish to learn, and it is a wonderful source of enjoyment. My fourth book on Zakir Hussain is the translation into English his Urdu lectures published by Jamia Millia under the title Talim-i-Khutbat , 14 in number delivered at different times and at different places. They cover a very wide range of educational activity with precious gems of wisdom and knowledge, on such topics as Education and National Development, Basic Education, Good Teacher, Character Formation, Importance of pre-primary and primary education, Twenty years of Jamia, Problems of National Education from Muslim point of View and Address to Aligarh Students. OnGood Teacher he says, a good teacher is one on whose life volume is inscribed not knowledge but Love. He loves the children, loves the books, loves his work, and loves the whole universe. There is no one above the level of a good teacher, for he is the one who is the architect of a nations destiny. When the whole world gets dejected of a child, just two souls kindle hope and faith in the child, one is his mother, and the other is his good teacher. These lectures are significant because they scan the inner recesses of a mighty mind involved in the training of child, a trust from God. The training does not start when the child goes to school. It starts from the birth of the baby and perhaps even before. The baby inherits the genes, and if intentions, ideas, thoughts and ideals of the parents were to be of finer and nobler type, they go in the formation of the baby. When the baby is born, the mothers lap is the first and best school. It is her gesture, fondling, curdling, care My Life 421 and love that form the bedrock of all his impulses which help him later to become human. It is the early phase when he looks around and begins to understand that is crucial for his future. How would you regard your child as an intruder into your conjugal life, as a toy to amuse your fancy, as a playful sweet little thing to remove your boredom or as a trust from God to inherit the globe, to advance human culture, and rule as Viceregent of God on earth? A myriad psychological and pragmatic issues are discussed in these lectures, all with the intention of making the child grow into fine personality. Education according to Dr.Zakir Hussain was to be a dynamic force in the development of individual personality, in the promotion of new attitudes and values, in the enhancement of knowledge and culture, and in the quest for new humanism and peace. He can be rated as the father of humanistic trend in educational philosophy which blended in itself such other trends as realistic, idealistic, aesthetic, pragmatic, utilitarian and intellectual. He mooted the idea that real education should combine science and culture. It should stimulate a search for values. It should promote a passionate quest for truth. It should aim at perfection and excellence. It should become an instrument of social change. He desired not merely to impart information but also to inculcate a sense of social responsibility, a sense of hope, pride and faith in the future of our land, and a sense of feeling to improve the quality of life by respecting the dignity and unity of mankind, his faith, belief and religion, and also his life, labour and intellect. For this purpose Zakir Hussain fought all his life agaainst de-humanised, irrelevant, and alienating type of education. He struggled hard to change the pattern of our education which had caused a fateful alienation of teachers and students from the realities of life which had distorted 422 My Life the methods and goals of national development. Our educational pattern had been cut off too long from the main stream of life. It had moved too far away from our roots and cultural moorings. It had buried too deep into the theoretical and abstract concepts making the study of even science as mere book learning. In these lectures Zakir Hussain has stressed on applied aspect of knowledge, on work-schools and not book-schools. He proposed a basic education, by which linkages could be established between thoughts on one side and actions on the other. He desired all the three agents of change, the head, the heart and the hands should be fully used to face the challenges of life. A good teacher is like a child, believing, trusting, loving, smiling, forgiving the faults of others, and ignoring the pride of the misguided. As long as the teacher retains the childhood, he would know the secrets of the childrens heart. A good teacher should possess the qualities of a good dramatist, a good novelist, a good psychologist and a good guide. Plato said a good teacher would be like a person in a dark cave with children whom he would not give eyes to see but simply would turn the eyes of those children towards the opening of the cave from where light is coming for them to see. He simply guides them. Knowledge, value and freedom are the three sides of Zakir Sahebs educational pyramid. He made head, heart and hand the three instruments to gain knowledge. He made the harmony of realism, idealism and humanism as the bedrock of education. He made the individual, the society and the State as the parameters of his educational philosophy. He flooded his educational sphere with such cultural values as love, truth, beauty, justice, knowledge, creativity and honour. His educational philosophy reflected the sociological purpose of man, the intellectual urge of the wise, the philosophical essence of the mind, the economic necessity of man, the moral My Life 423 thirst of the spirit, and the spiritual hunger of the soul. His humanism prompted him to regard the whole world as his country, the whole of India as his home, the whole human race as his kith and kin, and all Indians as members of his family. He would love beauty in things from flowers to stones, from poetry to calligraphy, from music to painting, and from children to cats. He had drawn freely from Greek reason, Buddhist patience, Hindu liberalism, Christian compassion, Islamic brotherhood, Sufi love, Arabic diction, Persian refinement, Indian intelligence, German idealism and English pragmatism. These lectures speak volumes of his fascinating personality. They are a veritable treasury of precious thoughts of a master mind. Yet another great personality on whom I have the honour to sketch his life and work is Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who is one of the makers of modern India. He stands out prominently for his high ideals. Love of liberty, love of man and love of God were his targets. Liberating the land from colonial rule, integrating the people into a composite whole, and igniting in them the lava of love for God were his main objectives. A peaceful, progressive, enlightened and unified State was his dream. As a thinker, a leader, a nationalist, a rationalist, a moralist, a humanist, a visionary and a revolutionary, he struggled all his life to bring about a new social order. He was like a full blown rose with velvet petals, each of which would recall the fragrance of human excellence in some specific area or other. Some one would shine either in social or cultural, or religious or literary or aesthetic field. But he was the one who blended in himself the finer aspects of several faculties. He was gifted with that rare intellect which prompted Sarojini Naidu to remark that he was forty at the time he was born. Niyaz Fatehpuri said if Azad had concentrated on Arabic poetry, he would have excelled Badi-uz-Zaman; if on theology, he would have become Ibn-e-Taiyima, if one philosophy, he would have ranked 424 My Life Urufi or Naziri; and if on Sufism, he would have surpassed Rumi or Ghazali. The loss of these branches was the gain of politics and religion where he left indelible impressions of his mature mind. He could be compared to Allama Iabal in profundity of thought. Both were critics of the west, both were interested in helping Muslims regain their self-confidence and both had a passionate love for Islamic principles. But their approach on several vital issues was quite different. Iqbal as the principal source for uses reason and consensus the interpretation of Quranic injunctions, but Azad is in favour of reconsolidation and argues that what is needed is not free or new legal speculation but a consolidation of Islamic fundamental truths. Iqbals approach is methodical, dialectical and metaphysical, and Azads is traditionalistic and fundamentalistic.Azad studied in Arab lands and was influenced in the process thoughts of Iraq, Syria, Hijaz, and Egypt, and not in Europe. He was much influenced by Jamaluddin Afghani and Muhammad Abduhu. His two newspapers, Al-Hilal and Al-Balaghu, dealt with religious and political themes in a forceful and passionate manner. Azad offered humanism and not rationalism, and sought all answers to the basic problems of life, ethics, morality and politics in the Quran. But his treatment of these problems was entirely different from the classical commentators. Azad explains mans relations with God in terms of or three main attributes of God, namely, creativity the process of careful nourishment leading to the fullest sustaining this development, mercy and love development, and justice maintaining the balance or equilibrium in life. Sir Syed had conveyed the idea of Gods creative power through the laws of nature, and Azad did the same through his concept of creativity or rububiya; Destiny My Life 425 or taqdir is nothing but the assignment of a role conditioned by certain limitations in its growth. Reason helps man in understanding the environment around and intuition guides him on a higher plane in his spiritual and ethical life. Construction and productivity are aimed at creating the value of beauty, in bringing about everything in perfect proportion, and making it very attractive by giving each the necessary colour or light or shade or rhythm or other attributes. Azads aesthetic sense is of a very high order. His concept of beauty is a novel note in Islamic literature. It is perhaps the influence of mystical thought in him. The bond sustaining between God and man is love, and the love of God is expressed through love for His creatures. Azads emphasis on beauty brings him close to the Greek concept of beauty, while his stress on love, to the Christian thought. These two streams prompt him to explain at length monistic eclecticism, as also his basic humanism. But his concept of love differs from that of Christianity in that he is reluctant to go against human nature. He does not advocate that one should love ones enemies and submit to aggression. The Quran extols forgiveness as a great virtue, but permits retaliation when unavoidable. The ethical element is modified by law to maintain peace and order, as justice appears to be very necessary for the sustenance of life. Azads view of the creation of the universe is not evolution but devolution. His religious thoughts conform to the mysticism of the Middle Ages transplanted into modernised traditionalism. In this he appears to differ from Aligarh School of thought and also with Iqbal. He does not think that Islamic law deserves to be changed. On Jehad, he was more conservative than liberal. Iqbal had placed man at the centre of the universe with the capacity even to change destiny, but Azad gave man very little to achieve except to become good through a balanced and tolerant moral life. 426 My Life Despite his conservatism, Azad is more humanistic. He does not think that religion should be the link between mankind to have good relationship. Humanity should be the link that should take the place of all other links. According to Azad the social contract implied in Islam is essentially humane, and Islam recognises no affinity other than that of human brotherhood. Azad stood for an idealised extension of pan-Islmism into an idealized humanism. It is very strange that the modernism and liberalism of Sir Syed led to the identification of the Muslims as a separate cultural group, while Azads Conservative School advocated a nationalism in which Hindus and Muslims would live as brothers. In Indian politics Iqbal the philosopher with the western enlightenment advocated a separate Muslim State, whereas Azad, the fundamentalist and the traditionalist stands for the concepts of composite nationalism and religious universalism. Iqbal touched the hearts of the people through his soul-stirring poetry, while Azads colourful and sweeping literary prose of difficult style appealed only to the Ulema, who became the votaries of United India. However Azad offered much to the Islamic thought in his new interpretation of the basic concepts of Islam. The century from 1857 produced several greatmen both among Hindus and Muslims. Ghalib, Zauq, Dagh, Hali, Shibli, Iqbal, Jigar, Firaq, Faiz illuminated the realm of literature. Mahmud-ul-Hasan, Ubaidulla Sindhi, Muhammad Ali Jauhar, Allama Mashriqui, Zafar Ali Khan, Hasarat Mohani, and other quickened political consciousness. But the most prominent leaders who left great political and social impact were Sir Syed, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal and Maulana Azad. Sir Syed was the main Ganges of which others were the streams. If Sir Syed had not launched the boat, others would have been still in the mid-ocean of ignorance and apathy. There was a lot common between Sir Syed and Maulana Azad. Both were deeply religious, and both were maligned by their My Life 427 own people, though both won the love of all in the end. Both used the press as an instrument for their reforms. What Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq was to Sir Syed, Al-Hilal was to Azad, the instruments for social change. Both possessed the fertility of mind and nobility of soul. Both were powerful writers, speakers and thinkers. Both wrote commentaries on Quran, and the commentaries of both became controversial. Both promoted Islamic heritage, and both were great Islamic scholars. Both were lovers of Urdu. Both believed in service and sacrifice, and both believed in the unity of all great religions. The comparison ends there. Both were polls apart. Sir Syed built loyalism to the administration; Azad destroyed that loyalty. Sir Syed kept the Muslims away from the Congress; Azad dragged them into its fold. Sir Syed believed in modernity; Azad was steeped in oriental lore. Sir Syed was the path-finder of easy, lucid and simple style in Urdu for the benefit of the masses; Azad loaded it with high-flown Persian and Arabic diction which delighted the elite. Sir Syeds forte was social reformation; Azad stood for political freedom. Enlightened colonialism was not nasty to Sir Syed, as the west was far advanced in science and technology, but Azad believed all history was nothing but unfolding the drama of human freedom, political freedom, social freedom, cultural freedom, and freedom from want, hunger, ignorance and apathy. In short Sir Syed stood for cooperation with the English, and Azad advocated confrontation. Sir Syed wanted the English to modernise India with western learning, Azad desired elimination of the English for building a secular, and democratic India. A comparative picture of Azad and Jinnah too would reveal points of agreement and disagreement. Jinnah too was nationalist, as Azad was. In 1916 during the days of Lucknow pact Motilal Nehru had called Jinnah an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity. Jinnah had once said to Sir Tej Bahadur, 428 My Life Sapru, I think I have a solution for the Hindu-Muslim problem. You destroy your orthodox priestly class, and we will destroy our Mullas, and there will be communal peace. Jinnah was not happy with the Khilafat movement, and it struck him extremely unwise to enrol the ignorant, and fanatical Muslims in the movement. Such a person turned communalist for quite different reasons. Azad never deviated from his path of nationalism. Both were great Muslim leaders, but Jinnah, advocated for Muslims safeguards and guarantees which would give them a little more share than what was due to them, as for instance one-third representation in the legislatures. Azad was for amicable settlement of these issues after the English left the country. Both wanted the English to quit India, but Jinnah would not hasten the process until the communal issue was solved, but Azad desired immediate elimination of the colonials. Jinnah stood for the Zamindari lobby and also for the educated class, who wanted jobs. Azad was for the socialist policy of the Congress for helping the poor Muslim masses. Jinnah was a highly westernised person, a legal luminary, but Azad was deeply rooted in Islamic learning, and yet he supported the western concepts of nationalism, secularism and democracy. An orientalist stood for indivisible, united and integrated India, but an ultra-modern leader stood for a State based on religion. East was for unity and West was for partition. Strange are the twists and turns of history. These comparisons between Sir Syed and Azad, and also between Jinnah and Azad would bring out in full focus the political thoughts and leanings of Maulana Azad. Azad s dream of united India was shattered to pieces not by Jinnah but by Congress leaders themselves. Jinnah accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan so assiduously drafted with the help of Azad, which in effect was his plan. But neither Patel, nor Nehru, and not even Gandhiji had the patience to give it a fair chance to function. It was Nehru who killed My Life 429 the Cabinet Mission Plan on 10 July 1946 in a Press Conference in Bombay where he said the Congress would enter the Constituent Assembly completely unfettered by agreements and free to meet all situations as they arise. When pressed further whether the Cabinet Mission Plan would be modified, Nehru replied that the Congress had agreed only to participate in the Constituent Assembly and regarded itself free to change or modify the Cabinet Mission as it thought fit. This was the bomb-shell that sowed the seeds of partition. The League rejected the Plan as the Congress had not accepted it. At a crucial juncture of the transfer of power the Congress did not act wisely. There were four power centres in it pulling in different directions. Gandhiji injected moral force which others respected in principle but acted otherwise. Nehru was an idealist and a socialist who was self-righteous in judgement. Sardar Patel was a pragmatist, and shrewd in maneuvering and helping the cause of capitalists. The fourth power magnet was Azad, committed to certain values which were not in demand in the political market. In a way the architect of partition was Mountbatten who took charge on 24th March 1947, hastened the process of blood-bath. It was his plan to partition the provinces of Bengal and Punjab and concede the demand of Pakistan. He first convinced Sardar Patel that partition was the only solution to the problem. Mountbatten lured Patel by saying he would give Congress the cream of India, he would give Bengal and Punjab provinces as well, the majority provinces of Muslims by cutting those provinces on communal lines. What would be left for Pakistan was only the deserts of Baluchistan and Sindh together with the hilly tracts of NWFP and the teeming millions of East Bengal. Patel fell a game to this. It was difficult to convince Nehru. Lady Mountbatten was dragged into service. She did the required job. Only 430 My Life one stumbling block remained and that was to convince Gandhiji, who had said, Partition would be only over my grave. He came to Delhi on 31 March 1947. In the morning when he met Azad, he (Gandhiji) said, Partition has now become a threat. It seems Vallabhai and even Jawaharlal have surrendered. What will you do now? Will you stand by me or have you also changed ? Azad said, My only hope now is in you. If you stand against partition, we may yet save the situation. If you however acquiesce, I am afraid India is lost. Gandhiji said, What a question to ask! If the Congress wishes to accept partition, it will be over my dead body. As along as I am alive I will never agree to the partition of India. Nor will I, if I can help it, allow Congress to accept it. This was the trend at 10 a.m. on 31 March 1947. At 4 p.m. after two hours of talk of Gandhiji with Mountbatten and Patel, Gandhiji was a different man who was repeating to Azad the same arguments which Sardar Patel had used. Partition became inevitable. Just a talk of two hours with Mountbatten and Patel pulverized the solid rock of united India which Gandhiji had in mind. Only one person stood firm till the end. He was Maulana Azad. My major work after retirement was perhaps in Urdu language. Although I wrote four books in English on Zakir Hussain, one on Sir Syed and another on Maulana Azad besides writing two volumes for Comprehensive History of Karnataka one on History of Bahmanis and Bijapuris, and another on Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan which were translated into Kannada and published by Kannada University of Hampi (the English versions are yet to be published), yet the bulk of my publications are in Urdu language. I wrote five books in Urdu, titled as (1) Hind Ki Chand Mayanaz Hastiyan, (2) Roshan Nuqoosh, (3) Irteqa-may-Insan Ka Muqam and (4) Alam-Islam-Kay-Jawaharpare, in two volumes, which are the short biographies, life and work of one hundred great My Life 431 personalities from the life of holy Prophet (PBH) to the life of Ali Miyan and (5) Ilm-e-Tarikh-kay-Makhtalife Gose. This carries all great men whether they were Caliphs or Sufis or scientists, or jurists or reformers or philosophers or leaders whether men or women. Besides as the chief editor of Urdu Daily SALAR I have contributed nearly 300 articles on the current topics of the day. I have preserved a copy of these articles in my files. Hopefully, they may also be published, at least a few of them. But I feel my greatest contribution to Urdu language is my quarterly periodical Noor-e-Baseerath, which I brought out nearly for a decade and brought out 26 volumes. This is a thematic journal which carries the essence of some personality or subject with the intention of informing the public our rich cultural heritage. It is mostly on the contribution of Islam to the various branches of knowledge, the role of its great men and women and lessons of history. Each issue is a book in itself and most of the issues are from my own pen. Hence they add up to a large number of my works in Urdu. Some of these are quite interesting as for example Jalaluddin Number, Imam Ghazali Number, Shaikh Saadi Number, Hafiz-e-Shiraz Number, Sufiya-e-Kiram Number, Talimat-e-Islam Number, Tipu Sultan Number, Sir Syed Number, besides special Numbers on Hali, Shibli, Iqbal, Azad, Jauhar, Zakir Hussain and others. Special issues on Scientists, thinkers, rulers, caliphs, jurists are also important. The last issues is on 1857, as we had to celebrate in 1947, the 150th year of the first war of Independence. But my main interest has all along been history, which took the medium of either English or Urdu, which strayed into either ancient or modern periods, and which landed either on Indian or Islamic fields. But in history there was one aspect that always fascinated me, and that is intellectual history, the history of ideas on which I delivered my main Presidential Address to the Indian History Congress, 47th 432 My Life Session in Kashmir on October 7-9, 1986. There I said history is the constant interaction and reciprocity among all the various manifestations of human brain, power and emotions. One has to think deeply to identify ideas that motivate our actions. If we probe deep into events, occurrences and personalities, we might discover some system, some order and some relationship among things which give them a concrete shape. The deep insight to know the inner relationship, to feel their pulse and to concretise them is to perform the operation of intellectual history. It is in other words cartography of ideas, tracing their roots, knowing their activity, and understanding their impact. It is a process to know how far mans imagination, his hopes, fears and ideals have brought forth events, in what channels they have passed through, what problems they faced, how were those problems solved and with what effect. Every thing in the world is moved by an urge to become something greater than what it is, and we have to find out what urge was that, whether ethical, moral, political, religious, ideological or personal ambition. Again, everything in the world is guided towards a certain direction and we have to find out what that direction is, whether humanism, liberalism or universalism. At present strong currents are there of globalisation, privatisation and liberalisation. The whole world is in a process of change, and great debates are going on whether all this is in the best interest of man or not. Every epoch has been inspired and dominated by some specific ideas which became their ideology. Confuciansim stood for system and order, Buddhism for compassion and patience, Jainism for truth and non-violence, Hinduism for humanism and tolerance, Christianity for love and service, and Islam for equality and brotherhood. The history of these faith is conditioned by the ideology it professed. This is by and large, true, although deviations were not missing. We in India desired to move in the direction of secularism, liberalism, My Life 433 socialism and democracy. To a great extent this has been the direction of our march, although human nature causes some obstacles on the way. The communists want egalitarian society, Americans want free enterprise. The Germans are rationals, the Japanese are pragmatic, the English are evolutionaries, the French are revolutionaries, the Indians are eclectic, the Arabs are easy-going and the Jews are hard- working. But each idea has the other side of the coin as well, and hence Hegelian concept of action and reaction also follows. The thesis produces an anti-thesis, which together results in synthesis. Subsequent to what was written during the last year and a half, I should say productive work was quite satisfactory to this day, as three books were published, namely Javeed Nama, Jalaluddin Rumi and Imam Ghazali, all in English. Material is ready for press for two more books, Hafiz-e-Shiraz and Shaikh Sadi. After the termination of the project, Noor-e-Baseerath, I have taken up to writting in English under Islamic Studies Series brought out by Knowledge Society Publications of my own. Please pray this programme continues untill I breath last. 15 Epilogue This work began with reflections on life. It has to end with reflections on life. When I look back on life, it is all a drama of exciting interest to those who have an insight. Open your eyes, you will see mothers loving the children, fathers sweating to earn the daily bread, children struggling to gain some knowledge, the youth facing the challenges of life, the rich roaring in wealth, the poor counting their days in misery, and the wise attempting to understand the world. Everywhere pulsating things are happening. Even after writing the preceding pages a few months ago, so much and so much has happened that it by itself would need a volume. Enough for me to say both good and bad things have happened to me. One good for which I feel happy and proud is the award of Ph. D. degree to my daughter, Asma Kulsum. It was my dream that at least one of my children should get a research degree in the academic field, and that dream was fulfilled. She worked hard for four or five years, and her work has been much applauded. Secondly, the academic world was so good and so gracious on me that it conferred the third D.Litt. Degree (Hon. Causa) on me. Earlier Kannada University, Hampi, had conferred to which Karnataka State Open University, Mysore, and Tumkur University, Tumkur, also added that 436 My Life honour, for which I feel extremely grateful to them. Perhaps, I may be thankful to University of Mysore as well for the similar honour. Thirdly, the Government of Karnataka too loaded me with an honour for my little work in social and educational field to backward communities, for which I thank them immensely. Fourthly, more important from my point of view, is the productive work of publications when five works saw the light of the day, four in English and one in Urdu. My work on Maulana Azad which I had finished nearly a decade ago had not seen the light of the day. I have already discussed its significance in chapter XIV. It was assigned to me by Maulana Azad Education Foundation, New Delhi, when Dr. F.U. Siddiqui was its Secretary. When I sent him the manuscript after working two long years, he could not publish it because there was a change of Government at the Centre. It was lying there nearly for five years when I contacted Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, whose Vice- Chancellor, Prof.. M.A. Pathan, immediately agreed to publish the work, but his office took three long years to do it, although I had given him the proof corrected copy. Anyway, I am thankful to that University for releasing the work in November 2008. I am happy about the three other works. Javeed Nama is Allama Iqbals master piece, an epic in search of perfect man, a fascinating imaginative travelogue which takes us to several planets, the climax of which is an audience with Almighty God. It is a reflective and reformative piece inspiring a decadent society to rise up and play again its historic role. It rotates round three important parameters of life, namely religion, politics and society. It has focused on the value systems of different faiths presenting a drama where actors ranging from prophets and saints to tyrants and traitors have played a vital role. It is a message to the younger generation how to face the challenges of modern age. My Life 437 Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi is the star thinker of the Islamic world, who has touched the sensitive chord of every mental and moral activity. His profound philosophy, high metaphysics, sublime ethics, vital history and delightful poetry form the rich heritage of mankind. His profuse writings range into 50,000 verses in the Diwan and six volumes of Masnavi which is regarded as Quran in Persian language. What is most fascinating is the treatment of his subject through parables, stories, anecdotes and illustrations which would make even the most difficult issues so simple and so lucid that even a child could understand, but so profound that even a great scholar would find it hard to gauge their full significance. He is more a mystic than a philosopher who traces the path of ascension to higher knowledge, where the transformation takes place of the whole of man, his will, his intellect and his emotions to pass away from the self into the essential unity with God. I feel happy that I have attempted to present the contributions of this mighty soul to the English knowing public. Yet another work of great value I have brought out is a treatise on Imam Ghazali, the brightest star on the horizon of Spiritual Life. He was the one who perfected the Sufi system of thought. Among his 70 books two are very important. One deals with philosophy of light in Mishkatul-Anwar based on just two verses of Quran. The other work Ahya-ul-Uloom is encyclopedic in nature, intended to take man to his destiny of Perfect Man or Super Man. He tells us that we cannot live pleasantly unless we live wisely, justly and generously for which we need two things, good mind and god character. No darkness is greater than ignorance and no light is brighter than knowledge. Ghazali ignites in man that knowledge, unity, solidarity, harmony and freedom, which like diamond would have two qualities, its glow and weight. The glow of the culture he advocates is unity of God, and the weight of the culture is unity he adores of man. Faith 438 My Life in God would gift unity in everything and love of man would gift a social order of peace and prosperity. Faith is related to truth, love, justice, beauty, knowledge and creativity. In short Ghazalis works are that rich treasure house of knowledge and wisdom which have illumined mans mind, soul and conscience even to this day. I feel happy I have introduced Ghazali to English knowing public. The Urdu work on different dimensions of History is a reference work both for students and general public on three aspects of history. One is what is history, what is its philosophy and how to write history. The second part is how history is written in India from the earliest period down to this day, the different cultures in India, and a brief account of the political, social and cultural history of India. The third part deals with the world culture, particularly the western culture, and their contributions to science and technology. It is a broad survey of the civilization of man. Apart from these accomplished programmes, I intend to throw light on two more great men of Islam, namely Hafiz-e-Shiraz and Shaikh Sadi, I have been able to add to our social and educational activities two more units, one is a D.Ed. College and the other is a School of our own for disabled children. By Gods grace we now have both B.Ed. and D.Ed. programmes in our campus. I was very keen that we should strengthen our primary and pre-primary educational sector, which is the base and the root. D.Ed. is two year programme, and we have now a full-fledged D.Ed. College with qualified and motivated staff. A reference to our Disabled children school has already come before which was functioning with the cooperation of the Rotary Club, but that Club hijacked our school to a different place. Consequently we had to establish our own school which we have now done. Hopefully it will come up well in course of time. My Life 439 Yet another development for which I feel happy is the project we have now initiated in New Muslim Hostel, Mysore. I am the President of that Hostel with which I am associated almost during the last 70 years, first as its boarder, then as its Warden, and now as its President. We have already built a sprawling commercial complex yielding good revenue, out of which we erected three structures, one a dining hall, the other a dormitory and the third, extension of the prayer hall. Apart from this main plot of land for boarders we had Wardens Quarters on the other side of the Kantharaja Urs Main Road, adjacent to fire-brigade. It was also a fairly big plot of land measuring 120x100 feet, prime land of great value. We decided to put up a commercial complex on this plot as well. It was not an easy job, first to complete the formalities, to get the licence from the city Corporation, and to find enough resources to construct a building with a cellar, ground floor together with three more floors. We have now come to the stage of getting the Corporation licence and also find a party which should advance funds that would meet the cost of one third of the project. For the other twothird we are hoping to raise a loan from the Central Wakf Council, New Delhi. The entire project may cost more than two crores of rupees. It is my prayers to Allah to bless this project with success. If these are the good things that have happened in my personal life, something good has happened on the world scene as well. President Bush is gone and Barak Obama is in power who has promised a change for the better. It remains to be seen. But the tragedy of Bush was such that he was greeted with boots when he went to Iraq. He brought about a calamity to the whole world being instrumental for the loss of millions of lives. His wrong policies have brought about the worst depression since 1930, when the whole world is facing the melt down. What is most fascinating is the American choice of a black as the President of USA. Although 440 My Life Churchill had said that democracy was the worst form of Government and had hastened to add there was no alternative to it, this election proved anything was possible in America. The racial prejudice of the whites against the blacks was such that Abraham Lincoln had to fight a civil war against his own people for human rights, and John Kennedy had to struggle hard for social justice, both these leaders losing their life in the process. In such a situation a black to be elected to the highest office, who is the son of a Muslim at a time when a crusade is going on against the Muslim world, is something unimaginable, and that has happened. As for the bad things that have happened to me is the loss of life-partner, my wife, Sufia Bi, on 19th January 2009, whose qualities of head and heart were immense. She was a lady of great courage, strong will, frank, wise, honest, generous and hospitable. Her depth of understanding of men and events was far superior to mine. Her hand of generosity was far higher than what I could afford. Her love and affection, kindness and courtesy to our kith and kin, near and dear, were all of larger measures than what had fallen to my share. Her fertility of mind, quick perception, dogged determination, dynamic fervour and indefatigable labour were all surprisingly high. She guided me through thick and thin, brought up a large family, took good care of their education, moulded their character and conduct, helped them to plan their future, and assisted even her brothers and sisters. As the eldest in her family, she worked hard, fingers to her bone, serving them while they were with us in Mysore for their education. Her unique features were her generosity, large- heartedness, warm-feelings, love and affection for all, more so to the needy and poor. If only she wanted to save money, she could have amassed a lot, but she spent it all in charity. A commoner had married a Duchess and the Duchess sized up to the pranks of a commoner. Only one instance is My Life 441 enough to indicate here her wisdom. In 1956 when a student of mine with hardly an experience of a few months superceded me for the post of Assistant Professor in the University, making me miserable, distressed and depressed, she consoled me in such terms, Cool yourself! Be calm, think it may be a blessing for us, which we cannot see at this moment, The hidden hand of Gods mercy would not immediately reveal what is best in our own interest. Her words proved prophetic. Had I got that job, I would have been shifted to Tumkur college, where at best I might have become a Professor. All that I became later was only because of that disappointment when I went to U.K. for still higher studies, got a London Ph.D., became a University Professor in India, a Visiting Professor in America, and a V.C. of not one but two new Universities. It is all because of the support, guidance and help I got from my wife. She was very hard working and active all her life, except during the last few years when she fell very ill. In her last days she had become immobile and we had to engage a full time nurse to take care of her. Any way I owe a lot to her and sincerely pray for her soul to rest in peace and to find the finest of the fine abode in heaven, Amen! One more bad thing that has happened to me is my sight. When I checked with the Opthothalmologist he said my right eye retina was damaged, and nothing could be done about it. I could see but not read or write with the right eye. I went to Bangalore to consult a super- specialist. He said the same. I reconciled myself to the loss and said to myself, thank God, at least left eye is safe, take good care of it. That is also the advice of the Doctors. There are people with one lung, one kidney, one limb. I too must carry on with the vision of one eye. God forbid if anything were to happen to it, I would not wish to live any more. Finally, I have to say I have lived a ripe age. Every 442 My Life day that passes is an extra bonus. I have seen the full drama of life, both good and bad. It is Gods glory, I have large, very large circle of friends who shower their affections on me. God has not denied me any thing. He blessed me with everything I prayed for, in measures much more than I deserved. I have one last wish. I must meet God holding my pen in my hand. I have reached a stage where I could say : (What concern have I with the world, when pen is my domain; I shall be buried in books with pages as my coffin) House Where I was born, Belagodu, Hassan Dist. Urdu Middle School, Hassan. M Massod (Elder's Son) Shahin Massod (Daughter-in-law) Zainab Hussain Dr. Zakir Hussain (Son) Farheen Hussain (Daughter-in-law) Raisa Hussain Comdr. N.I. Arif (Son-in-law) Shahida Arif (Daughter) Shama Arif Saba Arif Faisal Hasan Family Group in 1962 M Masood with members of the family on Convocation Day (B.E. Degree) Family Group with Asma Kulsum Gold Medalist in B.Sc. Family Group (25-10-1973) Asma Kulsum Gold Medalist in B.Sc with Grand Parents Commonwealth Library in London Bank Cheque Medical Card London ID Card Paris Library