By TCN Staff Reporter
New Delhi: In a tragic turn of events Dr. Omar Khalidi, eminent Indian author and a staff member of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT) USA, died in a car accident in Boston on November 29.
Dr. Khalidi was born in Hyderabad and educated in India, Britain and the United States.
He had authored the path breaking book “Khaki and Ethnic Violence in India: Armed Forces, Police and Paramilitary During Communal Riots”. His other works include ‘Indian Muslims Since Independence’, (1996) and “Muslims in Indian Economy” (2005) among many others. He had recently finished the draft on the state of Urdu language in India
“It’s very sad. Dr. Khalidi was one of my dear friends, philosopher and a guide,” said Dr Abusaleh Sharief, Chief Economist and specialist in Human Development at National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi.
“Dr. Khalidi had a very clear understanding of Indian society and Indian polity particularly in the context of Indian Muslims. His understanding of India is as contemporary as it can be. Having lived in US for a long time he never lost interest in Indian issues,” Dr. Sharief further added.
Dr. Sharief who was also member-secretary of the Rajinder Sachar Committee on the status of Muslims said that Dr. Khalidi was not only a clear headed academician but also a brave one as it is quite clear from his book “Khaki and Ethnic Violence in India: Armed Forces, Police and Paramilitary During Communal Riots”.
Highlighting Dr. Khalidi’s contribution to the research and analysis of the state of Urdu language in India, Dr. Sharief said: “His most recent draft on the state of Urdu in India should be an eye opener for the national policy on Urdu as well as state policies of a number of states which he studied.”
Dr. Sharief further requested the government of India to publish his draft report on Urdu as a remembrance to the departed soul.
Dr. Omar Khalidi is survived by his wife and a daughter.