By TCN Staff Reporter,
Patna: Noted Urdu journalist and columnist Dr. Rizwan Ahmad died on Tuesday 31st May at Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology here in Patna. He was critically ill for few days and was under treatment at the hospital where he took his last breath at the age of 64. He is survived by his wife and a daughter.
His funeral prayer was offered at Daryapur Masjid after Isha prayer and was laid to rest at Shahganj Qabristan in the state capital.
Born on 9th Sep. 1947 to Urdu poet Ghubar Bhatti in a village of Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Rizwan did Ph.D. from Patna University and started his journalism career in Patna with publishing Urdu daily Azimabad Express. He has been writing on political, modern and social issues in different newspapers and magazines. His famous weekly column ‘Mujhe Bolne Do’ (Let me speak) has been published and read widely.
He had been editor of Urdu daily Azimabad Express, Urdu monthly Zewar and Zaban-o-Adab, Urdu monthly organ of Bihar Urdu Academy. Besides, he worked for BBC Urdu Service and Vice of America from Bihar.
He served as Secretary of Bihar Urdu Academy, Vice Chairman of Bihar Urdu Advisory Committee, Secretary of All India Editors Conference and President of Bihar State Urdu Editors Council.
He authored 10 books on different topics especially on Urdu Adab (Urdu literature). For his works and contributions, he got several awards in his life including Ghalib Award, Nawa-e-Meer Award, Imtiyaz-e-Meer Award and Khaja Ahmad Abbas Award. Besides, Bihar, UP and West Bengal Urdu Academies also felicitated him with honor and awards.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief on his death and termed it as a great loss of Urdu world in general and Bihar in particular. He offered condolence to his grieved family members.
In his comment on the death of Dr. Rizwan, noted Urdu Journalist, Ashraf Asthanwi said: “Dr. Rizwan has been raising the issues related to the community and the country fearlessly for last 40 years. With his demise, we lost a fearless and selfless journalist who never compromised with his principles. His works and contribution will be remembered always.”
“When Nitish Kumar established Bihar Urdu Advisory Committee in 2008, Dr. Rizwan was made Vice Chairman of it. But when he felt the committee is toothless and that it has nothing to do with the progress of Urdu, he raised the issue. He tried several times to meet Chief Minister to convey the paralyzing status of the committee but never succeeded. Consequently, he resigned from the post” Asthanvi, who is also president of Bihar Urdu Journalists Forum, told TCN.
Mr. Asthanwi was quite upset over the attitude people showed towards this great contributor of Urdu in his last time. “I felt very sorry when I saw only about 50 people in his funeral prayer in a place where he spent big time of his life serving the community,” he said in an emotional manner.
Among the eminent personalities who expressed grief on the passing of Dr Rizwan were Rajya Sabha MP Prof. Jabir Hussain, Ashraf Freed, Editor, Qaumi Tanzim Urdu daily, and Dr. Aslam Azad of Urdu Council.