By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Patna: Renowned Urdu poet and the recipient of Padma Shri, Dr. Kalim Ajiz passed away on Sunday in Hazaribagh, Jharkhan. He was 90 years old.
He was currently serving as the Chairman of the Urdu Advisory Committee, Government of Bihar. The author of several books on poetry Dr. Ajiz was a retired professor of Patna University.
Dr. Kalim Ahmed Ajiz (TCN file photo)
Dr Ajiz was born in Telhara in 1926. He was a gold medallist in BA from Patna College and then earned his Master’s degree in Urdu from Patna University. He also got his doctorate from Patna University for his thesis on “Evolution of Urdu Literature in Bihar.” This thesis is now available in a book form. He served as a lecturer for decades in the Department of Urdu at Patna University. In 1976, his first book of ghazals was released by then President of India, Fakruddin Ali Ahmad in Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi.
In the ’60s and ’70s he was the only Urdu poet who represented Bihar in the Red Fort Mushaira held every year in Delhi on the eve of Independence Day.
One of the greatest Urdu poets of all times, Rahgupati Sahay alias Firaq Gorakpuri was a great admirer of Dr. Kaleem Ajiz. He sent his famous tape recorded words for Dr. Ajiz’s first book while he was lying on his deathbed in which he respectfully said he felt jealous of Dr. Ajiz because of the ease in which he could express his thoughts through his verses.
He said he loved Mr. Ajiz’s poems so much that whenever he heard him reciting his ghazals, he always forgot his own works.
Dr. Ajiz used to avoid publicity despite the fact that he had thousands of admirers all over the world. For the last 10-15 years, he avoided mushairas as he believed their quality had gone down immensely and became cheap and mediocre.
He wrote collective of ghazals and nazams named as, Woh jo shayri ka sabab hua, jab fasl bahar aayei thi, jahan khushboo hi khusboo thi.
His first Mushaira appearance was in the year 1949 from Anjuman Rafiq us Shora in Patna, although he had started writing quite early in 1937. His first written couplet was “Thi farmaish buzorgo ki to likh di ghazal aajiz/wagar na shayaari shairi ka tazarba humko bhala kahan hai.”
Dr. Ajiz had four sons and two daughters.
His namaz-e-janaza will be performed in Gandhi Maidan, Patna on Monday at 10 am, and burial will take place at his birthplace Telhara in Nalanda.