DR M D TASEER AND KASHMIR CONNECTION

                 
DR M D TASEER AND KASHMIR

Last year when I went to S P college Srinagar , I spent some time in the lobby outside Principal’s room to study the faces and details in Photographs Hung on the Walls. These faces included some eminent personalities like M U Moore ( 1905-1908), I K Sharga ( 1909-1921 ), Lawrence Macdermot ( 1921-1931 ), R L Kanjilal (1931 )Moulvi Mohd Ibrahim ( 1931-1939),A K Kichloo ( 1931-1941 )Dr M D Taseer ( 1941-1942 ), S D Malhotra (1942-1944 ), B K Madan (1944-1946), Prof G A Ashai ( 1947-1948 ),Prof S L Raina ( 1947 and again 1957to 1958 ), and Prof J L Koul ( 1952-1957 ).These men of repute and Character acted as Principals of the college at one time or the other . One name that sounds strange is Dr M D Taseer Principal (1941-1942 ). Yes father of Salman Taseer( born at Shimla ) the recently Assassinated Governor of Punjab province of Pakistan . A strong Kashmir connection. 

Muhammad Din Taseer ( 1902-1950 ) later known as DR. M D Taseer was born at Ajnala in Amritsar district . He earned his Ph.D at Cambridge University. Dr Taseer was the first Indian to get his Ph.D. in English Literature from Cambridge University and his thesis was a critical and analytical study of five hundred years of English literature.
He was initially associated with Islamia College, Lahore. He also served as principal of a collge at Amritsar.

Dr. Taseer had built a house in Srinagar where the marriage function of Poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz with Alys was solemnized in presence of sheikh Mohd Abdullah .. He loved to spend summers and Autumn in srinagar and During winters , he would move to his own house in Lahore. 

It is pertimnent to mention that Dr.Taseer was a close friend of BPL Bedi ( Popularly known as Baba Bedi and father of Actor kabir Bedi ) with whom he co- authored the famous “ NAYA KASHMIR MANIFESTO ’’ for National Conference Party headed by Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah .Though Dr M D Taseer did not publish any Book , he was a well known poet and recited his poems in poetic gatherings. I quote lines from one of his poems :

"Mujhe Talaash Rahi Hai
Nahin Talaash Nahin ,
Talaash Main to Talab
Justajoo Sii Hotee Hai ,
Dubii Dubii Hii Sahee
Aarzoo Sii Hotee Hai ,
Na Aarzoo Na Talab Hai
Na Justajoo Na Talaash ,

Muqaam? Marhallaa? Jo Kuchh Bhi Naam Hai Uskaa
Jahaan Khayal Kay Paiker Banaa-e Jaatey Hain
Nigha-e Gosh Ko Naghmay Dikhaaye Jatae Hain"

He wrote many Books and articles on Poetry ,Art and literature His book’ Iqbal, the universal poet “ was well received by critics and readers .Dr. Taseer was also associated with the Progressive writers movement of the subcontinent .As per Dr Riaz Qadeer

“Taseer was an instable reader with a broad perspective. He would at once grasp the crux of a matter and then put it in proper sequence. He was endowed with an analytic mind, synthetic comprehension and clear vision over a vast field of arts and literature in its historical and evolutionary context. His method of treatment of his subject was scientific. He took up the literary eras of England in an ordinary way, one by one, studied their trends and then proceeded to discern the attitude of the West as reflected towards the East like a true scholar of literature and philosophy.”                                                       




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