Hyderabad: The 96th death anniversary of the renowned scholar of Sindh Shamsul Ulama Mirza Qaleech Baig was held at the University of Sindh here on Thursday. The speakers paid rich tribute to him for his remarkable services in the field of education, research and authoring of around 460 books on different subjects.
The Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Khoumbati announced that an international conference will be organized next year on October 4, marking the birth anniversary of Shams-ul-Ulama to highlight his contributions before the world.
According to details, a commemorative event was held in the video conference room of the Benazir Bhutto Chair at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro to pay homage to Mirza Qaleech Baig.
The event was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Khoumbati. In his presidential address, the Vice-Chancellor stated that Mirza Qaleech Baig made an extraordinary contribution by writing 460 books on various subjects within a short lifespan of 76 years.
He remarked that the sheer number of books suggested that Qaleech Baig was not an ordinary person but rather a divinely gifted individual. He added that had Mirza Qaleech Baig lived in Europe, his work would have been internationally recognized far more than it was in Sindh.
"While Sachal Sarmast composed poetry in seven languages, Qaleech Baig could speak eight and understood twenty-five languages. This shows his calibre", he said. He emphasized the need for digitizing the literary works of Mirza Qaleech Baig and officially announced the plan to organize an International Conference on October 4, 2026, to mark the scholar's birthday.
"Through his books, Mirza Qaleech Baig introduced us to the world, and now it is our responsibility to inform the world about his intellectual legacy through conferences," the VC said.
Director of the Chair Dr. Nawab Kaka warmly welcomed the guests and informed the audience that 62 books of Mirza Qaleech Baig had been published so far by the Chair and two scholars had earned their MPhil degrees on his contributions. Both manuscript and printed works of Qaleech Baig had been safely archived at the Chair.
Dr. Tahmina Mufti elaborated in detail on the significance and usefulness of Qaleech Beg's translations of Shakespeare's dramas. Faheem Noonari said that Mirza Qaleech was a great intellectual of the modern world, while Dr. Faiza Zahra Mirza remarked that her grandfather Qaleech Baig wrote on every topic under the sun and produced an astounding number of books in his lifetime. Dr. Haseen Musarrat noted that Qaleech Baig advocated for women's rights and empowerment through his novels like Zeenat and other writings.
On this occasion, Makhoor Bukhari, Idrees Jatoi, Dr. Muhammad Ali Manjhi and others also spoke and highlighted different aspects of Mirza Qaleech Baig. The proceedings of the program were conducted by famous broadcaster and writer Naseer Mirza.
Registrar Dr. Mushtaque Ali Jariko, Dr. Fayaz Latif, Muhammad Mashooq Siddiqui, Dr. Noor Muhammad Shah, senior journalist and writer Niaz Panhwar, Dr. Abdul Majeed Chandio, Dr. Rehana Nazir Mallah, Abdul Majeed Panhwar, Taj Joyo, Naseer Mirza, Qazalbash Mirza and others attended the event.
Earlier in the morning, Director of Qaleech Baig Chair Dr. Nawab Kaka along with renowned scholars and writers visited the Blund Shah Graveyard in Tando Thoro, where they laid floral wreaths on the grave of Mirza Qaleech Baig.
