Gauhar Raza
Encyclopedia
Gauhar Raza is an India
n scientist by profession, and a leading Urdu
poet, social activist and documentary film maker working to popularize the understanding of science among general public, known for his films like Jung-e-Azadi, on the India's First War of Independence, and Inqilab
(2008) on Bhagat Singh. He is also the honorary director of Jahangirabad Media Institute
.
, UP, India on 17 August 1956. His family shifted to Aligarh in 1958. His father, Wizarat Husain (1919 to 2007) was a freedom fighter, a communist party member and a renowned educationist and science teacher in Aligarh Muslim University
, Aligarh. His mother, a social worker, was also intensely involved in freedom struggle and had worked with Indira Gandhi
in Allahabad.
He completed B.Sc. Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University
, in 1977 and M. Tech. (Power Apparatus and Systems) from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi 1979.
released in 2007.http://www.bollyfm.net/bollyfm/mid/1264/songs.html
, and the couple has a son, Sahir Raza and a daughter, Seher
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n scientist by profession, and a leading Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
poet, social activist and documentary film maker working to popularize the understanding of science among general public, known for his films like Jung-e-Azadi, on the India's First War of Independence, and Inqilab
Inqilab
Inqilab is a 2008 Indian documentary film directed by Gauhar Raza, about Indian freedom fighter, Bhagat Singh, co-produced by Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Act Now for Harmony and Democracy in connection with birth centenary Bhagat Singh...
(2008) on Bhagat Singh. He is also the honorary director of Jahangirabad Media Institute
Jahangirabad Media Institute
Jahangirabad Media Institute is a media institute in India. It was established by Jahangirabad Education Trust in 2005. The institute is situated in a pictorial palace of Jahangirabad in Barabanki District in U.P state . It mainly runs courses in electronic media. Gauhar Raza, a famous urdu poet...
.
Early life and education
Born in a left liberal family in AllahabadAllahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, UP, India on 17 August 1956. His family shifted to Aligarh in 1958. His father, Wizarat Husain (1919 to 2007) was a freedom fighter, a communist party member and a renowned educationist and science teacher in Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
, Aligarh. His mother, a social worker, was also intensely involved in freedom struggle and had worked with Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
in Allahabad.
He completed B.Sc. Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
, in 1977 and M. Tech. (Power Apparatus and Systems) from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi 1979.
Career
In 1979 he joined Eicher Goodearth Ltd., a multinational company as an electrical engineer and worked there for 3 years. Solved a few major design problems that the company was facing and with in a short span of time he rose to Executive-Engineer level. In 1982 he joined National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS) as a scientist and still continues there.Contribution to poetry
Gauhar Raza's poetry collection Zazbon Ki Lau Tez Karon has been noticed for the frankness of tone and for the social concerns that they take up and treat sensitively. In his most famous poem “Main Chahta hoon”(I like to), he express his helplessness to write a romantic poem in the days of darkness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmDz4sfub9E. He also wrote lyrics for a Hindi film Say Salaam IndiaSay Salaam India
Say Salaam India is an 2007 Indian Hindi language movie, written and directed by Subhash Kapoor, and starring Sanjay Suri, Milind Soman and Sandhya Mridul ....
released in 2007.http://www.bollyfm.net/bollyfm/mid/1264/songs.html
Personal life
He is married to activist, Shabnam Hashmi, sister of the slain theatre activist Safdar HashmiSafdar Hashmi
Safdar Hashmi was a Communist playwright, actor, director, lyricist, and theorist, chiefly associated with Street theatre in India, and is still considered an important voice in political theatre in India....
, and the couple has a son, Sahir Raza and a daughter, Seher
Works
- Plague, Media and People, NITADS, 1996 (co-writers: Bharvi Dutt and Surjit Singh)
- Confluence of Science and Peoples' Knowledge at the Sangam, NISTADS, 1996 (co-writers: Surjit Singh, Bharvi Dutt and Jagdish Chander)
- A Delicate Space Ship, Youth for Disarmament, Delhi, 1998
- Jazbon Ki Lau Tez Karo, Raj Kamal, Delhi, 1999
- Walk the Sky, A play on violence against women, V-Day, Delhi, 2001
- Science Crafts and Knowledge: Understanding Of Science Among Artisans In India and South Africa-Across Cultural Endeavour, Protea Book House, Pretoria, 2002 edited along with Hester du Plessis
- HIV/ AIDS Public Understanding and Attitude, NYKS, 2007 (co-writers: Surjit Singh and Chader Shekhar Pran)
Awards
- Best subject expert for educational film in 1999 by the University Grants CommissionUniversity Grants CommissionUniversity Grants Commission may refer to:* University Grants Commission * University Grants Commission * University Grants Commission * University Grants Commission...
. - Creative Literature Award, Hindi Academy, 2001, for the collection of poems 'Jazbon Ki Lau Tez Karo'.
- For contribution to Science writings and propagation of Science, Urdu Academy, Delhi, 2002