Saiyid Nurul Hasan
Encyclopedia
Saiyid
Nurul Hasan was a historian of medieval India, a prolific author, a statesman in the Government of India
, and governor of Bengal and Orissa.
, India. He belonged to a prominent landowning (madad-i ma'ash) family of the United Provinces. He was the son of Sayyid
Abdul Hasan and Nur Fatima Begum. His father was a District Settlement Officer and later President of the Court of Wards in the United Provinces. He was a grandson of Sir Sayyid Wazir Hasan, the prominent politician. He was married to Nawabzadi Khurshid Laqa Begum Sahiba, a daughter of Nawab
Raza Ali Khan of Rampur
. They had two children, Sayyid Sirajul Hasan and Sayyida Talat Fatima Hasan.
in Kolkata
,. He complete his granduation from Muir Central College, Allahabad
. Later he went to New College
, Oxford
, where he completed an M.A. and D.Phil. in Indian history. In Oxford he was the President of the Oxford India Majlis.
in the Department of History at Aligarh Muslim University
, of which he was a Chairperson as well. Later he had become a General Secretary and President of the Indian History Congress. He was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
and the Royal Asiatic Society
in London.
In 1972 he founded the Indian Council of Historical Research
, New Delhi
. He was also the architect behind the setting up of 27 social science research institutes in India under the aegis of the Indian Council of Social Science Research
(ICSSR), New Delhi. As India's education minister, he founded the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta
, of which he was the founder in 1973. He was also the Founder-Chairman of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Calcutta in 1993.
. From 1971 to 1977, he was the Union Minister of State (with independent charge) for Education, Social Welfare & Culture in the Government of India. From 1977 to 1980 he was the Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. He served as Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1983 to 1986. He was the Governor of West Bengal
from 1986 to 1989 and 1989 to 1993 and also the Governor of Orissa
in 1989. He was an immensely popular Governor of West Bengal.
He died in Calcutta, West Bengal. The Nurul Hasan Education Foundation is named after him.
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
Nurul Hasan was a historian of medieval India, a prolific author, a statesman in the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
, and governor of Bengal and Orissa.
Background
Hasan was born in LucknowLucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, India. He belonged to a prominent landowning (madad-i ma'ash) family of the United Provinces. He was the son of Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
Abdul Hasan and Nur Fatima Begum. His father was a District Settlement Officer and later President of the Court of Wards in the United Provinces. He was a grandson of Sir Sayyid Wazir Hasan, the prominent politician. He was married to Nawabzadi Khurshid Laqa Begum Sahiba, a daughter of Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
Raza Ali Khan of Rampur
Raza Ali Khan of Rampur
Nawab Raza Ali Khan Bahadur was a Nawab of the princely state of Rampur from 1930 to 1966. A tolerant and progressive ruler, Sir Raza expanded the number of Hindus in his government, expanded the irrigation system, completed elctrification projects and continued building schools, roads and sewage...
. They had two children, Sayyid Sirajul Hasan and Sayyida Talat Fatima Hasan.
Education
He was educated at La Martiniere Boys' CollegeLa Martiniere Calcutta
La Martiniere Calcutta comprises two separate private schools in Kolkata, India. The schools were established in accordance with the will of Major General Claude Martin in 1836. They are day schools although they both have a small number of boarders...
in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
,. He complete his granduation from Muir Central College, Allahabad
Allahabad
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,...
. Later he went to New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, where he completed an M.A. and D.Phil. in Indian history. In Oxford he was the President of the Oxford India Majlis.
Academic
He began his academic career as a ProfessorProfessor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in the Department of History at 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...
, of which he was a Chairperson as well. Later he had become a General Secretary and President of the Indian History Congress. He was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
and the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
in London.
In 1972 he founded the Indian Council of Historical Research
Indian Council of Historical Research
The Indian Council of Historical Research is a Society . The ICHR is registered under Societies registration Act 1860 with the Department of Industries of Delhi Government, Delhi.Role...
, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. He was also the architect behind the setting up of 27 social science research institutes in India under the aegis of the Indian Council of Social Science Research
Indian Council of Social Science Research
Indian Council of Social Science Research was established in the year of 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country...
(ICSSR), New Delhi. As India's education minister, he founded the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta
Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta
The Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta is an autonomous research centre devoted to the research and advancement of the social sciences in South Asia...
, of which he was the founder in 1973. He was also the Founder-Chairman of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Calcutta in 1993.
Political
From 1969 to 1978, Hasan was a member of Rajya SabhaRajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
. From 1971 to 1977, he was the Union Minister of State (with independent charge) for Education, Social Welfare & Culture in the Government of India. From 1977 to 1980 he was the Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. He served as Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1983 to 1986. He was the Governor of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
from 1986 to 1989 and 1989 to 1993 and also the Governor of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
in 1989. He was an immensely popular Governor of West Bengal.
He died in Calcutta, West Bengal. The Nurul Hasan Education Foundation is named after him.
Publications
- Religion, State, and Society in Medieval India : Collected Works of S. Nurul Hasan (Satish Chandra, editor). New Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2005. - viii, 335 S. : Kt. ISBN 0-19-566765-4 / 978-019566765-3
- Sufis, Sultans and Feudal Orders : Professor Nurul Hasan Commemoration Volume (Mansura Haidar, editor), 2004.
- Studies in archaeology and history: commemoration volume of Prof. S. Nurul Hasan, Publisher: Rampur Raza Library, 2003. ISBN 818711357X.