Renowned Urdu scholar C.M. Naim passes away at 89
New Delhi: Professor Choudhri Mohammed Naim, one of the most respected authorities on Urdu language and South Asian studies, has passed away at the age of 89. Born in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, Naim was widely regarded as among the finest voices on Urdu literature, culture, and politics.
He completed his Master’s degree from Lucknow University in 1955 before moving to the United States, where he studied at the University of California, Berkeley. His academic journey culminated in a long association with the University of Chicago, where he served as Professor Emeritus of South Asian Languages and Civilisations after teaching there from 1961 to 2001. He chaired the department from 1985 to 1991.
Beyond academia, Naim was a founding editor of several journals and remained a consistent and sharp commentator on Urdu's decline in the Indian subcontinent, the region of its origin. His deep engagement with language politics never kept him from confronting political issues head-on, including the Palestinian cause, about which he wrote passionately after a visit in 1989.
Naim contributed to several prestigious institutions, serving as a consultant to the Asia Society’s Asian Literature Program in New York, and presses including Princeton University Press and the University of Chicago Press. He was also associated with organisations such as the Association for Asian Studies, the Berkeley Urdu Language Program in Pakistan, and the American Institute of Pakistan Studies.
In 2023, he published Urdu Crime Fiction, 1890–1950: An Informal History, a work that reflected his enduring connection with Urdu literary traditions.
Tributes from scholars, students, and admirers have poured in since news of his passing broke. Many recalled his wit, intellect, and his reflections on arriving in the US, moments that captured both personal and political histories.
Renowned Urdu scholar, Professor C.M. Naim, has passed away. May he rest in peace. Was honoured to call him a friend.
— Musharraf Ali Farooqi (@microMAF) July 10, 2025
Choudhri Mohammed Naim (3 June 1936 - 9 July 2025)https://t.co/TxTguI73Hd pic.twitter.com/V1kCYtC7ka
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Headmaster in J'khand's Garhwa suspended for dancing with students on 'vulgar' song
Garhwa (PTI): A school headmaster in Jharkhand's Garhwa district was suspended and departmental proceedings initiated against two assistant teachers for allegedly dancing with students on a "vulgar" song, an official said on Saturday.
The action came after a purported dance video went viral on social media, in which the headmaster and two assistant teachers are seen dancing with students, including girls of class 8, during a farewell function.
The incident happened at an upgraded middle school, Sohbaria, in Meral block of the district on March 1.
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Garhwa district administration took cognisance of the video and initiated a probe, the official said.
District Education Officer Kaiser Raza said, "Prima facie, the allegations were found serious. Based on it, the school's headmaster in charge, Kundan Kumar Ranjan, has been suspended with immediate effect under the Jharkhand government service rules 2016."
During the suspension period, his headquarters has been designated as the regional education office, Garhwa, and he is required to register his biometric attendance at the headquarters, according to a press release issued by the Garhwa education department.
In this case, the conduct of assistant teachers Purushottam Pandit and Subeshwar Ram has also been deemed inappropriate.
The District Education Officer has directed for departmental action against them under the Jharkhand Assistant Teacher Service Conditions Rules, 2021, the release added.
Raza said maintaining discipline, morality, and the dignity of the educational environment in schools is a top priority, and such incidents will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
