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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Hijab decision taken out of fear of Karnataka Muslim convention, alleges Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy has alleged that the Karnataka government announced its decision on the hijab issue out of fear of the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on May 16 organized by Federation of Karnataka Muslim Organisations.
Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) state office, GP Bhavan, in Bengaluru on Thursday, Kumaraswamy said he respects all religions and has expressed his views on the issue on several public platforms in the past.
Questioning the timing of the government’s move, he said the Congress has been in power for three years and had taken no decision on the hijab issue during that period.
He alleged that the decision was taken only because the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ is scheduled to be held at Town Hall in Bengaluru on May 16.
“If the government had the courage, it should have taken this decision immediately after coming to power. Why did it remain silent for three years?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy accused the Congress of making the announcement to appease a particular community.
He further said the matter is still pending before the courts and claimed that an interim order relating to the hijab issue remains in force.
According to him, issuing such an order before the legal proceedings are concluded amounts to disrespect towards the judiciary.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that the Congress brought the issue back into focus after the Davanagere by-election results.
