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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Karnataka HC stays FIR order against minister over Rs 500 bet remark
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Thursday stayed a magisterial order directing the registration of an FIR against state Home Minister G Parameshwara and the Deputy Commissioner of Tumakuru district over their alleged involvement in a Rs 500 bet.
"The context in which the alleged offence is made out prima facie lacks mens rea (guilty mind)," Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav said while granting the stay.
During a recent state-level pre-university kabaddi tournament in Tumakuru, Dakshina Kannada defeated Vijayapura 36–26 in the boys’ final.
After presenting the prize, Parameshwara jokingly remarked, "I lost Rs 500. I had placed a bet with the Deputy Commissioner that the Vijayapura team would win."
Based on a private complaint filed by H R Nagabhushan, the 42nd Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court ordered the registration of an FIR against Parameshwara over the remark and directed the police to initiate a probe.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Parameshwara said, "It seems I cannot crack jokes."
The minister said his comment during the match was casual and not intended to promote betting.
"I said it casually during a kabaddi match. In the countryside, we sometimes speak informally. Of course, it may be wrong in the eyes of the law, but what matters is the context in which I said it," he added.
