The professor and the writer

By M. A. Siraj

Prof. Khalid Irfan (1932-2005) taught Chemistry at Bengaluru’s St. Joseph’s College for several years. He was also known for his penmanship and often wrote for Deccan Herald, The Hindu, Islamic Voice, Radiance Viewsweekly etc on a variety of topics. His sister Dr. Mahnoor Zamani has collected several of his writings in these dailies and journals in a book form titled Musings: Collected Works of Khalid Irfan. The pieces have been bunched together in sections devoted to poets and writers; profiles; issues afflicting the nation (mainly between 1960s and 90s); festivals; profiles of men like woodcutter, shoeshine boy and autorickshaw driver; life history of some sufi saints and caliphs.

The section on writers deals with lives of Urdu poets like Mirza Ghalib, Mohammed Iqbal, Ali Sardar Jafari and Faiz who come for ample praise for their poetry, philosophical inclinations and progressive outlook. Profiles section has a detailed life sketch of the woman behind India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. ‘My Experiments with Truth’ by Mahatma Gandhi and ‘Parallel Lives of Distinguished Greeks and Romans’ by Plutarch played the most transformative role in the life of noted Urdu poet Ali Sardar Jafari.

The feature on Tipu Sultan shines light on Aye e n e Sultani or ‘Royal Statutes of Tipu Sultan’, perhaps the first ruler who promulgated a Constitution laying down 125 different laws pertaining to the lives of farmers, orphans, women, priests, servants and prisoners. The chapter titled ‘Bright Jewels from Dark Cells’ provides great works composed and compiled in prisons. These include ‘Glimpses from World History’ by Jawaharlal Nehru and first ever general history of China by Ssu Machien.

A piece on the Gregorian Calendar informs that in 1582, October had only 21 days instead of the usual 31. The month was stripped off ten days as by then the scientists had discovered that Equinox would happen on March 11 instead of prefixed March 21. This had come about as the solar year used to have an extra day in February. A Papal decree by the court of Pope Gregory XIII announced that the 4th day of October would be followed by the 15th day of October in order to align the Gregorian Calendar with Equinox and Solstice. Following this, February was slashed by a day but would have a leap year every fourth year.

An article penned by him for Deccan Herald informs that a maund (nearly 14 kgs) of rice cost 83 paise in 1865. The same measure of rice could be had for 4,185 paise in 1965, the year when the article was written.

The volume also includes transcripts of his radio talks recorded over All India Radio. Khalid Irfan was also a prolific Urdu writer and contributed dozens of pieces for noted Urdu journals of his time. Hopefully, the second volume would compile all that he wrote in Urdu as well.