An Urdu poet of global repute and recipient of Padma Shri, Dr. Kalim Ajiz, passed away in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand on 15 February. He was 95.
Dr. Ajiz, chairman, Urdu Advisory Committee, Government of Bihar, was author of several books on poetry.
Dr. Ajiz was born in Patna in 1920. He was a Gold Medalist in BA from Patna College and then earned his Masters degree in Urdu from Patna University. He also got his doctorate from Patna University for his thesis on “Evolution of Urdu Literature in Bihar”. This thesis was later printed in a book form. He served as a lecturer for decades in the Department of Urdu at Patna University, wherefrom he retired as Professor.
In 1976, his first book of ghazals was released by the President of India in Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi. In the 1960s and 1970s he was the only Urdu poet who represented Bihar in the Red Fort Mushaira held every year in Delhi on the eve of Independence Day.
The greatest Urdu poet of all time, Rahgupati Sahay Firaq Gorakpuri was a great admirer of Dr. Ajiz. He sent his famous tape recorded words for Dr. Ajiz’s first book while he was lying on his deathbed in which he respectfully said he felt jealous of Dr. Ajiz because of the ease in which he could express his thoughts through his verses.
He said he loved Mr. Ajiz’s poems so much that whenever he heard him reciting his ghazals, he always forgot his own works.
Dr. Ajiz avoided any sort of publicity or fanfare despite the fact that he had hundreds and thousands of admirers all over the world.