Hyderabad: The Department of Islamic Studies, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) organised a two-day national seminar on “Historiography and Muslim Historians: An Indian Perspective”.
The inaugural session held on October 3 was presided over by Prof. Fazlur Rahman, In-charge Vice-Chancellor, MANUU.
Prof. Farhat Hasan, Department of History, University of Delhi delivered the keynote speech. Prof. Ishtiaque Ahmed, Registrar, MANUU also addressed the gathering.
Prof. Farhat Hasan highlighted the significant contributions of the Mughal era, stating, “Among all the developments the most important was the expansion and promotion of literacy.” He noted that there is historical evidence of the Mughals promoting both Persian and Sanskrit languages equally.
Referring to the work of historian Mannan Asif, he explained how Persian literature, such as “Tareekh-e-Farishta” and “Ain-e-Akbari”, represented India as a place of tolerance, multiculturalism, and inclusivity. Prof. Hasan also released two books, the proceedings of recent seminars edited by Prof. Fahim Akhtar Nadwi.
Prof. Ishtiaq Ahmed encouraged the department to publish the seminar papers, highlighting the value of sharing the insights and findings with a broader academic audience.
