New Delhi: The Begum Abida Ahmed Memorial Lecture was held at Aiwan-e-Ghalib under the auspices of the Ghalib Institute. Renowned Hindi scholar Prof. Purushottam Agrawal delivered the lecture, during which he remarked: “When Shehryar says, ‘As far as the eye can see, there is only dust,’ today this line opens up new meanings. This era, too, is shrouded in dust. But the dust hasn’t just impaired our vision – it has stripped us of the ability to distinguish right from wrong.”
Quoting from the Mahabharata, he added: “Dhritarashtra once said that the definition of dharma (righteousness) is quite complex. There are times when dharma itself becomes adharma (unrighteousness), and adharma becomes dharma. In such times, wise people define dharma through reason – but we have made reason our adversary. The way cruelty is being glorified in our times – we have never seen such a thing before.”
Renowned Urdu-English writer Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil, welcoming the guests, said: “I have translated a short story by Prof. Agrawal and can confidently say that the perspective through which he views the world is completely distinct from others. His work on Kabir and Padmavat has also been part of my study. So, the kind of personality we seek for this lecture is perfectly embodied in Prof. Purushottam Agrawal.”
The memorial lecture was presided over by Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed, former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. He remarked: “The Begum Abida Ahmed Memorial Lecture is a prestigious event of the Ghalib Institute, and we always aim to ensure it goes beyond mere formal tradition. We are familiar with Prof. Agrawal’s thought-provoking contributions and always engage with them attentively. By inviting him here, we have created a direct opportunity for intellectual engagement. The topic was as engaging as it was meaningful, and Prof. Agrawal explored its dimensions with great depth.”
Dr. Idris Ahmed, Director of Ghalib Institute, stated: “The Ghalib Institute organises two memorial lectures annually: the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial Lecture and the Begum Abida Ahmed Memorial Lecture. In both, we strive not only to focus on literature but also to initiate dialogue on other pressing social issues around us. That’s why we invited Mr. Purushottam Agrawal, whose insights into literature, culture, politics, and social issues are remarkably deep. I am glad that today we greatly benefited from his presence.”
