Readings in Indian History (Syed Hasan Askari Centenary Volume)

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I feel great pleasure in presenting Readings in Indian History to commemorate the memory of one of the tallest figures in the field of medieval Indian history. Syed Hasan Askari It is a happy coincidence that the year 2001 marks the centenary of the birth of Askari Saheb (1901-1990). He was a rare combination of a teacher, explorer and researcher, who inspired successive generations of historians and researchers. His teaching career at the Patna University spanned almost half a century, from 1927 to 1956 and again from 1964 to 1975 He finally gave up teaching due to ill health, but his guidance and advice was freely available to students and scholars till the very end.

Askari Saheb, as he was popularly called, made his mark as a scholar of international repute. His area of interest was essentially medieval Bihar, and he was a pioneer in many respects. Significantly, his last major contribution was the second volume of the Comprehensive History of Bihar, edited by him jointly with Qeyamuddin Ahmed, under the auspices of the K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute in two parts. His other area of interest was Sufism. He deserves full credit and appreciation for bringing to light scores of unnoticed mystic tracts and epistles, notably those of the Firdausi saints of Bihar. He also took interest in the contributions of the Sufis towards the growth of vernacular languages. His writings, mainly in English and occasionally in Urdu, number over 200 and include the translations of some rare Persian texts.

He was a member of several academic institutions such as the Indian History Congress, Bihar Research Society, Khuda Bakhsh Library and one of the founders of the Bihar Regional Records Survey Committee. Awards and honours came his way spontaneously and continuously. These include Ghalib Award (1975), the President's Certificate of Honour (1978), Padmashree (1985) and Bihar Ratna (1975).

His association with the Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute was long and profuse. He was the Honorary Director of the Institute from 1962 to 1969 and he was also the first K.P. Jayaswal Fellow from 1986-1989. He edited and authored books for the Institute, and frequently contributed to its journal and seminars. His death in 1990 left a void in the academic life of Bihar.

It is as a token of reverence and homage that the Institute has decided to publish his Centenary Volume. It is also proposed to commence a lecture- series in his memory. Scholars from different parts of the country responded enthusiastically to our request to contribute to the volume, because of the tremendous respect enjoyed by him throughout the country. The contributions have been divided into different sections such as Reminiscences, Historiography and Ancient, Medieval and Modern periods. They touch upon diverse themes such as society, economy, polity and philosophy, all woven within the strand of Indian History. Some of the contributors have focussed on regional history and facets of freedom struggle as well. Eminent personalities such as Dr. A.R. Kidwai, formerly Governor of Bihar, Prof. V.P. Varma, an eminent scholar and the late Qeyamuddin Ahmed, a noted medievalist and a devoted disciple of S.H. Askari have penned down touching reminiscences about the departed soul. I am grateful to all the distinguished scholars who have contributed to this volume.