Mushir riaz biography books
‘As a public intellectual, I. A. Rehman devoted his whole life to the cause of oppressed classes. Besides campaigning against religious extremism and the violation of human rights, he actively participated in democratic movements, generating political consciousness in Pakistan and beyond. His work (and this memoir) is worth remembering in the days to come.’
Dr Mubarak Ali, Historian and Author.
‘This book is a testament to how a seemingly modest man lived and sneaked his way to the status of a legend.’
Amin Mughal, Scholar, Activist and Journalist.
‘As a young man, I. A. Rehman experienced the hopeful tumult of national liberation. For the next seven decades, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with all those who sought to keep the dream of decolonisation alive. This memoir is a must-read for young people on the left today, a reminder that revolutionary humanism can and must be sustained unflinchingly for as long as one lives.’
Aasim Sajjad Akhtar, Academic, Political Organiser and Author.
‘Rehman Sahib had the ability, like my father, to be at ease across generations. Witty, compassionate and a man with infinite patience, he would engage with unknown young people as much as his known contemporaries. What also astonished me was his ability to comment on the latest developments in art, poetry, theatre, medicine and constitutional law. His vision was far-reaching and always attendant to life around us. This memoir is a beautiful glimpse into the life of South Asia’s iconic thinker, journalist and activist.’
Salima Hashmi, Painter and Artist
‘I was introduced to I. A. Rahman by his associate and admirer and my good friend Amin Mughal. Rahman Sahib’s track record as a legendary human rights campaigner and eminent journalist had made me curious about him. His balanced and dispassionate analysis of politics in Pakistan was invaluable. Every time he visited London, a meeting with him was a must. He was the toast of India Episode 313 with Cemil Aydın hosted by Chris Gratien and Abdul Latif In political discourses today, the “Muslim world” is evoked in a variety of contexts, ranging from pan-Islamic visions of political unity to a set of racist generalizations that present roughly a fifth of the world’s population as a monolithic whole. But as our guest in this episode, Cemil Aydın explains in his new book The Idea of the Muslim World, the very notion of a Muslim world is recent and requires historicization. In this episode, we explore the imagining of the Muslim World as a concept, tracing its early origins in the history of colonialism and the late Ottoman Empire and considering its transformation over the past century. We also discuss alternate geopolitical imaginaries and reflect on the implications of the racialization of Muslims. Stream via SoundCloud Contributor Bios Former Maharashtra Police officer Isaque Bagwan’s memoir Me against the Mumbai Underworld details his most interesting cases and his encounters with some of the city’s colourful gangsters. In edited excerpts from the chapter on the kidnapping of Mushir Alam, one of the two producers of Ramesh Sippy’s 1982 movie Shakti, Bagwan reveals how Alam’s olfactory abilities combined with the policeman’s extensive knowledge of Mumbai to solve the case. I worked in the Crime Branch under the direct supervision of PI Madhukar Zende and handled complicated cases of chain- snatching, housebreaking, theft, robberies and murder. On 24 September 1982, a constable informed us about the arrival of thespian Dilip Kumar at the commissioner’s office. We thought that such a famous actor must have come to see the commissioner for the renewal of his gun licence or some other security matter. But that was not the case. Within a few minutes, Commissioner Ribeiro had summoned PI Zende to his office. He asked me to come with him. When we reached the commissioner’s office, we saw Dilip Kumar sitting with two other people. Commissioner Ribeiro said, ‘This is Mr Mushir and Mr Riaz.’ Then he spoke to the two men. ‘These are my super cops. You can tell them everything.’ One of them turned to us. ‘My name is Mushir. I am the producer of a film called Shakti. Two days ago, I left my office, M.R. Productions, with my friend Harish. We were in my car. I was driving towards Haji Ali. I dropped Harish at his office behind Poddar Hospital in Worli. Just as I approached Haji Ali, a white Ambassador car overtook mine and blocked it. I was forced to stop. Three men emerged from the car and pulled me out. They were armed and pushed me into their car after blindfolding me. They pushed me to the floor of the car, took me to their hideout and demanded Rs 20 lakh. I requested Harish to give me Rs 2 lakh urgently. .Cemil Aydın is teaching Ottoman history and global history at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Cemil Aydin’s recent publications include his book on the Politics of Anti-Westernism in Asia (Columbia University Press, 2007) and “Regionen und Reiche in der Politischen Geschichte des Langen 19 Jahrhunderts, 1750-1924 (Region and Empire in the Political History of the Long 19th Century” in Geschichte Der Welt, 1750-1870: Wege Zur Modernen Welt (A History of the World, 1750-1870)“ (Beck Publishers, July 2016) pp: 35-253. Chris Gratien holds a Ph.D. from Georgetown University's Department of History and is currently an Academy Scholar at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. His research focuses on the social and environmental history of the Ottoman Empire and the modern Middle East. He is currently preparing a m A nose for crime: How a Mumbai cop solved the kidnap of ‘Shakti’ producer Mushir Alam