Celebrating Urdu and Unity: A Literary Evening Honoring Dr Abdullah
By Zafar Iqbal, PhD
The literary community of the greater Washington area came together for a special event celebrating the publication of Dr Abdullah's books. Held at the Arlington Central Library Auditorium, the event was a collaborative effort by the Aligarh Alumni Association of Metro Washington (AAA-DC), the Global Beat Foundation (GBF), Arbab-e-Zauq North America, and the Sadequain Gallery of Chicago.
The celebration also coincided with the Aligarh Alumni Association's Golden Jubilee year. Founded in 1975, AAA-DC has served the community for fifty years as a non-political, nonprofit organization committed to promoting the educational, literary, and cultural values of the Aligarh Movement and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The Golden Jubilee celebrations commenced with an Eid al-Milad on April 12, 2025, marking the beginning of a year-long observance of its legacy. (See: https://www.pakistanlink.org/Community/2025/Apr05/25/03.HTM ).
Over the past five decades, AAA-DC has played a pivotal role in promoting South Asian culture and education in North America. In 1975, it hosted the region's first formal Urdu Mushaira, laying the foundation for many subsequent literary events. The organization supports educational initiatives, including annual merit-based scholarships for AMU students.
The Global Beat Foundation (GBF) is a women-owned, minority-led organization dedicated to elevating journalism and communication strategies, especially for grassroots and South Asian women journalists. GBF strives to amplify democratic values through high-quality media and storytelling across South Asia.
Arbab-e-Zauq North America, a nonprofit dedicated to Urdu literature, has been instrumental in preserving and promoting the language and its cultural heritage throughout the Washington region and beyond.
The Sadequain Gallery of Chicago is devoted to preserving the artistic legacy of the legendary Pakistani artist Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi. Curated by Riaz Niazi, the gallery showcases rare original paintings, calligraphies, and sketches, and actively supports literary and artistic initiatives, continuing the intellectual heritage of Niaz Fatehpuri, Niazi's late father.
President of Arbab-e-Zauq Shah Fazal Abbas welcomed the audience and speakers with a tribute to Dr Abdullah. Riaz Niazi, who traveled from Chicago, skillfully served as Master of Ceremonies.
Afzal Usmani, president of AAA-DC, presented a thoughtful audio-visual biographical sketch of Dr Abdullah. He highlighted Dr Abdullah's pivotal role as a founding figure of AAA-DC (1975) and the Federation of Aligarh Alumni Associations (FAAA), where he served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees. A respected leader in the AMU alumni community and the broader South Asian diaspora, Dr Abdullah is widely regarded for his lifelong dedication to education, culture, and literature.
Dr Abdullah's academic journey began in Azamgarh, where he studied at Shibli School and Inter College. He earned his BS and MS degrees in statistics from AMU in 1961 and later served there as a lecturer for six years while also captaining the university's volleyball team. In 1967, he moved to the United States on a scholarship, completing an MS in Statistics at SUNY Buffalo and a PhD in Biostatistics from George Washington University. His professional career includes key roles at NASA, General Electric, and his consulting firm.
Dr Abdullah is a distinguished scientist, a celebrated Urdu poet, and a literary activist. His acclaimed poetry collections Rait ki Lahrein and Ankahi Batein and his editorial work Satyapal Anand ki Nazm Nigari have been well received. He also co-produced the CD Goongi Awazain with Nuzaira Azam, featuring Urdu poetry recited by women poets in North America.
Since 1975, Dr Abdullah has served as the Master of Ceremonies for the annual Sir Syed Day Mushaira, transforming it into a premier Urdu literary event in North America, attracting poets worldwide. His leadership has extended to several other organizations, including the India Association of SUNY Buffalo, the Indian Cultural Coordination Committee (ICCC), the American Federation of Indian Muslims (AFMI), Darul Musannifeen (Shibli Academy), and the Muslim Community Center of Silver Spring, Maryland.
As the founding president of FAAA, he has tirelessly advanced educational, cultural, and social initiatives aligned with the ideals of the Aligarh Movement. His efforts have taken him to conventions in Washington, DC, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Cleveland. His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including Community Service Awards from two successive Governors of Maryland, Distinguished Service Awards from Aligarh Alumni Associations in New York and New England, and honors from AMU Old Boys' Association and Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi.
Widely hailed as the Sir Syed of the Urdu Tahreek in North America, Dr Abdullah's leadership and literary voice inspire generations of Aligarians and Urdu lovers worldwide.
At the event, Nuzaira Azam read comments and messages from eminent Urdu literary figures such as Prof Satyapal Anand, Javed Akhtar, Iftikhar Arif, Zehra Nigah, Nayyar Jahan, Ashfaq Husain, Prof Qasim Peerzada, Umair Siddique Nadvi, Prof Waheeduz Zafar Khan, and Yunus Sharar. She also read an earlier message from the late Prof Gopichand Narang, which was included in the first edition of Rait ki Lahrein.
Riaz Niazi shared that video messages were received from Zehra Nigah, Prof Khwaja Mohammad Ikram, Prof Shahida Hasan, Abbas Tabish, Iqbal Ashar, Ghazanfar Hashmi, Farah Kamran, Adeel Zaidi, and Arif Bahalim. Unfortunately, these videos could not be played due to technical issues with the newly installed A/V system.
Dr Arif Mahmood read one of Dr Abdullah's poems, and Usman Jameel, who traveled from New Jersey, spoke about his poetry. Shoaib Hasan Ali reflected on his long-standing collaboration with Dr Abdullah. A lively Q&A session, initiated by Bina Goindi, followed, where Dr Abdullah shared insights into his literary and personal journey.
The event drew participation from leaders of various organizations, including the University of Karachi Alumni Association, the Hyderabad Association of Metro Washington, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, and the International Hindi Association.
It was incredibly touching to see elderly community members in wheelchairs and others with oxygen support attend the event, demonstrating deep admiration for Dr Abdullah and his work. Some notable community leaders in attendance included Anwar Khan, Arati Raziuddin, Ariena Rashid, Asad Nazeer, Ashraf Jan, Atiya Khan, Azhar Alam, Fazal Khan, Firoze Khan, Haris Usmani, Kamal Abdali, Khalid Hameed, Khursheed Usmani, Mohammad Rashid, Noor Naghmi, Preethi Govindraj, Pushpa Agnihotri, Rafiqa Shaikh, Rahila Abbas, Rahila Firdaus, Rameeza Shaikh, Razi Raziuddin, Renuka Misra, Sameen Jan, Suhail Faruqui, Sukesh Chopra, Tariq Khan, Umesh Agnihotri, Zarina Khalid Siraj, and others.
Ms Madhu Maheshwari of the International Hindi Association praised Dr Abdullah's second book as a resounding success. She highlighted his cross-cultural appeal and noted that this was the first time she had seen the Arlington Library Auditorium so beautifully filled with a diverse gathering. Speaking about his poetry, she remarked, “Dr Abdullah's vivid, versatile poems resonate deeply with all of us. They reflect the diasporic spirit and evoke our homeland's emotional and cultural essence. His work captures the immigrant experience—the emotional and social struggles—with great empathy and insight. That is why I included three of his poems—America ki Zindagi par ek Nazm, 'Gur sare Zinda Rehne Ke,' and 'Bas ka Musafir'—in my advanced Hindi coursework at Johns Hopkins SAIS and Georgetown University."
She also emphasized Dr Abdullah and Dr Zafar Iqbal's significant role in fostering Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb through the Aligarh Alumni Association's inclusive and culturally rich programming.
Dr Abdullah expressed heartfelt gratitude to all attendees and supporting organizations in his closing remarks. He was especially moved by the reunion with old friends and the sight of guests who overcame physical challenges to attend. He thanked Shah Fazal Abbas, Nuzaira Azam, and Riaz Niazi, who traveled from Chicago for the event. Praising the efforts of AAA-DC, he said the event was organized with the warmth and care one reserves for a family gathering.
Responding to popular demand, Dr Abdullah recited several of his poems, leaving the audience inspired and deeply moved.
Qazi Naeem Ullah offered a vote of thanks on behalf of the program committee. Dr Moazzam Siddiqui concluded the program with his presidential address.
The writer gratefully acknowledges Afzal Usmani for providing the photographs. - Iqbal.zafar1509@gmail.com
