Page 21 - Pakistan Link - January 29, 2020

COMMENTARY JANUARY 29, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P21

Book & Author

Masood Ahmed Barakati: A Champion of Children’s Urdu Literature

After partition, he migrated to Pakistan. He
n By Dr Ahmed S. Khan was the younger brother of Hakim Mehmood
Chicago, IL Ahmed Barkati, a prominent researcher and an
able scholar. In the early 1950s he joined Ham-
dard and served the institution in different ca-
The Child is both a hope and a promise pacities until his demise on December 10, 2017
for mankind...the Child is the most power- in Karachi.
“ful being in the world…He is the Creator’s Masood Sahib championed children’s lit-
most evident handiwork… children are the erature and instilled in them a lifelong love of
teachers of love…the child possesses immers- reading. Masood Sahib excelled in educating
ible abilities and unsuspected powers of intel- children and nurturing their young minds with
ligence…His heart is so sensitive to the need for ethical and moral values. He edited children’s
justice…the child can do a great deal for us… magazine Hamdard Naunehal continuously for
We see the figure of the child who stands before more than 64 years --- without missing a single
us with his arms held open, beckoning human- issue --- which speaks volumes for his dedica-
ity to follow.” tion for grooming and nurturing young minds.
- Maria Montessori Masood Sahib was a prolific writer of children’s
literature and authored twenty books which
Indeed, Maria Montessori, a prominent ed- include AaKhari Lamhay (1988), Crore Patti
ucator known for her dynamic pedagogical tech- Faqeer (1988), Nannah Suragh RasaaN (1988),
niques, had rightly observed that establishing a Andulas Ka Najoomi (1989), Nannaha Sayyah
lasting peace is the work of education; all politics (1989), Teen Bandooqchi (1993), Woo Bhi Kaya
can do is to keep out of war. Children if prop- Din Thay (1997), Glossary of Medical Terms
erly educated and guided can become fulfilled By publishing voluminous children’s Urdu literature and Hamdard’s monthly magazine Naunehal, late Hakim (1999), Mard-e-Davesh (1999), Aadabi Maqa-
adults to serve humanity and promote peace. Said Sahib (1920-1998) and his close associate late Masood Ahmed Barakati Sahib (1930-2017) have done an laat-e-Saeed (2000), Payari see PahaRee Larkey
In this regard, by publishing voluminous chil- amazing work spanning over half a century of educating young minds to become morally and ethically (2002), Nardoli Ka Adam Khor (2006) and Haz-
dren’s Urdu literature and Hamdard’s monthly successful and fulfilled adults arroN KhawaheesheeN.
magazine Naunehal, late Hakim Said Sahib and food stalls, there were well-stocked book Masood Sahib was a very simple and hum-
(1920-1998) and his close associate late Masood stalls which used to sell a variety of newspapers, ble person, he lived in a very small house cover-
Ahmed Barakati Sahib (1930-2017) have done magazines and books for adults and children at ing 120 square yards for his entire life; he never
an amazing work spanned over half a century of a very nominal price (few annas). Adults had took credit for his success, rather dedicated his
educating young minds to become morally and an array of newspapers, digests, and magazines success to Hakeem Said Sahib, the founder of
ethically successful and fulfilled adults. Their to choose from: Pakistan Times, Morning News, Naunehal, who entrusted Masood Sahib as the
well-written books and Naunehal magazine have Dawn, The Sun, Huriyat, Jang, Anjam, Mashriq, editor of Naunehal to produce quality Urdu lit-
promoted morality, ethics, equality, patriotism, Masawat, Jasarat, Imroz, Urdu Digest, Aalami erature for children. Every piece he wrote - a
peace, and tolerance in children. Digest, Zindagi, Akhbar-e-Jahan, and Alkhbar-e- story, a poem, an editorial - furnished ethical
Hakim Said Sahib’s was a tabeeb and a Khawateen. Children had the choice of selecting and moral lessons for children and impressed
scholar par excellence. He was one of a kind - magazines like Naunehal, BachooN key Dunya, the importance of loving their country and cul-
full of compassion, vision, and intellect. He was Talim-o-Turbiyat, Phool, Khiloona, and Bhai ture. Naunehal’s format remained almost the
an institution builder (Hamdard Waqf, Karachi Jaan. Naunehal was the most popular magazine same for the past six decades; it included Jago
and Dhaka; Hamdard Laboratories, Karachi and among the children. The reading habit was sec- Jagao, an editorial written by Hakeem Muham-
Dhaka; Hamdard University campus Madianat- ond nature for most adults and children travel- mad Said; Pahli Baat, an editorial and words of
al-Hikmah) for the service and growth of soci- ers. Unfortunately, nowadays the books have wisdom written by Masood Ahmed Barakati,
ety. been replaced by smartphones and the reading followed by stories, poems, moral quotes, il-
Hakim Said Sahib had great love for chil- habit is not that common and attenuating swiftly. lustrations, facts, jokes, riddles, travelogues,
dren. During his entire career he worked zeal- Historically, in the pre-partition era writ- and story competitions. He also groomed and
ously for children’s education, nurturing (tar- ers strived to develop children’s literature: Ba- Masood Ahmed Barakati Sahib writes his editorial, trained many young writers who became suc-
biyat) and health. He used various channels to chooN Ka Akhbar was launched in 1902 by Pahli Baat (Naunehal June 2010) cessful journalists in later life.
promote children’s intellectual development: During most of his tenure as editor of
Naunehal Assembly (a national meeting allow- Naunehal, Urdu word processing software and
ing children to speak on different topics), In- technologies did not exist and everything was
ternational Children’s Conference (a children’s handwritten, from writing of the story to com-
event supported by UNESCO, UNICEF and posing of text by khattats for publication in the
WHO). Hamdard Naunehal (children’s monthly printed form. It was a laborious work, but every
magazine), Naunehal Adab (a division respon- month Masood Sahib succeeded in bringing
sible for publication of children’s books), Naune- out a high quality issue of Naunehal in terms
hal Book Club (an association that prompted of getup and contents. And every year he used
book reading habit in children), and Hamdard to also bring out a voluminous special issue of
Public School (providing free education to chil- Naunehal.
dren of rural areas around Madina al-Hikmah). Masood Barkati Sahib said that Hakim
Hakim Said Sahib was the driving force be- Said paid special attention to Naunehal, reading
hind Hamdard’s Naunehal. He believed in char- every draft before publication. “He used to say
acter building via nurturing (tarbiyat) of young that today’s children will be tomorrow’s leaders.”
minds. To achieve this objective, he started Barakati Sahib recalled that once during a meet-
publishing children’s monthly magazine Naune- ing an associate suggested that since Hamdard
hal in 1952, and in 1953 asked his close associ- Foundation is losing money on children’s maga-
ate Masood Ahmed Barakati Sahib to assume zine Naunehal, the magazine should be discon-
editorship of the magazine. Barakati Sahib’s tinued. Hakim Saeed disagreed. He said that we
hard work made Naunehal the most popular are investing in the future of our children, we
children’s magazine in Pakistan and the Urdu- can tolerate the loss for the sake of our children’s
speaking world. While keeping the price of the future.
magazine very low (few annas) Hakim Sahib Present era Urdu writers ought to focus
had adopted some innovative marketing meth- their energies on fulfilling the intellectual needs
ods for reaching out to the families and children. Books by Masood Ahmed Barakati Sahib of younger minds by developing much needed
In the packages of Hamdard Tib-e-Unani medi- Munshi Alam from Lahore; Phool (1909-1957) and religious values. children’s Urdu literature. They can emulate the
cines, subscription coupons for Naunehal were was launched by Maulvi Syed Mumtaz Ali from Masood Sahib had rendered valuable ser- examples of Masood Ahmed Barakati Sahib and
enclosed. Whenever families bought the medi- Lahore; Ghuncha was launched in 1922 from vices for Urdu language, especially for children’s Hakim Said Sahib. Indeed, the nations which in-
cines, kids would find subscription coupons in Bijnour, British India; after partition, it was re- literature. He helped shape the minds of millions vest in developing the minds of their youth reap
the packages, and by mailing the coupons they launched (1947-1970s) from Karachi; and Pay- of children during his more than 64-year tenure benefits in future!
used to receive monthly issues of Naunehal de- am-e-Taleem was launched in 1926 from Delhi. as editor of Naunehal. The magazine provided
livered to their doorsteps. Nowadays Hamdard The major difference between present, pre-, young minds with new information and sto- (Dr Ahmed S. Khan - dr.a.s.khan@ieee.org -
Foundation Pakistan (HFP) has started post- and post- partition eras is that in the past promi- ries embedded with moral and ethical lessons. is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar, 2017-2022. Pro-
ing the digital copies of Naunehal at its website nent Urdu writes like Mirza Adeeb, Imtiaz Ali Many children in Pakistan who grew up during fessor Khan has 35 years of experience in Higher
(https://www.hamdard.com.pk/) to provide free Taj, Qurat-ul-Ain Hyder, Soofi Tabassum and the past seven decades cherished the memories Education as professor of Electrical Engineering.
access to children all over the globe. Intizaar Hussain also wrote children’s literature, of reading Naunehal. On the first day of every He is the author of many academic papers, tech-
During the 1950s and 1970s, travel by but in the present era majority of the main- month, children all over Pakistan anxiously nical and non-technical books, and a series of
train used to be the main mode of transporta- stream writers do not contribute to children’s lit- awaited the new issue of Naunehal. Children books on Science, Technology & Society (STS);
tion in Pakistan. Prior to a train travel families erature. The vacuum thus created is filled by bor- used to read and discuss its contents in schools his most recent books are Mashriq-o-Mugrib
used to prepare their food tiffin, tea thermos, rowed children’s English literature that provides among their friends. Ki Mumtaz Shaksiaat (Prominent Personalities
and acquire reading materials for the long jour- good entertainment but fails to teach local and Masood Ahmed Barkati was born on Au- of the East and the West), and Nanotechnology:
ney. On all railway stations, in addition to tea national norms viz a viz Urdu language, culture, gust 15, 1933, in Tonk, Rajasthan, British India. Ethical and Social Implications.)
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