RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

Government Statement on Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies

The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies has been established to signalize the memory of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad:-

(i)             by acquiring of the Maulana's dwelling in 19A, Ballygunge Circular Road to be organized as a personalia museum and International Scholars Guest House;

(ii)           by setting up an Institute for advanced research and library with contemporary data bank and documentation facilities on the 1 acre land to be granted by the Government of West Bengal in Salt Lake City

(iii)         3 major areas be focused on specialization in Asian Studies:

(a) West Asia          -with particular reference to

                                  Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan:

(b) Central Asia      -With particular reference to the 

                                  CIS Republics, 

(c) South Asia        -Bangladesh

The objectives for establishment of the Institute are as follows:-

(a) to be a Centre for research and learning with focus on social, cultural, political and economic movements in Asia from the middle of the nineteenth century onwards, with special emphasis on their links with India and the life and works of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad,

(b) to establish and maintain a library of books, pamphlets, newspapers, periodicals, microfilms, still photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and other materials having a bearing on the secular traditions of Modern India with special reference to social, cultural and political movements and events from the middle of 19th century onwards;

 (c) to establish and maintain a personalia museum at the former residence of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in Calcutta. The Museum would highlight the life and works of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as a distinguished national leader and thinker,

(d) to organize, undertake, conduct, encourage and promote study and research in the field of secularism and universal brotherhood and the life and work of Maulana Azad

Expenditure:

Year                  Expenditure     Year        Expenditure

1992-93              Rs. 75,000       1993-94    Rs. 30,39,000

1994-95             Rs. 25,54,000   1995-96   Rs. 25,00,000

Staff Strength:

S.No. Cadre                                       Sanctioned      Staff in Position

                                                             Strength       as on 1.10.95

1. Director,                                               1                         1

2. Sr./Associate Fellow

3. Pes Fellow/Associate ;

    Sr/Ir. Research Fellow)                        8                         8

4. Professional Fellow                             3                         -

5. Visiting Fellow                                    2                         -

6. Corresponding Fellow                         6                         -

7. Librarian                                              1                        1

8. Documentation-cum-

    Information Officer                             1                         -

Achievements

Quarterly News Letter: The Institute publishes a from the year 1994-95. 5 issues (upto December 1995) of Newsletter of about 32 pages every quarter of the year the Newsletter have been published and one more issue will be out by 19.12.1995. Articles and other materials of the Newsletter have been mostly contributed by the research fellows and academic staff of the Institute; each issue has had a guest article, the first one of which was by Shri Salman Khurshid.

Publication: Following 3 Azad Institute Papers also published:

1.     Dr. Ranabir Samaddar: Many Histories and Few     Silences-Nationalist History of Nationalism in Bangladesh.

2.     Dr. Barun De: Central and North-West Asian Geopolitics in Post-USSR International Relations.

3.     Mrs. Suchandana Chatterjee: Regional Rivalries in Tajik. Politics: The Current Scene

4.      Lectures by Prof. Anisuzzaman, Dhaka University, Bangladesh on "Identity, Religion and Recent History of Bangladesh" (published as a book).

(Source: LSUQ No. 3483 dated 19.12.1995 by S. Shahabuddin) Shahabuddin's Letter to MOS for Education

and Culture, 22 December, 1995)

I am shocked and surprised to note that against an outlay of more than 57 lakhs, what we have received so far, are a few issues of a quarterly newsletter, three papers (which have nothing to do with Maulana Azad's mission or vision) and one book on Bangladesh which may have some bearing on the political philosophy of Maulana Azad. The work of this Institute hardly does honor to the memory of the great Maulana.

I would like to know whether the premises 19-A Ballygunge Circular Road, have been converted into proposed museum and guest house. 

I would also like to know whether any specific work has been done on the political, philosophical and religious vision of Maulana Azad or is under way. I have a feeling that the charter of the Institution which makes it mere a centre for regional studies needs to be revised, to focus on Maulana Azad. Even as a Centre of regional studies, it cuts out the Arab world and therefore such of the Islamic world with which Maulana interacted.

I would also like to know whether the Director and research staff at present working at the Institute possess an adequate knowledge of Urdu, Arabic and Persian, the three languages in which Maulana's thoughts were largely expressed. If not, I feel that the qualifications of the permanent staff of the Institute should be properly defined.