Well-known historian Sheik Ali passes away; leaves behind a sterling legacy
Mysuru: Renowned historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities, Professor B. Sheik Ali has passed away on Thursday (September 1). He was 97.
According to a report published in Bengaluru-based newspaper, News Trail, has written several books including the one on Tipu Sultan.
He was an iconic intellectual figure from the city of Mysuru. He had done his Ph Ds from the Aligarh Muslim University in 1954 and from the University of London in 1960. He presided over the 47th session of the Indian History Congress in 1986 and was the founder and president of the Karnataka History Conference.
Noted Bengaluru based journalist M A Siraj has said in the report that Sheikh Ali founded a series of institutions from LKG to a degree college and teachers’ training college named after Sultan Shaheed in Radhakrishna Nagar in Mysuru under the aegis of Sultan Shaheed Education Trust. The complex also included a hostel for girls and a school for differently abled children.
Prasaranga, the publication division of the University of Mysore, published several books of history authored and edited by him. They include History of South India; A Short History of World Civilization; Essentials of Indian Culture; The Hoysala Dynasty and Gangas of Talkad.
The Karnataka State Gazetteer published his book titled Tipu Sultan: Crusader for Change in 2013.
He translated Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s Tarjuman-ul-Quran and Javeednama by poet Muhammad Iqbal. One among his publications during the last few years is the biography of Sir Mirza Ismail, Dewan of Mysore and Hyderabad State. His biography of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar was published by the Karnataka State Open University, Mysore in 2013. Macmillan Company published his seminal work titled History: Its Theory and Method in 1978.
He was conferred with a D.Litt. (honoris causa) by the Kannada University, Hampi, Karnataka State Open University, Mysuru, Tumkur University, and the University of Mysore. Among the 55 books authored by him, 12 are in Urdu.
He was also conferred with the Rajyotsava Award and Golden Jubilee Award by Mysore University for research in the Humanities.
Professor Ali is survived by a son, and a daughter.
