Gauhar Raza
{{Short description|Indian scientist and Urdu poet}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Gauhar Raza
|image = Gauhar_Raza_Image.jpg
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1956|08|17}}
|birth_place = Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
|death_date =
|death_place =
|nationality =
|other_names =
|spouse = Shabnam Hashmi
|known_for =
|occupation = poet, activist, scientist, documentary filmmaker
}}
Gauhar Raza (born 17 August 1956) is an Indian engineer, science communicator, Urdu poet, social activist{{cite web | url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/leadership-should-be-open-to-ideas-says-poet-scientist-gauhar-raza-539374 | title=Leadership should be open to ideas, says poet-scientist Gauhar Raza }} and documentary filmmaker. He is known for his films like Jung-e-Azadi, on the India's First War of Independence, and Inqilab (2008) on Bhagat Singh.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080804163720/http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071250820200.htm Documentary on Bhagat Singh] by Madhur Tankha, The Hindu, 12 July 2008.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121107001918/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/10/04/stories/2007100451040300.htm United we stand] The Hindu, 4 October 2007.[https://web.archive.org/web/20040505183415/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2003/12/07/stories/2003120700020100.htm Censorship: Unofficial might ] The Hindu, 7 December 2003. He was also the honorary director of Jahangirabad Media Institute.
Early life and education
Born in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh, India on 17 August 1956.{{cite web | url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/quoting-einstein-raza-says-this-chaiwala%E2%80%99s-brew-is-poisonous-530418 | title=Quoting Einstein, Raza says this Chaiwala's brew is poisonous }} His family shifted to Aligarh in 1958. His father Wizarat Husain (1919–2007) was a freedom fighter, a communist party member and a renowned educationist and science teacher in Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. His mother, a social worker, was also intensely involved in freedom struggle and had worked with Indira Gandhi in Allahabad.
He completed a BSc in engineering from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), in 1977 and MTech in Power Apparatus and Systems from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in 1979.{{Cite web |date=2015-09-17 |title=Prof Raza talks on the 'scientific way of life' in India |url=https://www.dut.ac.za/prof-raza-talks-on-the-scientific-way-of-life-in-india/ |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=Durban University of Technology |language=en-US}} He was a member of Students' Federation of India when he studied in AMU. During the Emergency, he was the SFI Secretary of Western Uttar Pradesh.
Career
{{BLP unsourced section|date=September 2015}}
In 1979 he joined Eicher Goodearth Ltd., a multinational company as an electrical engineer and worked there for 3 years. Solved a few major design problems that the company was facing and within a short span of time he rose to Executive-Engineer level. In 1982 he joined the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies as a scientist and still continues to work there.
=Poetry=
Gauhar Raza's poetry collection Jazbon Ki Lau Tez Karon has been noticed for the frankness of tone and for the social concerns that they take up and treat sensitively. In his most famous poem "Main Chahta hoon"(I like to), he express his helplessness to write a romantic poem in the days of darkness.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmDz4sfub9E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/JmDz4sfub9E |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Gauhar Raza - nazm - 03 - Muscat - 2008 |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-11-09 |accessdate=2012-04-07}}{{cbignore}} He also wrote lyrics for a Hindi film Say Salaam India released in 2007.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080430183903/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrities/filmography/17116/index.html Gauhar Raza filmography] Bollywood Hungama.{{cite web |url=http://www.hindilyrics.net/lyrics/hindi-lyrics-of-Say%20Salaam%20India.html |title=Say Salaam India Lyrics |publisher=hindilyrics.net |access-date=7 July 2016 |archive-date=30 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730141151/http://www.hindilyrics.net/lyrics/hindi-lyrics-of-Say%20Salaam%20India.html |url-status=dead }}
Personal life
He is married to activist Shabnam Hashmi,{{Cite web |title=What sets apart the poetry of Gauhar Raza? |url=https://www.awazthevoice.in/personality-news/what-sets-apart-the-poetry-of-gauhar-raza-30084.html |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.awazthevoice.in |language=en}} sister of the slain theatre activist Safdar Hashmi. The couple have a son, Sahir Raza, and a daughter, Seher.[https://web.archive.org/web/20050310150228/http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/01/stories/2005030110900300.htm Insensitivity on adoption upsets Shabnam Hashmi] By Our Staff Reporter, The Hindu, 1 March 2005.
Works
{{BLP unsourced section|date=September 2015}}
- Plague, Media and People, NITADS, 1996 (co-writers: Bharvi Dutt and Surjit Singh)
- Confluence of Science and Peoples' Knowledge at the Sangam, NISTADS, 1996 (co-writers: Surjit Singh, Bharvi Dutt and Jagdish Chander)
- A Delicate Space Ship, Youth for Disarmament, Delhi, 1998
- Jazbon Ki Lau Tez Karo, Raj Kamal, Delhi, 1999
- Walk the Sky, A play on violence against women, V-Day, Delhi, 2001
- Science Crafts and Knowledge: Understanding of Science Among Artisans in India and South Africa: a Cross-cultural Endeavour, Protea Book House, Pretoria, 2002 edited along with Hester du Plessis
- HIV/AIDS Public Understanding and Attitude, NYKS, 2007 (co-writers: Surjit Singh and Chader Shekhar Pran)
Awards
- Best subject expert for educational film in 1999 by the University Grants Commission.
- Creative Literature Award, Hindi Academy, 2001, for the collection of poems 'Jazbon Ki Lau Tez Karo'.
- For contribution to Science writings and propagation of Science, Urdu Academy, Delhi, 2002{{cite web|url=http://www.nistads.res.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=67&Itemid=31 |title=nistads.res.in |publisher=nistads.res.in |accessdate=2012-04-07}}
{{Cite web | url=http://royalsociety.org/downloaddoc.asp?id=4684] | title=Speaker Biographies | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609171526/http://royalsociety.org/downloaddoc.asp?id=4684| archive-date=9 June 2008}}{{cite journal|url=http://sts.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/14/2/269 |title=Relative Cultural Distance and Public Understanding of Science |publisher=Sts.sagepub.com |date=2009-07-01 |doi=10.1177/097172180901400204 |accessdate=2012-04-07 |last1=Raza |first1=Gauhar |last2=Singh |first2=Surjit |last3=Shukla |first3=Rajesh |journal=Science, Technology and Society |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=269–287 }}{{Cite web| url=http://www.ncaer.org/popuppages/EventDetails/E18May2009/NBT-Biographies-13-5-2009.pdf | title=National youth readership survey 2009 | access-date=16 November 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815233620/http://www.ncaer.org/popuppages/EventDetails/E18May2009/NBT-Biographies-13-5-2009.pdf | archive-date=15 August 2009 | url-status=dead}}{{Cite web| url=http://www.wadanatodo.net/events/2009/Short%20profile%20of%20Invitees.pdf | title=Invitees | access-date=16 November 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724123407/http://www.wadanatodo.net/events/2009/Short%20profile%20of%20Invitees.pdf | archive-date=24 July 2011 | url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46908 |title=Press Information Bureau English Releases |publisher=Pib.nic.in |accessdate=2012-04-07}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071250820200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804163720/http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071250820200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-08-04 |title=New Delhi News : Documentary on Bhagat Singh |date=2008-07-12 |work=The Hindu |accessdate=2012-04-07}}{{cite web|url=http://news.rediff.com/column/2009/oct/02/the-filmy-attack-on-narendra-modi.htm |title=The 'filmy' attack on Narendra Modi - Rediff.com India News |publisher=News.rediff.com |date=2009-10-02 |accessdate=2012-04-07}}{{cite web|url=http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/imc-dc/2002-October/003266.html |title=[IMC-DC] Documentaries/Discussion explore Hindi - Islamic Conflict in India |publisher=Archives.lists.indymedia.org |accessdate=2012-04-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301060911/http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/imc-dc/2002-October/003266.html |archivedate=1 March 2012}}[http://www.jmimedia.org/Annual%20Report%20%202007.pdf Unknown]{{Dead link | date=March 2025 | fix-attempted=yes}}{{cite web|url=http://www.britfilms.com/festivals/browse/?id=3B91A1630802614DA8yGw21B8EC7 |accessdate=16 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110133357/http://www.britfilms.com/festivals/browse/?id=3B91A1630802614DA8yGw21B8EC7 |archivedate=10 November 2006 |title=National Students Video Film Festival }}{{cite web |url=http://www.fest21.com/?q=node/46166 |title=National Student Video Film Festival |publisher=Fest21.com |accessdate=2012-04-07 |archive-date=29 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929222242/http://www.fest21.com/?q=node/46166 |url-status=dead }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://jmi.edu.in Jahangirabad Media Institute, Lucknow, India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004040755/http://jmi.edu.in/ |date=4 October 2015 }}, Jahangirabad Media Institute
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raza, Gauhar}}
Category:Indian documentary filmmakers
Category:Aligarh Muslim University alumni
Category:Urdu-language poets from India