Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi facts for kids

Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi (born November 20, 1903 – died January 22, 1981), also known as I.H. Qureshi, was an important Pakistani historian and writer. He was a key leader in the Pakistan Movement, which led to the creation of Pakistan.

He served as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Karachi from 1961 to 1971. Qureshi also worked as a government minister for education and frontier regions. He was even a member of Pakistan's parliament. Later, he became a professor at Columbia University in the United States. He also helped create the National Language Authority in Pakistan.

About Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi

Early Life and Education

Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi was born on November 20, 1903. His family lived in Patiyali, a town in British India. He finished high school in 1916. During this time, he was active in the Khilafat movement.

He studied history and Persian at St. Stephen's College, Delhi. He earned his master's degrees in these subjects. From 1928 to 1944, he taught history at St. Stephen's College. Between 1937 and 1940, he studied at Cambridge University in England. There, he earned his PhD. His special research topic was the "Administration of Sultanate of Delhi." He also briefly joined the Pakistan Movement during this time.

After returning from England, he joined Delhi University. He became a history professor there. He also served as the dean of the Faculty of Arts. He even acted as the vice chancellor of Delhi University for a short time. In 1947, during the Partition riots, his personal library was destroyed.

His Work in Pakistan

After the riots, Qureshi moved to Pakistan in 1948. He continued his academic and political work there. He became a member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. This group helped create Pakistan's first constitution.

In 1949, he became a history professor at the University of the Punjab in Lahore. He also joined the Government of Pakistan. He served as a minister for refugees and later for education. After this, he taught at Columbia University in New York. While there, he wrote a famous book called The Muslim Community of the South Asia. This book tells the story of Muslims in South Asia.

In the late 1950s, Ayub Khan's government brought Qureshi back to Pakistan. He helped create the country's new education policy. He played a big role in setting up the University of Karachi. He then served as its vice-chancellor for many years.

Political Activities and Contributions

Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi was involved in important political work. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India. Later, he became a member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.

From 1949 to 1954, he held several government positions. He served as a deputy minister, then a minister of state. Finally, he became a minister with a full cabinet rank in the Government of Pakistan.

Awards and Special Recognition

Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi received several honors for his work.

• He was given the Sitara-e-Pakistan (Star of Pakistan) award. This is a high honor from the President of Pakistan.
• On November 20, 2001, Pakistan Post issued a special postage stamp to honor him. This was part of their 'Men of Letters' series.
• The History Society of St. Stephen's College, Delhi holds an annual lecture in his memory. It is called the Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi Memorial Lecture.
• He was also a founding member of the Pakistan Academy of Letters. This was in recognition of his contributions to Pakistani languages and literature.

See also

• University of Karachi
• National Language Authority