The Guardian of the Deccan: Celebrating Dr. Ziauddin Shakeb

The Guardian of the Deccan: Celebrating Dr. Ziauddin Shakeb
If you want to read a Mughal decree from the 17th century or authenticate a million-dollar Persian manuscript in London, there was only one name to trust: Dr. Ziauddin Shakeb.
A distinguished alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University, he was the bridge between the medieval courts of the Deccan and the modern art world of the West.
The Aligarh Scholar
His journey to becoming a world-renowned historian began at Aligarh.
* The Student: He completed his M.A. from AMU in 1956.
* The Mentors: At Aligarh, he was trained by giants like Professor Mohammed Habib and S. Nurul Hasan. It was here that he learned the art of reading between the lines of history, a skill that would later make him an authority on Indo-Persian relations.
The Archivist of Hyderabad
He didn't just study history; he saved it.
* Mughal Record Room: As an archivist at the Andhra Pradesh State Archives, he created the legendary "Mughal Record Room." He personally cataloged thousands of neglected documents from the reigns of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, turning a pile of old papers into a goldmine for researchers.
* The Catalyst: His work, Mughal Archives: A Descriptive Catalogue, remains the "Bible" for anyone studying the administration of the Deccan.
The Christie’s Connection
He took the knowledge of the Deccan to the global stage.
* The Expert: For over 30 years, he served as a leading consultant for Christie’s (London), the world-famous auction house. He was their go-to expert for Persian and Arabic manuscripts.
* The Eye: He had an uncanny ability to spot a fake or identify a masterpiece just by looking at the calligraphy and paper, a skill honed by decades of handling original documents in India.
The Father of Deccan Studies
He fought to give the Deccan its due place in history.
* Beyond the North: At a time when Indian history was obsessed with Delhi and Agra, he championed Deccan Studies. He showed the world the rich, cosmopolitan culture of the Golconda and Bijapur sultanates and their deep ties with Iran.
* London Legacy: As a professor at SOAS (University of London), he kept the "Urdu candle burning" in the West, mentoring a generation of European scholars in the nuances of Urdu and Persian literature.
Brief Statistics & Highlights:
* Life Span: 1933 – 2021.
* AMU Connection: Alumnus (M.A., 1956).
* Key Role: Consultant, Christie’s (London); Professor, SOAS.
* Key Work: Mughal Archives (Vol I), Relations of Golkonda with Iran.
* Legacy: Pioneer of Deccan Studies; Expert on Indo-Persian manuscripts.
He teaches us that history is not just found in books; it is found in the fragile papers we choose to press.#AligarhMuslimUniversity

Syed Afzal Ali Shah maududi.
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