Syed Ali Bilgrami

Shams-ul-Ulema Syed Ali Bilgrami (1851-1911) was an Indian scholar and linguist.[1]

Shams-ul-Ulama

Syed Ali Bilgrami

FGS, FRAS
Born1851 (1851)
Died1911 (aged 5960)
EducationPatna College
RelativesSyed Hussain Bilgrami (brother)
Zain Yar Jung (son-in-law)
Sadath Ali Khan (grandson)

Early life and education

Syed Ali was born in 1851, in a distinguished Sayyid family. His older brother was Syed Hussain.[2]

During his childhood, he was educated in Arabic and Persian. After a period of study at the Canning College, he moved to the Patna College, from where he obtained a BA. He then joined the Thomson Civil Engineering College. Soon after, he visited Europe in 1876, in the suite of Salar Jung I. He joined the Royal School of Mines.[3]

Career

He entered the service of the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1879, and was appointed secretary in the Departments of Public Works, Railways and Mines. He served in Hyderabad State for many years until he retired from service in 1901.

In 1901, he settled in England. He was appointed a lecturer of Marathi at Cambridge University.[1] For a short period of time, he also served as acting professor of Arabic and of Sanskrit.[4]

In 1902, he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn, and called to the bar in 1906.[5][6]

He returned to India due to ill health. In 1911, a Draft Constitution Committee was formed with the aim of converting the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College into a university, with Syed Ali as it's secretary.[7]

Personal life

He was married. His daughter Ruqayya worked at Osmania University, and married to Zain Yar Jung. His grandson, through Ruqayya was Sadath Ali Khan.

Works

Syed Ali Bilgrami wrote in Urdu and English. His English works include Monographs on the Book of Kalila and Damna. Others include a translation of La Civilization des Arabes by Gustave Le Ron, as well as a translation of the Atharva Veda.[3]

References

  1. Rao, C. Hayavadana, "Bilgrami, Syed Ali, Shams-ul-Ulema", The Indian Biographical Dictionary (1915), retrieved 2023-08-23
  2. Rahman, M. Raisur (2015-07-01), "Shakhsiyāt as Intellectual Exemplars", Locale, Everyday Islam, and Modernity, Oxford University Press, pp. 122–147, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199455225.003.0005, retrieved 2023-08-23
  3. Campbell, Arthur Claude (1898). Glimpses of the Nizams Dominions.
  4. Biographical Register of Christ College. Cambridge University Press. 1913.
  5. Records of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn. Vol. III: Admissions from A.D. 1894 to A.D. 1956. 1981. p. 43.
  6. "Epsilon: Bilgrami, Mr Syed Ali". epsilon.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  7. Siddique, Salman; Ashrafi, Naved. AMU’s Ancillary Centres and Sir Syed’s Vision of Modern Education: Historical Paradigm and the Task Ahead.
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