Naheed Abidi

Naheed Abidi is an Indian scholar of Sanskrit and writer. In 2014, she was honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for her contributions to the field of literature by the Government of India. She has received many awards and accolades for her contribution to Sanskrit literature & philosophy, notable among them are: Nawab Raza Ali Khan Award, 2018 for Sanskrit Language by Hon'ble Governor UP, Sri Ram Naik ji. The Late Smt. Chandrawati Joshi Sanskrit Bhasha Puraskar 2015 awarded by Gyan Kalyan Datavya Nyas, 6 Raisina Road, New Delhi. Janani Jagriti Darshan Samman by Ramayanam Trust, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Vikram Kalidas Puraskar by Kalidas Samiti, Government of M.P.; Dara Shikoh Sammaan & Yuva Pratibha Sammaan by Akhil Bhartiya Vidwat Parishad, Varanasi.

Early life and education

Abidi was born in 1961, in a Shia Muslim zamindari family at Mirzapur, She moved to Varanasi, an ancient seat of Sanskrit scholarship after her marriage with Ehtesham Abidi - a Senior Advocate in the city. She went on to secure a doctoral degree (PhD) from the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKV), a public university in the city, and published her thesis titled as Vedic Sahitya Mein Ashvinon Ka Swaroop (The Utility and Form of Ashvin brothers in Vedic Literature) in 1993. She received her D.Litt. degree from Lucknow University (Sanskrit) in 2009.

Career In 2005, Abidi started working as a lecturer without any pay at Banaras Hindu University. Soon after, she joined the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith to work as a part-time lecturer on a daily wage scheme. However, the Sanskrit scholar, known as the first Muslim female to have worked as a lecturer in Sanskrit, had difficulties finding a regular job. a translation of Chirag-e-Dair, written by poet, Mirza Ghalib. a Hindi translation of 50 Upanishads, earlier translated by the Mughal prince, Dara Shikoh into Persian. She has published a Hindi translation of Vedanta, translated into Persian by Dara Shikoh and also the Sufi texts by the prince. She also serves as an Executive Council member at the Sampurnanad Sanskrit University. The meeting was announced by Modi through a photo on his Google Plus page and the video of the meeting was displayed on the personal web site of the Prime Minister. In 2016, She was honored with the Yash Bharati Award by UP government at a function held in Lucknow.

Memberships/academic/social activities Member – NCMEI (National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions) MoHRD, GoI, 19 Jan to 7 April 2015, 7 December 2015 to 6 December 2020. Member – Academic Council, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. 12 Feb 2020 to February 2022. Member – CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification), MoH&B, GoI • Member – CABE (Central Advisory Board of Education), MoHRD, GoI, CABE Resolution, 11 June 2015. Member – Selection Committee for selecting Maharishi Sandipani Rashtriya Ved Vidya Pratishthan Awaredee Nominated by Hon’ble HRD Minister, Ujjain, 31.05.2013. Member - Executive Council, (Chancellor's Nominee), Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi (2007-09 & 2009–2011). Visiting professor in various Central and State Universities and Post Grad. Colleges such as M.M.V. (B.H.U.), M.G. Kashi Vidyapeeth etc. since past 22 years till 2015. Promoting Muslim girls and boys to study Sanskrit. Providing academic help for promotion of linguistic harmony.

Literary contributions

Naheed Abidi (2021). Devalayasya Deepah 2nd Edition (2021). Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan. Naheed Abidi (2022). Vartman Sandarbh Mein Vaidik Moolya (2022). National Book Trust. .

Books in press "Vaidik Sahitya me Ashwinav: Bhartiya evam P𝑎̅shch𝑎̅tya Mat". A comparative study between Ishavasyopanishad by Acharya Shankar and by Dara Shikoh. Raheemkavye Sanskritsahitasya Prabhavah etc.

Visits Attended and presented in more than 200 National and International seminars and conferences: the most recent one being the World Conference organized by Madrasa Ayatullah Zafar-ul Millat (June 2018) in Iraq & Iran on the topic “Shia Azadari in India”, which also hosted many notable clerics & educationists.