Late Prof. Ale Ahmad Suroor (Siddiqi), the student of a worthy teacher and well-known literary figure, Prof. Rashid Ahmad Siddiqi needs hardly any introduction to Urdu world. He was an eloquent poet of broad vision and deep thought, an outstanding critic and a great academic. Prof. Suroor with immense potentiality and extraordinary qualities departed from us on 9th February 2002. But great personalities like Suroor Sahib remain alive due to their unforgettable contribution.
Generally speaking when a true artist closes his eyes, the eyes of the age get opened. That way Suroor Sahib was lucky enough to achieve respect and honour both in his life and after his demise for his strenuous efforts and remarkable contribution to literate as well as academics. Monthly “Shabkhoon” Allahabad presented a collection of essays entitled “Tohfatus-Suroor” and some journals issued special numbers in his memory.
Prof. Suroor being a multi-faceted personality, contributed to literature in many spheres, especially to literary criticism. The literary sensibility of this outstanding critic comprises rare elements i.e. thorough study of classical and modern literature, knowledge of modern trends, keen and minute observation of life, its sweet and bitter experiences, felt thought, sympathetic approach towards art and artist, being far away from “literary politics”, prejudice and so on.
  Tanqidi Isharay (1942) Naye Aur Puraney Chirag (1946) Tanqid Kya Hai (1947) Adab Aur Nazariye (1954) Tanqid Key Bunyadi Masail (an edited book 1966) Nazar Aur Nazariye (1973) Masarrat Sey Baseerat Tak (1975) are his special literary collections. Suroor Sahib has always been a strong believer in traditions and active supporter to keep in view the contemporary phenomenon. His literary criticism assimilates the healthy and positive influence of both the east and the west. Many of the writers like Kalimuddin Ahmad and others are impressed and awestruck by English literature to such an extent that they regard their oriental literature inferior or feeble in comparison to the western literature. Such a situation occurs when the critic has one sided knowledge. But Suroor Sahib being an ardent student of English literature has a thorough study of classical as well as modern trends of literature. He is proud of his rich literary heritage and utilizes his study of it along with the western tradition in a balanced way. He takes proper advantage from English literature but does not thrust its parameters on Urdu literature as Urdu has its own poetics. It is his balanced and scientific approach which has made his writings so popular and acceptable.
 Kashmir University, from the very beginning has privilege of having many great personalities who left their deep marks on its academic history. Here I would like to refer to a trinity of non Kashmiri academics as well as administrators – Prof. A.A. Suroor (founder Director of Iqbal Institute, now Iqbal Institute of Culture and Philosophy), Prof. S. Maqbool Ahmad (founder Director of Centre of Central Asian Studies) and Prof. Manzoor ul Amin (founder Director of Mass Communication Centre presently Media Education Research Centre). It is because of these three giants that these three institutions or centers have flourished and have a very good status in the sub-continent and abroad. So far as Iqbal Institute is concerned, it was initially established as Iqbal Chair in 1977 with the active support of then the Chief Minister of the State himself late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who was a great admirer and lover of Allama Iqbal. Prof. Suroor was appointed as Iqbal Professor against this chair. He was well aware of the value and demand of the chair and worked tirelessly for its progress. It was his dedication and commitment that Iqbal Chair got converted into a full fledged Institute – Iqbal Institute only after two years of its inception – i.e. in 1979.
Being a great scholar and an institution in himself, he would live a simple life, having no weakness for publicity, a true worshipper of the work. M.Phil and Ph.D. scholars of the institute would get their proper time according to the schedule. Their work would get checked in their presence. While checking their research work, Suroor Sahib would put questions also. His keen eye would always catch the error. He would teach the usage of proper words at proper places. Sometimes the whole content would get changed with his slight modifications. To be the student of such a great stylist, is really a proud privilege.
 Suroor Sahib as an ideal teacher and supervisor of the research scholars has proved an encouraging and inspiring source to his younger generation also. I remember the day when he expressed the idea of organizing a seminar on Shair-i-Jamal, Firaq Gorakhpuri. I was perusing my Ph.D. programme in Iqbal Institute under his supervision. Suroor Sahib provided me also an opportunity to write and present a paper in the seminar. I tried my best to come up to the expectations of my worthy teacher. Eminent scholars of Urdu language and literature like Prof. Masood Hussain Khan, Prof. Jagan Nath Azad, Prof. Kabir Ahmad Jaisi also presented their papers in the seminar. At the end, I was provided an opportunity to present my paper. I was worried about my problem to read the paper in presence of such great luminaries; however the idea of the encouraging attitude of my teacher emboldened me to come forward. Suroor Sahib was well aware of the importance and significance of teacher-taught relationship.
 One more important aspect of Suroor Sahib’s service to Iqbal Institute was organizing seminars on most important themes relating to Iqbal and issues of the contemporary times. The participation of most eminent scholars and men of letters of the sub-continent and abroad would make these seminars highly meaningful. The scholarly discourse and brilliant expositions would benefit the scholars of Iqbal Studies especially and the audience in general. The pertinent themes of interest used to be debated and analyzed from different points of view. Prof. Suroor usually would present his paper in the last session of the seminar. Moreover, in the concluding session he would assimilate the debates and discourses of the seminar like a true scholar. He used to be in a very cheerful mood on these occasions. One more aspect of Prof. Suroor’s service as Director of Iqbal Institute is that he compiled and edited several valuable books on Iqbal which especially would help Iqbalian scholars. The forewords and essays of these books and journals written by this illustrious scholar have a value. A complete book written by Prof. Suroor comprising different essays on Iqbal entitled “Danishwar Iqbal” was published in 1994 by Educational Book House, Aligarh.
 Some people from Iqbaliyat itself do not recognize Prof. Suroor’s contribution on Iqbal by saying that he has not written any complete or “Mabsoot” book on Iqbal. If writing a “mabsoot” book is a criteria or parameter to be a true author then why some towering personalities like T. S. Eliot and others are considered great critics and writers of English literature.
The identity and reputation of an academic institution is also judged by its library. The seminar library of Iqbal Institute has a very rich collection of reference books, journals and magazines. They are related to various subjects like philosophy (western and Muslim) literature, comparative religions and history. Reputed journals from India and abroad like Iqbal Review, Mujallah Iqbal, Maah-e-Nau, Fikr-u-Nazr, Islam and Asr-e-Jadeed is available in the seminar library of Iqbal Institute because of the efforts of Prof. A.A. Suroor who himself in his old age visited Iqbal Academy Pakistan and some other places where from he arranged such a valuable treasures for the seminar library of Iqbal Institute. It is worthy to mention here that hardly any institution in India would have such a rich library on Iqbal Studies other than Iqbal Institute. The institute owes much to Prof. Suroor.
 Suroor Sahib would invite great luminaries from time to time from different quarters of India and abroad to deliver extension lectures on Iqbal. Prof. Aalam Khundmeri, Prof. Masood Hussain Khan, Syed Akbar Abadi, Prof. Syed Siraj-ud-din, Prof. Anne Marie Schimmel and many other great personalities have delivered their illuminating and useful extension lectures in their respective fields in Iqbal Institute.
 Personalities having broad vision see things differently. Baba-e-Urdu Molvi Abdul Haq, found a great literary potential in Suroor Sahib in 1938, when the latter was only 26 years old. He expressed his full confidence in this bubbling writer of his time in following words:
“If I were to choose successor of Anjuman-e-Taraqi-e-Urdu, I would have none, but Suroor Sahib.”
Prof. Syed Sirajuddin, a well-known scholar of English and Urdu literature, (who has served as visiting professor in Iqbal Institute), has made the following remarks about the contribution of Prof. Suroor vis-à-vis, the Iqbal Institute in his beautiful poem. He has referred to some qualities of his scholarship in his artistic way. He says:
Ik Meiz Par ik Pir-e-Dana
Ik Mard-e-Motaber, ilm key har paich o kham sey baakhaber
Jis ki Aanakhoun Mein hai shola ishq ka
Jis key baaloun mein hai peeri ka dhuan
Khush tabiyyat, khush bayan, pirana Sali mein jawan

Author is Director Iqbal Institute , KU.

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