When Prof SC Deb mesmerised the Oxford University scholars

He was an honest and agile civil servant but never wanted to hog the limelight during his service period. Now, despite being internationally acclaimed as an Urdu litterateur and critic, he is reluctant to talk to people about his contributions to the literature.

He was an honest and agile civil servant but never wanted to hog the limelight during his service period. Now, despite being internationally acclaimed as an Urdu litterateur and critic, he is reluctant to talk to people about his contributions to the literature.

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Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, 71, looks younger by at least 10 years and to keep himself fit and fine, he walks a few miles every morning and has a disciplined life. Likewise, for the fitness of his mind and knowledge, he always keeps himself abreast of the national and international developments and if one seeks his opinion about any issue, he gives a satisfactory and logical reply.

A recipient of many prestigious honours, including UP Urdu Academy award, All-India Mir Academy award and Saraswati Samman of Birla Foundation, Faruqi has over four-dozen books to his credit and many of his works are in progress. His writing is not confined to only one form. He has also earned fame as an editor, poet, fiction writer and translator. He has visited many countries to deliver lectures and present papers on literary issues. Besides, he has been associated with a large number of organisations and institutions engaged in promotion of literature. On the basis of his scholarly work his name finds mention in many books on "who's who."

The excerpts from the interview:

In 1971, I was director of Postal Services at Lucknow and HN Bahuguna was Minister for Communications. On some issue he directed me to solve some issue as per rule. When I told him that we were doing work as per rules and it did not require a mention, he felt offended. When the meeting was over some of my colleagues told me that I might be transferred for my outspokenness. But, I felt later that Bahugunaji became unusually friendly with me and developed special liking for me since then. He even attended the marriage ceremony of my daughter.

A few years later, Bahugunaji became Chief Minister of UP. My younger brother AQ Farooqi, who was a sub-divisional magistrate then and was shifted to the Land Consolidation Department, urged me to get his transfer stayed as he was not ready to compromise with his honesty. I called on Bahugunaji and requested him to stay the transfer. Bahugunaji said he needed an honest officer in the Land Consolidation Department but when I told him that my brother won't be able to manage, he stayed the transfer.

I remember the last class of MA final (English) in Allahabad University. Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan came to teach us and we mustered courage to tell him that we wanted to relax by listening to his poems. He obliged us and recited many couplets from 'Madhushala.' He had a very sweet, enchanting and thrilling voice. I can never forget it and it is still in my most brilliant memories.

I cannot remember knowing or meeting anyone even half as learned as Professor SC Deb. He had an answer to any question about European literature. Apart from English he knew many other languages, including French, Italian, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Persian. By chance, Prof Ehtesham Hussain, the great Urdu critic and Prof SC Deb came together at Oxford. Ehtesham Sahib later told me that "he cannot forget the respect and the awe that Prof Deb inspired among the scholars of Oxford University when they gathered to hear Prof Deb on some subject related to English literature.

Prof Ehtesham Hussain said that all that his audience would say by way of comment was respectful agreement like "Yes Professor" and "You are right Professor."

Prof Deb's memory was absolutely stunning. He remembered an astonishing amount of English poetry and drama by heart and could even cite the act number, the scene number and the line number if he was quoting from a play.

IA Richards, perhaps the greatest modern English critic, came to Allahabad University in 1954 and gave a lecture on a poem of Shelly. The lecture was held in the History Department's large lecture theatre which was overflowing with the audience keen to hear the legendary IA Richards. After the lecture Dr PE Dustoor rose to give thanks and said "it was an extremely enlightening lecture. I am now dying to go back home and read my Shelly again." We all laughed and applauded the most generous of tributes from one great teacher to another.

I submitted two of my papers to Dr Dustoor when I was in MA Part-I, believing that I had done a good job. When he returned the papers to me after a few days, I was chagrined and disappointed to see that each line bore corrections. I went to his home on Elgin Road on one Sunday to understand why my text had merited such copious corrections.

True gentleman and kind teacher that he was, he sat down with me for two hours and went over each and every correction and explained to me why the corrections had been necessary. It was an eye-opening experience for me to see what exactly good English meant.

The only thing that makes me happy is that I still have things to do and books to write. So, I cannot complain of the retirement and old age hanging heavy on me.