MOHAMMAD Hussain Panhwar (known as M. H.
Panhwar) was born in 1925 in a small village of Dadu district. He died two years
ago in April. By profession he was a
mechanical engineer but had a deep interest in the history of Sindh, its
people, climate, archaeology, agriculture, irrigation, water and anthropology.
He is remembered for his outstanding and unmatched contribution in areas which
were hardly explored before him.
M. H. Panhwar was a very hard working man and after his retirement he established
a small office at his residence in Clifton, Karachi, where he continued to do
research.. His innovative work in agriculture remains unmatched.
He loved and lived with books, his personal library containing 63,000 books
which he in his lifetime had donated to the ‘M.H. Panhwar Trust’ that he and his
scientist wife Farzana Panhwar established earlier. Both donated their
libraries, assets and farm to the trust. It is heartening to see his family now
furthering his life’s dreams by planning to establish an ‘M.H. Panhwar Research
Chair’ at
University of Sindh,
Jamshoro, which is to be inaugurated soon.
Although the government awarded him Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1992 for outstanding work
in engineering and agriculture, the best tribute to him is to help complete his
projects that he was working on.
Panwhar’s autobiography, which is to be inaugurated soon, is a beautiful
addition to
Sindhi literature and analyses the social history of Sindh during the
British period from a progressive and scientific perspective. He was interested
in everything which concerned
human beings. In his writings he has rejected religious bigotry, promoted
reason-based understanding of complex human relationships. M. H. Panhwar
continues to be a source of knowledge and inspiration to the new generation.
Establishing a Research Chair, dedicated to his work, would be a befitting
tribute to the great man.
MUSHTAQUE RAJPAR
Karachi