Kargil, August 20: Renowned broadcaster, author and historian Abdul Gani Sheikh passed away on Tuesday at his house in Leh district of Ladakh.
Sheikh was born on March 5, 1936 in Leh. He was an active advocate for the promotion of Urdu language and authored several books. Sheikh was a versatile writer, translator and novelist and also a famous researcher who not only served the radio in Ladakh but also made a great contribution to Ladakhi literature.
He also worked as a correspondent (ANE and NE) with RNU AIR and DD Srinagar.
His novel “Dil Hi Tau Hai” won the Best Book Award from the J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages.
After completing his primary education at Government Middle School Leh, Sheikh developed a penchant for writing. During his school days, he was able to publish his articles in an Urdu magazine. Sheikh passed his school-leaving examination in 1951.
In 1952, he started his training as a camp assistant in veterinary science in Srinagar, where he met eminent writers like Prof. Rahman Rahi and Brij Prem.
In 1954, Sheikh played a supporting role in a drama by the National Dramatic Club.
In 1955 he emerged as a novelist and published numerous short stories in Urdu.
His three stories “Lovsar Aor Ansoun”, “Arzounien” and “Noori” were published and received great acclaim.
Sheikh became the Principal of the Education Department. He was an accomplished politician and worked as a field officer in the Information Department in Leh. Sheikh was awarded by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages for his pamphlet on Mahatma Gandhi.
In 1976, his first collection of short stories, Zojila Ke Aar Paar, was published. In 1977, Sheikh’s novel Woh Zamana was published, and in 1978, another novel, Dil He Tou Hain, followed by two more works of children’s literature, Kitaboun Ki Duniya and Ladakh Ki Sair.
In 1980 he compiled the book “Sonam Narboo”.
In 1985, Sheikh interviewed well-known actors Dev Anand, Shabana Azmi, Sanjay Khan and Sunil Dutt, lyricist Javid Akhtar and singer Jagjit Singh for the radio.
He visited Germany in 1995 to attend the event of the International Association for Ladakh Studies.
Sheikh demonstrated his skills as a screenwriter when he submitted his script for two documentaries, “The Nomads” and “The Dards”.
He also regularly wrote the column “Ladakh Diary” at the request of veteran writer Gulam Nabi Khayal.
His research article “The Islamic Architecture of Ladakh” was published in Ladakh Culture at the Cross Roads. In 2007, he attended the IALS conference in Rome and presented his paper “Traditions of Sufism in Ladakh”.
In 2011, his two books, Tibet and Central Asia and Reflections on Ladakh, were published by the National Book Trust of India.
In 2021, he visited Iran and wrote a travelogue. An M Phil thesis on Sheikh was awarded to Research Fellow Fayaz Ahmad, a novelist from Indore University.
Sheikh’s death sparked widespread condolences in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages and former Deputy Director General (ADG) Doordarshan, Rafeeq Masoodi, expressed his condolences on his death and expressed his deep condolences to his family.
“The family of All India Radio and Doordarshan Srinagar stands with Sheikh’s family in this hour of grief and prays for the eternal peace of the departed soul,” Masoodi said.
