Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Lakho (6 July, 1954 – 03 March, 2025)
By Muhammad Habib Sanai
With the passing of Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Lakho, Sindh has indeed been deprived of one of the erudite and devoted historians, who, through his writings, has enlightened and enriched us.
On the evening of March 3rd, at around 8 PM, he departed from this world
following a fatal heart attack. Throughout his life, he shunned the limelight,
dedicating himself wholeheartedly to academic and scholarly pursuits.
Early Life and Education
To learn about
his early life and education, let us turn to his own words. A few years ago, he
shared his story in an interview with Akbar Jiskani, Editor of the monthly Gul Phul,
stating:
“I was born in the large village of Mitha Khan Jokhio in District
Nawabshah (now in Noshero Feroze). Previously, my ancestors had lived in the
nearby village of Hot jo Wahan for ten generations. In 1952, my family
moved to the village of Jokhio, where I was the first child to be born. My
relatives were poor, but I was the first child of the family, and they took an interest
in my education.
“Along with traditional religious education and Persian studies, I was
admitted to a primary school in the village, where I completed the fifth grade.
I completed my Matriculation at the Government. High School, Dolatpur Safan, my
Intermediate at Govt. College Nawabshah, my Graduation (BA) at Mehran College
of Moro, and then my MA in English Literature (1980) at the University of
Sindh. Thereafter, I also obtained another MA in History (1982).
“Here, it would be appropriate to mention that after completing my
Intermediate, my parents reduced their financial support. Therefore, to
continue my education, I had to work as a clerk at Al Noor Sugar Mills.
Additionally, I worked as a news editor for the Sindh News daily for
three months.”
Employment
Dr.
Lakho began his career as a Lecturer in English in the Sindh Education
Department I 1982. However, after a few years, he was selected as a Lecturer in
History at the Pakistan Studies Centre, University of Sindh, Jamshoro during
1987. He later joined the History Department at the same university, where he
rose to the position of Professor and Head of the Department. He retired from
service in 2014.
He
earned his PhD in 1999, with his thesis titled "A Study of
Institutions, and the Social and Political Conditions of Sindh during the
Eighteenth Century."
Literary and academic pursuits
In the introduction to the third issue of his compiled book, "Galhiyoon
Munhje Sindh Joon" (Tales of My Sindh)—an anthology of articles,
speeches, and interviews of Pir Hussamuddin Rashidi—he expresses his passion
for literature and history in the following words: “In the year 1972, I got
admission to Intermediate at Govt. College Nawabshah. That year was of great
importance in the modern history of Sindh. Abdul Razaq Soomro of Moro was
martyred in Hyderabad. The government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was preparing a
new Constitution. A bill about the Sindhi language was passed in the Sindh
Assembly. An unnecessary conflict arose over the language issue.
“Amid these conditions, hundreds of new magazines, periodicals, etc.,
started appearing. Against the backdrop of that unrest and renaissance, I began
reading literature in the company of my friend Ghulam Ali Bagani. In this way,
while studying Sindhi literature and collecting magazines and books, my mind
was enriched, and gradually, I developed a passion for Sindhological studies,
which remains alive to this day.”
His very first write-up, entitled "Transfer of Sindh Under
Suzerainty of Iran," was published on the children's page of the
Sindhi daily Aftab, Hyderabad, on February 13, 1976. His first book, Sindh
Sadiyan Khhan (Sindh Since Centuries), was published in 1980, while
his last and 22nd book, Sindh Papers, written in English, was published
just a few weeks ago.
Dr. Lakho authored, compiled, translated, and edited more than twenty books
in Sindhi, Urdu, and English. Besides, he also wrote hundreds of essays,
articles, and research papers.
A brief introduction to his works is presented in the following paragraphs.
Original Work
As mentioned earlier, his first original book, Sindh Sadiyan Khhan (Sindh
Since Centuries), was published in 1980. It presents a concise account of
Sindh’s five-thousand-year history in a nutshell.
His second original book, Samma Sultanat (Kingdom of Samma), was
published in 1987 by the Sindhi Adabi Board, with its third reprint issued in
2005. The Samma dynasty has ruled Sindh from 1335 to 1520. Dr. Lakho believes
that the Samma period is a crucial era in Sindh's native history, as the Samma
rulers played a significant role in shaping Sindh as a nation-state. They made
great efforts to promote literature, economy, and art. Additionally, they
established law and order, which contributed to the growth of agriculture and
trade.
Dolh Daryah Khan is his third
original work, a biography written for children and published in 1990. It has
now been updated and included in the book Sindhi Barano Adab, published
in 2023.
His fourth original work, Sindh je Tareekh jo Tareekhi an Tahqeeqi
Jaaezo, published in 1997, is an anthology of 33 essays and articles
written over the years and categorized into five thematic sections. Overall, it
is a comprehensive study of Sindh, encompassing its history, archaeology,
literature, and other cultural aspects.
His fifth original work, and perhaps his magnum opus, Kalhora Dore
Hukumat (2004), is based on his PhD thesis. It was reprinted in 2021 with
minor revisions. Dr. Lakho had intended to add an additional chapter on the
religious conditions of that period but refrained, fearing that “writing on
that topic in this age would be like sitting on a bed of thorns.”
His sixth original book, Sindh ja Mushhoor Manhoo (Famous Persons of
Sindh) (2009), is a collection of profiles of renowned personalities of
Sindh, written for children. Recently, it has been reprinted as part of a
combined volume of three books titled Sindhi Barano Adab (2023), after
being revised and supplemented with material that had been previously omitted
by the earlier publisher.
His seventh
original work, Sindhi Barano Adab (2023), is a
combined volume of three books. The first part of the volume, also titled Sindhi
Barano Adab, is a collection of four essays, six historical
stories, two Russian stories, and an interview with Dr. Lakho. The other two
books included in the volume are Dolha Darya Khan and Sindh ja
Mushhoor Manhoo.
A few weeks
ago, his final and eighth original work, Sindh Papers (2025), was published.
It is a collection of his English essays, prefaces, and letters.
Translations
Dr. Lakho has
translated numerous essays and several books into Sindhi. His translated works
include:
- Sindhi Adab (1981) – Originally written in
Urdu by Pir Hussamuddin Rashdi.
- Taareekh ja Saqab – A Sindhi translation of Tareekh
Kia Hey, originally written in Urdu by Dr. Mubarak Ali.
- Muta’leo Sindh jo Vol. 01 (1992) – A collection
of seven translated essays.
- Muta’leo Sindh jo Vol. 02 (2004) – Another
collection of translated essays.
- Sindh-Kutch Lagapa (2010) – A translation of an
essay written by M. H. Panhwar.
Compilations
Dr. Lakho has
also compiled several books, including:
- Galhiyoon Munje Sindh Joon (Tales of My Sindh)
(1992) – An anthology of articles, speeches, and interviews of Pir
Hussamuddin Rashidi. Its third edition, featuring a comprehensive
introduction by Dr. Lakho, was published in 2020.
- Maqalaat Rashidi (2002) – A collection of Urdu
essays written by Pir Hussamuddin Rashidi.
- The Samma Kingdom of Sindh (2006) – A collection of
essays written by various scholars about Samma period. As stated by Dr.
Lakho in his preface: “This book is divided into three parts. In the first
part matter from two important books printed in India have been reproduced…
The Second part is based on modern research which includes twelve research
papers. The part stands as a miscellany which deals with four topics. Four
appendices have been added at the end to enable the reader to accept or
reject the conclusions or opinions expressed on merits.”
- Sindh: Glimpses into Modern
History (2008) –
A compilation of 41 essays presented during the two-day Pir Hussamuddin
Rashidi International History Conference held in October 2008.
- Sindh Shanasi (2017) – An anthology of
articles, speeches, and interviews of M. H. Panhwar, mostly translated
from English into Sindhi by Dr. Lakho.
- Sindh Studies (2018) – A collection of 18
English writings by M. H. Panhwar.
Edited Works
He has also edited the following works:
1. Sindh jee
Taareekh, Sindh ja Mughal Nawab (2008), written by Muhammad Siddiq Musafir, is not only edited by him but also enriched
with substantial new material and annotations, almost equivalent in volume to
the original text.
2. Tareekh Masoomi
(2008)
3. Sindh Arab Dor
(2009)
At present, it
is unknown how many of his works remain unpublished. He was a prolific writer
and a regular contributor to Quarterly Mehran and other
periodicals and research journals.
Other affiliations
During his lifetime, he was associated with numerous institutions,
including the Institute of Sindhology, Jamshoro, Sindhi Adabi Board, Pakistan
Historical Society, the Editorial Board of the Journal of Pakistan
Historical Society, and Sindh Archives.
His publications can found on following websites:
https://books.sindhsalamat.com/author/492
Comments
Post a Comment