Hakim Ali Shah Bukhari: Sindh's Renowned Researcher, Historian, and Archaeologist

 Hakim Ali Shah Bukhari: Sindh's Renowned Researcher, Historian, and Archaeologist

Muhammad Habib Sanai

Renowned researcher, historian, and the first professionally trained Sindhi archaeologist, Hakim Ali Shah Bukhari, was born on February 15, 1938, in the village of Ghulam Chandio in Dadu District, Sindh, where his early environment helped shape his lifelong engagement with the region’s rich historical and archaeological heritage.

Education and Early Career

He received his primary education from Ghulam Chandio School and passed the Sindhi Final examination in 1950. The same year, he enrolled in Government High School Dadu for further education, from where he matriculated from the University of Sindh in 1957. After passing his Intermediate examination, he got a clerical position in the Commissioner's office in Dadu. In 1962, he left the Revenue Department and in 964 was appointed as a teacher at District Council High School Johi. During this period, the University of Sindh selected him for a scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies in Archaeology at Peshawar University.

Archaeological Career

In 1968, he completed his M.A. in Archaeology from Peshawar University with first position and was appointed as a Gallery Assistant at Mohenjo-daro in the Archaeology Department in 1969. He served in the Department of Archaeology for 29 years and retired on February 14, 1998 as Additional Director.

During his service, Syed Hakim Ali Shah had opportunities to visit Italy, Japan, and Britain to study archaeology. He had numerous opportunities for travel and research in Sindh, Punjab, the Frontier, and Balochistan. He received more than a dozen awards and certificates.

Research and Excavations

During his service in the Archaeology Department, he conducted excavations/research at the following sites:

  1. Andan, Frontier Province, 1967-68
  2. Pirak, Balochistan Province, 1969-70
  3. Survey of sites in Southern Sindh for one month, 1973
  4. Jhukar-jo-Daro (Sindh), 1973
  5. Pirak, Balochistan (second time), 1973-74
  6. Personal surveys of ancient sites in various districts of Sindh

Training and Professional Development

He completed several training courses, including:

  1. "Conservation of Mohenjo-daro Walls" - one-week course by UNESCO, 1976
  2. Two-month Italian language course in Siena, Italy, December 1982 to January 1983
  3. "Restoration of Historical Buildings" course (5 months) in Florence, Italy, 1984
  4. "Cultural Heritage Conservation" ten-day workshop and seminar by UNESCO at the National Museum, 1984
  5. Two-week visit to Japanese museums, 1985
  6. Security course for officers, Islamabad, 1985
  7. Ten-day advanced training course on "Cultural Heritage Restoration," September 22 to December 5, 1989, Lahore

Post-Retirement Contributions

After retiring from the Archaeology Department in 1998, Bukhari remained actively engaged in archaeological research and heritage conservation. He continued to conduct field surveys of various historical sites and served in advisory and leadership roles for several organizations dedicated to preserving Sindh's cultural heritage.

Notably, he worked as a consultant and advisor for the Mohenjo-daro Preservation Authority, lending his expertise to the conservation efforts of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. He also served as Project Director of the Archaeology Section at the Sindh Archives Department's Hyderabad office, where he played a crucial role in documenting and cataloging the province's archaeological resources.

His post-retirement work demonstrated his unwavering commitment to Sindh's archaeological heritage, as he continued to contribute his knowledge and experience to both fieldwork and institutional development until his passing on May 14, 2021.

Personal Interests and Affiliations

From childhood, he was interested in music, folk gatherings, and performing arts. He was knowledgeable about music and remained associated with fine arts. He also acted in several plays and wrote some dramas. His elder brother, the celebrated public poet Ustad Bukhari, was a major influence. According to renowned Sindhi poet and writer Ali Dost Aajiz “among poets and artists, brotherly pairs have always been celebrated. They earn this distinction not necessarily through shared inheritance, but through walking life's journey side by side, in harmony and companionship. Hakim Ali Shah and Ustad Bukhari were like a two-stringed dotaro (a traditional musical instrument). After Ustad's passing, Hakim Shah became a single string...! Even one hand cannot clap alone—how can a single string play...! When Ustad passed away, Hakim Shah said: "Nature does not change its ways—the companionship of a lifetime breaks in a moment!"

Academic and Social Positions

He held the following academic and social responsibilities:

  • Chairman, Shahbaz Educational Society
  • President, Dadu Arts Club
  • Founding member, Ustad Bukhari Academy Dadu
  • Member, Dadu Citizens Alliance
  • Member, Board of Directors, Lal Shahbaz Computer Academy Dadu
  • Member, Board of Governors, Sindhi Language Authority (2006)
  • Panel member, Bureau of Translation and Publications, University of Sindh Jamshoro
  • Member, Board of Governors, Bilawal Institute of Historical Research, Shaheed Benazirabad

Publications

His published works include:

  1. Khirthar (English) - ENI Pakistan Islamabad as co-author
  2. Sangeet Sansar (Music Dictionary - co-author) 2017
  3. Sindh je Qadeem Aasaran ji Directory (Directory of Ancient Sites of Sindh (Sindhi Language Authority, 2008 - co-author)
  4. Aap Beeti-Jag Beeti (translation from English of Muhammad Hussain Panhwar's autobiography)
  5. Kalhora Period Architecture )original work)
  6. Sindh Archives 2006 (Original work)
  7. Dehi Pardehi Saaz (co-author, Institute of Sindhology, Jamshoro)
  8. Dakhhan Asia je Boliyan and Lapyan jee Directory (Directory of languages and scripts of South Asia) 2010 co-author
  9. Taameerat ji Lughat (Dictionary of Architecture) (Sindhi Language Authority, 2010) Co-author
  10.  Dictionary of Commerce and Banking (2011), Co-author.
  11. Balochistan je Qadeem Aasarn ji Directory (Directory of Archaeological sites of Baluchistan) 2013, Co-author.

Academic Contributions and Legacy

Throughout his career, Hakim Ali Shah Bukhari made significant contributions to archaeological scholarship, publishing research papers in numerous local and international journals. His work covered various aspects of Sindh's archaeology, from excavation reports to studies on architectural heritage and cultural conservation. These scholarly contributions, scattered across various publications over several decades, represent a significant body of knowledge on Sindh's archaeological and architectural history and deserve to be anthologized for the benefit of future researchers and students of South Asian archaeology.

He passed away on May 14, 2021, and was laid to rest in the graveyard of Dadu.

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