Omar Khalidi (1952 – 29 November 2010), born in

Hyderabad, India Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the '' de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern In ...

, was a Muslim scholar, a staff member of

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...

in the US, and an author.

Early life and education

Khalidi was born in 1953 in Hyderabad, India. He was of Hadhrami descent.

Career

He is referred to by one commentator as the "Chronicler of Hyderabad and as a champion of

minority rights Minority rights are the normal individual rights as applied to members of racial, ethnic, class, religious, linguistic or gender and sexual minorities, and also the collective rights accorded to any minority group. Civil-rights movements ...

". He was considered an international relations builder.

Scholar

His best known book is ''Hyderabad after the fall (book), Hyderabad: After the Fall'' published in 1990.

Media contribution

Khalidi served as a regional Vice-President of American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin, and was an active participant in the various activities of all other Indian Muslim organisations in the USA and Canada. His articles were published regularly in the ''

MetroWest Daily News ''The MetroWest Daily News'' is an American daily newspaper published in Framingham, Massachusetts, serving the MetroWest region of suburban Boston. The newspaper is owned by Gannett. The newspaper covers several cities and towns in Norfolk, Mi ...

'' and he was an active columnist for various other journals, writing for the '' Economic and Political Weekly'', '' The Outlook'', ''

India Abroad ''India Abroad'' is a weekly newspaper published from New York City, which focuses on Indian news meant for an Indian American, Indian diaspora and expatriate audience. The publication is known for its annual award ceremony for the "India Abroad ...

'', ''Two Circles'' and other print and internet media.

Books

His books include:

Death

Khalidi died on 29 November 2010, in a train accident at

Kendall Square Kendall Square is a neighborhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The square itself at the intersection of Main Street and Broadway. It also refers to the broad business district east of Portland Street, northwest of the Charles River, north of MIT ...

, MBTA station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His family published a statement in the '' Arab News'' on 30 November 2010: Khalidi drove in his car to the MIT campus and was probably trying to catch a train to buy medicine at the next station. He was diabetic, and it seems his sugar level had reached abnormal levels and he was hit by a train in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, United States His funeral prayers were held at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury. He left his wife Nigar Khalidi and his daughter Aliya.

References

External links

MIT News
*

* ttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1478-1913.00030/abstract Dr. Omar Khalidi article: Mawlāna Mawdūd? and the Future Political Order in British Indiabr>Dr. Omar Khalidi article: The Caliph's Daughter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khalidi, Omar Indian Sunni Muslims 2010 deaths Indian Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam Writers from Hyderabad, India Journalists from Andhra Pradesh American male journalists American writers of Indian descent American columnists American essayists American foreign policy writers American male non-fiction writers American magazine editors American Muslims Harvard Extension School alumni Indian emigrants to the United States Indian international relations scholars American international relations scholars Indian magazine editors Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty Alumni of the University of Wales, Lampeter Academic staff of King Saud University 1953 births American male essayists Wichita State University alumni Hadhrami people Indian people of Yemeni descent Naqshbandi order