Our Correspondent / Aligarh
Noted scholar of theology and philosophy and Honorary Professor for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule St. Georgen in Frankfurt, Prof Christian W Troll, will receive this year’s International Sir Syed Excellence Award for his work on Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, while Mr Sanjiv Saraf, the founder of Rekhta Foundation will be conferred with the National Sir Syed Excellence Award for making outstanding contribution to promotion of Urdu language and literature. The awards will be given on Sir Syed Day Celebrations, October 17, 2018.
The prestigious Sir Syed Excellence awards in the International and National category includes cash prizes worth Rs two lakhs and one lakh respectively.
The selection was done by a five-member Jury Committee headed by AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor; Prof Farhathullah Khan (Convener); Prof Ishtiaq A Zilli; Prof A R Kidwai and Prof M Shafey Kidwai.
Prof Christian W Troll is a reputed scholar and his book, ‘A Reinterpretation of Muslim Theology’ blazed a new trial in Sir Syed studies. Recently he contributed to collective volumes a number of substantial studies on Christian-Muslim dialogue in the context of conflicting truth claims as well as on the change in Catholic teaching and thinking on Islam and on Christian-Muslim relations since the middle of the 20th century. His widely cited research works on Sir Syed have been published by the prestigious Journal of Royal Asiatic Society (London), Ibla (Tunis), Islamochristiana (Roma), Islamic Culture (Hyderabad, AP), Zakir Husayn Institute, Vikas Publications and Encyclopaedia of Religion (New York) among other publications.
Mr Sanjiv Saraf, founder of Rekhta Foundation, will receive the award in the National category, which is devoted to the promotion and preservation of Urdu. His website, rekhta.org has created the largest available online resource on the Urdu language and almost all notable books of Urdu have been made available. Jashn-e-Rekhta, an annual literary festival meant for propagation of Urdu language and literature is immensely popular and is attended by prominent Urdu scholars, authors, poets, fiction writers and theatre and film personalities. Mr Saraf is the founder, Chairman and principal shareholder of Polyplex Corporation Limited, which is among the world’s largest producers of PET films. He is an alumnus of The Scindia School and a graduate from IIT, Kharagpur. In 1984, Mr Saraf built an outstanding organisation, Polyplex with exemplary values and ethos. An entrepreneur at heart, he has incubated other businesses such as Manupatra – India’s premier legal information provided. Mr Saraf is a voracious reader; passionate about Urdu poetry and has recently learnt the language. He is a lover of art and music.