BOSTON: Noted scholar and human right activist Dr. Omar Khalidi died here in road accident on November 29. He was 57. Dr. Khaldi had worked at Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Nigar Khalidi, and daughter, Aliya. He had thousand of admirers across the world.
According to reports he was hit by a train. He drove in his car to MIT and was probably trying to catch a train to buy medicine at the next station. He was a diabetic, and it seems his sugar level had reached abnormal levels.
Khalidi, was a great scholar and did deep research work on socio economic condition of Indian Muslims. the man who articulated the voice of the Indian Muslims during some of their bad days.
As an Indian Muslim historian from Hyderabad, he was deeply aware of glorious past. Through his meticulous research he exposed the devious designs of the Hindu fundamentalists and the men in uniform. His book in English on what actually happened during the police action in Hyderabad in 1948 (Hyderabad: After the Fall) remains the most exhaustive work on the subject to this day.
Several Muslim organizations have deeply mourn his death.