Hyderabad: He devoted more than half a century of his life to public causes, educational institutions and community service. Yet, when a condolence meeting was held to mourn his passing barely a fortnight after his death, fewer than fifty people turned up.
The sparse attendance at the meeting spoke volumes—not merely about the loss of one man, but about the fleeting nature of public memory and the ease with which society forgets its benefactors.
The condolence meeting, organised at the conference hall of Jamia Masjid Aliya, Gunfoundry, in memory of senior advocate and Masjid Committee president Ghulam Yezdani, witnessed thin attendance. The absence of a larger gathering was not lost on the organisers or the speakers. In fact, noted scholar Islamuddin Mujahid alluded to it during his address, reminding those present of the transience of worldly recognition.
Yet those who attended came with genuine affection and respect. The hall of Masjid-e-Aliya—where Ghulam Yezdani had long been a familiar and active presence—seemed to silently mourn the loss of one of its most dedicated servants.
A Distinguished Legal Career
A designated Senior Advocate of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Ghulam Yezdani held the distinction of being the only Muslim lawyer to receive that honour. But the courtroom was only one facet of his life. Far greater was his commitment to public service and the educational upliftment of society.
Over the decades, he remained associated with numerous institutions, including Anwarul Uloom College, Mumtaz College, Urdu Arts Evening College, Urdu Oriental College, Alauddin ITI, Madrasa-e-Aizza and Asafia institutions. His involvement was not ceremonial; it reflected a lifelong commitment to preserving educational and cultural values.
Speakers at the meeting recalled the many causes he championed and his untiring efforts to promote the Urdu language. “He was an institution in himself,” remarked Islamuddin Mujahid, summing up the sentiments of many present.
A Lifetime of Public Engagement
Till his last breath, Ghulam Yezdani served as President of Anjuman-e-Taraqqi Urdu of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. His public engagements extended far beyond this role. He headed or patronised several organisations, including Hamid Ali Trust, Khake Taiba Trust, Hyderabad Educational Foundation, Makkah Masjid Society, Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute, Quran and Seerat Society, Toor Baitul Mal and the Public Garden Walkers Association.
Many of those attending the condolence meeting were regular participants in programmes he had nurtured over the years—such as the Wednesday Iqbal Shinasi sessions, the Saturday Shariat Information Service lectures and the Monday Tariq-e-Islam gatherings. These initiatives had become intellectual and spiritual spaces for generations of Hyderabadis.
Despite his wide-ranging commitments, Ghulam Yezdani maintained a disciplined personal routine. His day would begin with an early morning walk in Public Garden, often followed by a swim—a habit he maintained well into his later years.
Speaking on the occasion, Gawah Editor Fazil Husain Parvez observed that after the revolutionary leader Bahadur Yar Jung and Syed Khaleelullah Hussaini, founder of Tameer-e-Millat, it was Ghulam Yezdani who made significant efforts to propagate the message of poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal among the masses.
Javeed Kamal, editor of Rekhta Goyan, reflected on the true purpose of condolence meetings. Such gatherings, he said, should become occasions for introspection and for taking stock of the values left behind by the departed, rather than being reduced to mere rituals.
A Grandson’s Tribute
A particularly touching moment came when his grandson, advocate Farhan Yezdani, shared little-known aspects of his grandfather’s life. In the aftermath of Partition, when many families migrated to Pakistan, Ghulam Yezdani chose to remain in India.
“It was on the advice of his mother, who wanted him never to leave Hyderabad,” Farhan recalled.
Rashiduddin of Jamaat-e-Islami praised Yezdani’s consistency in pursuing public causes and his efforts to attract young people to educational and religious programmes. As president of Masjid-e-Aliya, he played a key role in its development and expansion.
“He succeeded in giving the mosque a unique identity,” the Imam noted.
Masjid secretary Azmatulla Siddiqui underscored the need to continue Ghulam Yezdani’s mission of unity and brotherhood.
As the meeting concluded, one could not help but reflect on the irony of public life: society often celebrates its benefactors after they are gone, yet forgets them all too soon.
This Urdu couplet, recited on the occasion, captured the sentiment poignantly:
Bichda kuch is ada se ke rut hi badal gayi,
Ek shakhs saare shahar ko veeran kar gaya.
(He departed in such a manner that even the season changed;
One person left, and an entire city was rendered desolate.)
| Posted by News Desk | | 
