Diwan Nandiram Mirani Sehwani: A Historian, Writer And Author

Abstract

This brief historical research paper critically explores about educational and literary contributions of late Diwan Nandiram Mirani of Sehwan (1819-1875). He was a multidimensional person and the man of letters. He was not only well versed in Hindi, Persian, old Sindhi writing (in Bhawnagri alphabet), new Sindhi writing (in Arabic based alphabet) languages but also learned English language. He remained active member of developing New Sindhi writing i.e. introducing Arabic Alphabet Based Sindhi writing style. He, for the first time in the history, properly translated or converted a well known Persian book of history “Tareekh Maasoomi” into New Sindhi writing style in Arabic based alphabet. For this extraordinary literary contribution he not only received prize/award of Rs. 200 against the allocated amount of Rs.100 from Mr. Eliss, then Assistant Commissioner of Sindh, but also was appointed as Focal Person for the Education Department of Sindh. He had published his five books as a single author, whereas he had on his credit a dozen of other books including some textbooks as co-author. History remembers him as the most prominent prose writer and author of Sehwan after late Akhund Azizullah Memon in the nineteenth century.