Lahore, 13 Oct 2023: An enlightening talk centered on two distinct books, ‘Baqiyaat-a-Iqbal’ and ‘Political Philosophy of Kautilya: The Arthashastra and after,’ was organized by Punjab University Library, bringing forth discussions that meandered through literary and political landscapes. A press release from the University of the Punjab conveyed that Dr. Muhammad Haroon Usmani, Chief Librarian, Dr. Muhammad Kamran, Director Institute of Urdu Language and Literature, Assistant Professor Dr. Mariam Kamal from the Centre for South Asian Studies, compiler Dr. Syed Taqi Abadi, alongside faculty members and a robust student presence constituted the audience. Dr. Kamran and Dr. Kamal presented talks on the respective books, unraveling nuances of the literary residues of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and the political ideologies in the subcontinent prior to the colonial era, as delineated by the authors of the discussed books.

During the session, Dr. Kamran intricately explored ‘Baqiyaat-a-Iqbal,’ compiled by Dr. Taqi Abadi, offering insights into the poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s biographical aspects, stylistic literary endeavors, and thematic depth in his poetry. Adding to the discourse, Dr. Abadi illuminated Iqbal’s work and enriched the gathering with a recitation of selected poems from the book, offering a glimpse into the enchanting and aesthetically profound literary residues left behind by Iqbal.

Subsequently, Dr. Mariam Kamal steered the discussion towards ‘Political Philosophy of Kautilya: The Arthashastra and after,’ authored by Rajvir Sharma, dissecting and elucidating the transformations witnessed in political ideologies across the subcontinent before it was veiled by the colonial epoch. Her talk provided a nuanced understanding of the narratives and political schematics articulated by Kautilya, as expressed in the book.

Dr. Haroon Usmani, in his closing remarks, extended gratitude to the speakers for their compelling talks and to the audience for their active engagement and participation in the discursive session, thereby contributing to the intellectual richness of the occasion.