Moonis Raza

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Moonis Raza
16th Vice Chancellor of the University of Delhi
In office
1985 - 1990
6th Chairman of ICSSR
In office
Jan 1991 - July 1994
Personal details
Born2 February 1925
Ghazipur district, Uttar Pradesh
Died19 July 1994
Boston, United States
RelationsRahi Masoom Raza (brother)
Alma materAligarh Muslim University

Moonis Raza (2 February 1925 – 19 July 1994) was an Indian academic administrator, regional planner and geographer.[1][2]

Early life[edit]

He was born in 1925 into a family of landlords in the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh, India. He was the older brother of Mehdi Raza, a professor of geography, and Rahi Masoom Raza, a poet, novelist, Bollywood film lyricist and screenwriter.[3]

Career[edit]

Raza completed his higher studies from the Aligarh Muslim University before joining the same university as a lecturer and reader. In 1966 he was appointed as the head of the Department of Humanities and later as the principal of the Regional Engineering College, Srinagar.[4]

Raza's tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University of Delhi is regarded as one of the least controversial and academically productive in the institution's history.[citation needed] As one of the co-founders of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, he oversaw the landscaping of its campus and the naming of its hostels.[citation needed] Raza is also believed to have strengthened the liberal ethos of Jawaharlal Nehru University.[citation needed] He is fondly remembered by his students for "Raza's Law of Ignorance", according to which "the ratio of the known to the known-to-be-unknown always remains constant".[citation needed]

Raza held a large number of positions at departments and commissions operated by the Government of India. He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Tufts University, United States, in 1991.[5] He was a creator of and an original signatory to the Talloires Declaration,[6] a ten-point action plan devised by the Association of University Leaders for a sustainable future.

Raza died of cardiac arrest in Boston, United States, on 19 July 1994.[7]

Positions held[edit]

Publications[edit]

Raza authored, co-authored, and edited numerous books and articles, including Atlas of Tribal India, Atlas of the Child in India,Valley of Kashmir, and Education and the Future: A Vision.[17][18][19]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Raza, Moonis; Nangia, Sudesh (1 January 1986). "Atlas of the Child in India". Concept Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  2. "List of Former Chairpersons of ICSSR | Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)". icssr.org. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  3. "Noted Scholar Prof Mehdi Raza Dead". Outlook (Indian magazine).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "Moonis Raza Memorial Lecture" (PDF). Jawaharlal Nehru University.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. "Honorary Degrees - Office of the Trustees". trustees.tufts.edu.
  6. "Campus Sustainability Council Report" (PDF). Sustainability.tufts.edu. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  7. Kapur, Anu (2002). Indian Geography: Voice of Concern. Concept Publishing Company. p. 131. ISBN 9788170229803. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  8. 8.0 8.1 "Our Departed Chairman". 111.93.232.162.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tilak, Jandhyala B. G. (20 May 2017). Education, Society, and Development: National and International Perspectives. APH Publishing. ISBN 9788176485265 – via Google Books.
  10. "List of Former Chairpersons of ICSSR | Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)". icssr.org. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  11. DUTT, ASHOK K.; MISRA, H. N.; CHATTERJEE, MEERA (21 February 2008). Explorations in Applied Geography. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 9788120333840 – via Google Books.
  12. 12.0 12.1 "We need a sustainable framework that synthesizes human and environmental elements of security: Vice President". pib.nic.in.
  13. "Appendix - I". Teindia.nic.in. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  14. "OPTIMALITY CRITERIA AND DUALITY IN NONDIFFERENTIABLE CONTINUOUS PROGRAMMING AND CONTROL" (PDF). Eprint.iitd.ac.in. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  15. "International Association for Ladakh Studies" (PDF). Ladakhstudies.org. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  16. "Book Higher Education in India: A Comprehensive Bibliography - Books by Moonis Raza - ISBN no. 9788170223467". Conceptpub.com. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  17. "The valley of Kashmir : a geographical interpretation /". Worldcat.org. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  18. "UNESDOC - UNESCO Documents and Publications". unesdoc.unesco.org.
  19. "Publisher: National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration - Open Library". openlibrary.org.