ALIGARH December 19: Prof. S. M. Razaullah Ansari, former faculty member in the Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University attended an international symposium on “Ottoman Science and Philosophy in 16th Century”, which was organized as part of centenary celebrations of birth of Aydin Sayili at Kastamonu University, Kastamonu, Turkey. The symposium was organized jointly by the University of Kastamonu and Kamal Ataturk Centre for Culture, Language and History. Late Prof. Aydin Sayili of Turkey became world renowned historian of science, when he completed the first Ph. D thesis in history of science under George Sarton, who held the first chair at Harvard. Sayili got published a unique book, entitled: Observatories in Islam (Istanbul 1960).
Prof. Ansari, a retiree from AMU’s Department of Physics, is a dedicated researcher in History of Science in Medieval India. He is presently the General Secretary of Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Science, Aligarh. He was the only Indian scholar invited to the symposium. He presented an invited lecture on “Astronomical–Astrological Activity in Medieval India during 16th– 17th Centuries”, in which he covered the reigns of Babar to Shahjahan on the basis of available Indo-Persian sources.
Prof. S.M.R. Ansari is known both nationally and internationally as a historian of science. He is a member of Indian National Commission of History of Science. Recently he participated in the 24th International Congress of History of Science and Technology, held in Manchester as the Leader of India Delegation to the Congress.
