Urdu critic Ashrafi passes away

A renowned Urdu critic and former chairman of Bihar Universities (Constituent Colleges) Commission,Dr Wahab Ashrafi,died on Sunday in Patna after a prolonged illness. Winner of several awards,including the Sahitya Academy award,he left behind his widow and four sons.

The 76-year-old,Ashrafi,was also dean of the department of Urdu in Ranchi University and author of more than three dozen books. Waris Alvi,noted Urdu critic and contemporary of Ashrafi,here expressed profound grief over the fellow writer. “His major contribution was to further the post modernism theory in Urdu,we would envy him for the wonderful collection of his books which he used to distribute among friends,” he said.

Alvi said he had some literary differences of opinion long ago,but “I have nothing to complaint against him and he will remain my dear friend”. Meanwhile,RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav,secretary general Ramkripal Yadav and JD(U) leader Aslam Azad have also condoled his death.