Dr. Shayesta Bedar is an Indian historian, academician and scholar who is currently serving as the Director of Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna.[1][2][3] Before joining the National library, she has served as an Assistant librarian in Maulana Azad Library[4][5] AMU, Aligarh from (1993 – 2019) as in-charge of the Manuscript section of the library where she established a library museum in Maulana Azad Library.[6][7] She has authored numerous research papers based on Persian and Urdu literature. Additionally, she has edited and compile work for a variety of books related to Persian, Hindi and Urdu literature.[8]

Shayesta Bedar
Born
Shayesta Bedar Khan

Alma mater
Occupation(s)Historian, academician
Years active1993–present
TitleDirector of Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library
Honours
  • Bihar State Urdu Academy Award, Haji Ahmad Husain Award and Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu Award

Early life

edit

Shayesta Bedar was born to Abid Raza Bedar a historian and scholar who served as the director of Raza Library and then Khuda Bakhsh library for a span of 25 years.[9][failed verification]

Career

edit

Bedar holds a bachelor's degree in Persian literature from Patna Women's College, followed by a master's degree and Ph.D. in Library Science, Persian & History from Patna University.[10][2] She has authored, compiled, and edited several books and research papers, focusing on librarianship, Indian history, journalism, Sir Syed & Aligarh Movement, Maulana Azad & Allama Iqbal, as well as critical editions of Indo-Iranians and Hindu studies.[10][2] Her work also delves into topics of Banaras Temples and Hindu manuscripts.[11][failed verification] In 2019, she was appointed as a temporary director for three years under deputation by the Prime Minister's Office led board committee made by Ministry of Culture, Government of India.[5][12] She is the first woman director and secretary of Khuda Bakhsh Oriental library in its 182 years history.[13][3]

Bedar served as the representative of the library in the World Society for the Study, Preservation, and Promotion of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan[14] Over her 30-year association with the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library, she has made contributions to its growth and development. One notable achievement includes the digitization of approximately 1 million folios of manuscripts within the library's collection.[9][failed verification][15]

Contributions

edit

Bedar has made contributions including the establishment of a Library Museum at Maulana Azad Library of Aligarh Muslim University.[10][7] She compiled and edited the catalogs of Important Collections, consisting of 10,000 Manuscripts preserved in Maulana Azad Library[15] Dr. Bedar also compiled a comprehensive three-volume Bibliography on Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and the Aligarh Movement.[10]

Awards

edit

Bedar has been honored with the Bihar State Urdu Academy Award, the Haji Ahmad Husain Award, and the Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu Award, for her contributions to literature and library science.[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Shayesta Bedar appointed Director- Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library | Indian Bureaucracy is an Exclusive News Portal". 14 January 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Dr. Shayesta Bedar appointed as Director, KBOPL, Patna". LegendOfficers.com. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Board". kblibrary.bih.nic.in. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library". kblibrary.bih.nic.in. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b Sharma, Navendu (18 January 2019). "Modi Government takes four and a half years to find Director of Khuda Bakhsh library". National Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  6. ^ "'Heritage Not Seen Holistically': Khuda Bakhsh Library Director Urges Bihar Govt to Stop Razing". News18. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Shayesta , Lien) , Asstt Librarian , Maulana Azad Library , Aligarh Muslim University , Aligarh". Aligarh Muslim University. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Journals | KBL Publications | Khuda Bakhsh Library Journal | Patna". KBL Publications. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Abid Raza Bedar - Profile & Biography". Rekhta. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d "About the Director". kblibrary.bih.nic.in. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library: A treasure trove of rare manuscripts, books". The Times of India. 30 March 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Headless for past 3 years, Patna's iconic library flounders". Hindustan Times. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Khuda Bakhsh Library in Patna gets director after five years". Hindustan Times. 19 April 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Legacy of Uzbekistan's Documentary". Legacy.uz.
  15. ^ a b Hasan, Nabi. "Digital Preservation of Rare Books & Manuscripts: A Case Study of Aligarh Muslim University" (PDF). Journal of Librarianship and Information Science. 6 (4).