This video as a podcast is highly important in different contexts. First, the enriched content in this video is shared by one of a dedicated community leaders of Hunza name Ustad Sultan Ali Samarqand. Second, there was no such a detail, comprehensive and lively conversation available of our great teacher Sultan Ali Samarqand but in audio form his voice and conversation makes us refreshed. This audio recording has been captured by Dr. John Mock of United States, one of the notable researchers of University of California focused on Wakhi community. Hats off to him for this wonderful contribution and thanks to him for sharing such invaluable audio interviews with me that he has recorded during his doctoral and anthropological fieldwork in the northern Pakistan and other countries related with the Wakhi community.
Inthis video, I have provided an introduction in the beginning followed by the interview discussions of Dr. John Mock and Ali Qurban with late Ustad Sultan Ali Samarqand. In the final part, my closing remarks in conclusion comes up with important questions and observations.
Late Ustad Sultan Ali Samarqand (1921 to 2001) provides highly important information about his educational journey, the prevailing challenges and strategies, his recruitment in Gilgit Scout in 1939 and his resignation in 1945 in order to teach the students of Hunza in the Diamond Jubilee School Project started in August 1946, his services in the Government Schools in Hunza, his retirement in 1980 and his continuous zeal of teaching in post-retirement period for the next nine years.
Not only so, late Ustad Sultan Ali Samarqand has also contributed to his community in religious domain, as a volunteer while leading educational institutions like Aga Khan Education Board for Hunza, as a tourist guide and the like. More importantly as a writer/translator, Late Ustad Sultan Ali has translated an important book in Persian on Hunza written by late Haji Qudratullah Beg. Unfortunately, in 30 years period (1996 to January 2025), this dreamed book could not turn into reality and come in public despite the fact he has wonderfully contributed in translating it with a hardwork and painstaking. This book ought to get published in his lifetime at least in the five to six years after its composition as a matter of fact he informs us in the audio discussion that he had handed over the Urdu translated version of the book to one of his sons Ali Ahmad in 1996. However, I am yet optimistic that he and his brothers won’t wait further time and make justice with the creative and invaluable work of late Ustad Sultan Ali.
Apart from his personal and societal accounts in the present context, late Ustad Ali Samarqand also shares his acquired knowledge on the historical development of Hunza. He also talks in a bit detail about his family, especially about his paternal grandfather Prince Abdullah Khan son of Mir Shah Silum Khan, the first Ismaili ruler of Hunza.
I hope the viewers and audience will enjoy listening this wonderful accounts in Wakhi. Late Ustad Sultan Ali Samarqand was undoubtedly not only teacher of teachers but rather a highly respected guru of teachers, professionals and leaders in different walks of life. please do appreciate his efforts and achievements that he has made not only in his personal or familial domains but rather to the entire community in different context.
Production, presentation and copyright@K̃hikwor Adabiyot-e Gulshan 2025
Researcher and video introducer: Fazal Amin Beg on January 11, 2025
Researcher and Interviewer: Dr. John Mock, University of California, Santa Cruze, United States
Interviewee: Late Ustad Samarqand of Hunza in October 1996
Research Assistant: Mr. Ali Qurban of Passu, Hunza
Videography and editing: Engineer Naveed Karim Khan and Mazdak Gibran Beg
Photo courtesy: Brig ® Hisamullah Beg, Noor Muhammad Pamiri and Murad Shah Sirajuddin
External video clip courtesy: Hunza State FaceBook Page
Website: www.fazalamin.com
FaceBook: Fazal Amin Beg
X: @fazalaminbeg
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