by iFaqeer
Charaagh Hasan Hasrat once said:
allah allah fusooN naghma-e-ishq
saara aalam hai gosh bar aawaz
The news going around in Pakistani circles is the fact that one of our own is the one of the Convening Lead Authors for the IPCC team that shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore. And of course, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change) team is chaired by another South Asian; Rajendra Pachauri.
Pakistani scientist in Nobel team -DAWN – National; October 14, 2007: WASHINGTON, Oct 13: Pakistani professor Adil Najam, now teaching at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, US, is amongst the team of scientists and experts in the Intergovernmental …
Over the years, I have come to know Dr. Najam rather well, and have learned from and been inspired by him. I’ve written about him quite a few times at my blog. For Example: here and especially here.
From a comment Dr. Najam posted on Pakistaniat.com:
Thank you to all for their kind wishes and congrats. I should add, however, that the Nobel was awarded to the work of the IPCC (a panel of eminent global climate change experts), so I am just one of the many experts on that Panel. I have served on the IPCC for some 8 years, the last many as a Convening Lead Author. So, yes, it does feel terrific to have one’s work and research celebrated by the Nobel Committee, but it really is an honor shared by many (including by Dr. Tariq Banuri who played a leading role in the IPCC’s evolution in the past).
Some links: Dawn, Boston Globe, Encyclopedia of the Earth, The Fletcher School.
In the idiom of South Asian sport, I want to say:
“Well played, Adil bhai; buhat aala, Adil bhai!”
Note: This post is a tribute from iFaqeer, Owais Mughal and many other friends. It is being produced here inspite of Adil’s objection. We would’ve kept quiet but our situation is now what Dagh Dehlvi had once said:
Dagh ki shaamat jo aai iztaraab-e-shauq meiN
hal-e-dil kam-bakht ne sab un ke muNh par rakh dia
So while we’ve taken this action of writing our ‘haal-e-dil’, we hope our readers will give Adil due credit for his research work in their comments below.
Congratulations – this is absolutely fantastic news that amongst hundred of authors, one of the contributor is our own Prof Adil Najam (Chapter 12: Sustainable Development and Mitigation).
It is our aspiration and dua’ that these efforts be reoriented and directed towards Third World development (rather crisis) and away from the elite orientation of science.
I have enjoyed Adil’s company at UET being a hostel mate for 5 years. I must say that he had an exceptional talent all along. While we would be occupying his room waiting for tea and playing cards he would be passionately hitting the keys of his typewriter (remember no laptops or pc back in 84-89) trying to finish his artilce for “Muslim”.
We used to jokingly tell Adil “you will be a WADDA ADMI one day” and now he is.
Well done Adil, keep up the good work. We are all proud of your achievements for Pakistan.
Heartiest congratulations Adil!
I knew you were capable of such achievements.
Very proud to see your name be part of this prize!
Adil-
I have been following the IPCC since its inception and feel great pride and joy in it getting awarded with the Nobel Prize. Mario is also, I am sure, a happy man today.
Continue on with the wonderful job you are doing. Kudos to the IPCC authors who spend countless (and thankless) hours preparing their drafts and then negotiating the language.
I can’t believe we were discussing on a panel just a few weeks ago that the great thing about MIT alums is that they do not believe in artificial boundaries and limits. You truly prove that to be the case.
While IPCC has been awarded the prize, I am sure you and I agree that the real prize is still years ahead of us. Lots to do and lots of hurdles to cross before we can really call it a victory.
Congrats to Adil Bhai and all other members of IPCC.