Aquila Berlas Kiani Explained

Aquila Berlas Kiani
Birth Name:	Aquila Barlas or Aqila Begum
Birth Date:	1921
Birth Place:	India
Death Place:	Vancouver, Canada
Nationality:	Pakistani
Known For:	Academic work in sociology and education in social work

Aquila Berlas Kiani (1921 – 30 March 2012),^[1] also known as Aquila Kiani (née Aquila Barlas or Aqila Begum)^[2] was a Professor of Sociology and an educator in social work.^[3] Born in British India, she later worked in Pakistan, the UK and the US. She served as Chairman of the Department of Sociology at the University of Karachi.

Kiani published research papers, presided over several organizations and was awarded a fellowship by the London-based Institute for Cultural Research, founded by Idries Shah.^[4]

Family background

Aquila Kiani's father, Mirza Shakir Hussain Barlas, a barrister, was descended from Nawab Qasim Jan, a courtier in the royal courts of Mughal Delhi.^[5] ^[6] Her mother, Bibi Mehmooda Begum was the daughter of Nawab Amjad Ali Shah, last Nawab (noble) of Sardhana.^[6]

Bibi Mehmooda Begum was also the sister of the Sirdar Ikbal Ali Shah, an Indian-Afghan author and diplomat descended from the Afghan warlord and noble, Jan-Fishan Khan and the Sadaat (descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) of Paghman near Kabul, Afghanistan.^[7] ^[8] ^[9]

Kiani married and had three children: Khalid, Sohail, and Lina.^[10] In later life, she went into retirement in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where she subsequently died on 30 March 2012.^[11] ^[12]

Education

Aquila Kiani received degrees in sociology and education in India, the UK, the United States and Canada:

B.A., B.T., Agra University, India, 1943–1944^[13]
M.A. Ed., University of London, England, 1949
M.A., Sociology, Columbia University, U.S.A., 1953
PhD, Florida State University, U.S.A., 1955
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.), University of British Columbia, Canada, 1983.^[14]

Professional career

In the 1960s and 1970s, Kiani worked in Pakistan. She became a specialist in Rural Sociology and Anthropology in Peshawar; was made Head of the Department of Social Work, and later served as Chairman of the Department of Sociology at the University of Karachi.

As well as carrying out and publishing academic research on a wide range of subjects, and public speaking, Kiani held several notable positions as President of the Pakistan Federation of University Women, President of the Pakistan Sociological Association, and founding President of the Soroptimist Club of Karachi. She was also made a Fellow of the London-based Institute for Cultural Research.

Kiani later worked in the US and Canada. She was made associate professor of Sociology and Social Work at the University of Alaska, and worked for the Ontario Administration of Settlement & Integration Services.

In 1996, she was invited by the Women's Federation for World Peace in Seattle, Washington to make a guest speech at their conference.

Academic publications

Aquila Kiani, An inquiry into the factors that impede formal education of children in rural areas, Research monograph (Pakistan Academy for Rural Development, Peshawar), no. 3, West Pakistan Academy for Village Development, Peshawar, 1961^[15]
Aquila Kiani, Sociology of development in Pakistan, Pakistan Sociological Association, Conference on Sociology and Development of Human Resources, 1971^[16]
Aquila Kiani, Sociology of development in Pakistan, Social Research Centre, University of Karachi, 1971
Aquila Kiani et al., Emerging patterns of rural leadership in West Pakistan, Pakistan Academy for Rural Development, Peshawar, 1971
Aquila Kiani, Pakistani creative literature and the teaching of social sciences : an anthology, Publications Division, United Press of Pakistan for the Dept. of Social Work, University of Karachi, 1974
Aquila Kiani, Manual for motivators : prepared for the research project on the effectiveness of social welfare approach to the clients for the adoption of family planning : an adoption research project in selected areas of Pakistan, Social Research Centre, University of Karachi, pref. 1976
Aquila Kiani, The effectiveness of the social welfare approach to clients for the adoption of family planning : an action research project in selected areas of Pakistan, Social Research Centre, University of Karachi, 1977
Aquila Kiani, Social policy and changing status of women in Pakistan [9th world congress of sociology, Uppsala, Sweden, August 14–19, 1978], Congrès mondial de sociologie, 1978
Aquila Kiani, Correlates of age in a sample of suicide attempters known to an agency, University of British Columbia, 1982/3 (Master of Social Work (MSW) thesis)
Aquila Kiani, A guidebook for problem drinkers, Orientation Adjustment Services for Immigrants Society, Vancouver, 1985

Notes and References

Note: the transliteration of the family name -- Berlas not Barlas -- is preferred by the Institute for Cultural Research and in her memorial obituary. She also herself preferred the transliteration of her given name, Aquila rather than Aqila.
Note: She is listed in some sources as Aqila Begum. Begum is the female equivalent of Nawab (noble).
Web site: Staff . The Institute for Cultural Research: Fellows: Aquila Berlas Kiani . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170708092123/http://www.i-c-r.org.uk/fellows.php . 8 July 2017 . dead . 2012-09-16 .
Justin Wintle (ed), Makers of Modern Culture, Volume I, p474, Routledge, 2001, . Retrieved from Google book search here on 2012-09-16.
News: Smith . R. V. . Of Ghalib's abode, masjid and muse . . 8 January 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170708092829/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/of-ghalibs-abode-masjid-and-muse/article2238709.ece . 8 July 2017 . live . 2012-09-17.
Web site: Staff . Barlas Family: Royal Barlas Family in India . Geni . https://web.archive.org/web/20170708092503/https://www.geni.com/projects/Barlas-Family/1893 . 8 July 2017 . live . 2012-09-17.
Web site: Cecil . Robert . Obituary: Idries Shah . . 26 November 1996 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151127175123/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-idries-shah-5590406.html . 27 November 2015 . 2015-11-27. Article has moved and is now incorrectly dated 18 September 2011.
, pp. 19–26
Elwell-Sutton. L. P.. May 1975. Sufism & Pseudo-Sufism. Encounter. XLIV. 5. 14.
Shaheen . Anwar . Obituary - Dr Aquila Kiani (1921–2012) . Pakistan Perspectives . 18 . 1 . 191–194 . . January–June 2013 . pdf . https://web.archive.org/web/20200619111634/https://psc.edu.pk/psc/wp-content/uploads/2019/pp.18-1/12-Obitury-Dr-Aquila-Kiani....pdf . 19 June 2020 . live . 19 June 2020.
Web site: Staff . Obituaries and Services: Search for Aquila Kiani . Dignity Memorial, Victory Memorial Park, Surrey, BC. . 2012-09-17. Enter the names 'Aquila' and 'Kiani'. The search will confirm the date of death and the full name. The memorial expires on 29 April 2013.
Web site: Staff . Aquila Berlas Kiani: View Obituary . Dignity Memorial, Victory Memorial Park, Surrey, BC. . 2012-09-16. The memorial expires on 29 April 2013.
Web site: Kiani . Aquila . Correlates of age in a sample of suicide attempters known to an agency . The University of British Columbia (UBC) . 22 February 1983 . 2012-09-17 . 21 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150821104016/https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/id/78395/UBC_1983_A5%20K52.pdf . dead .
Web site: Staff . Masters of Social Work (MSW) Alumni . The University of British Columbia (UBC) . 2012-09-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130412224714/http://www.swfs.ubc.ca/fileadmin/template/main/images/departments/social_work/75alumni_msw.pdf . 12 April 2013 . Also at DocStoc.
Web site: Aquila Kiani [WorldCat Identities] published: 1961-1985 ]. WorldCat Identities . https://web.archive.org/web/20170708081452/http://www.worldcat.org/identities/viaf-212261325/ . 8 July 2017 . live . 8 July 2017.
Web site: Aquila Kiani [WorldCat Identities] published: 1969-1985 (Conference papers and proceedings) ]. WorldCat Identities . https://web.archive.org/web/20170708081533/http://www.worldcat.org/identities/viaf-104648621/ . 8 July 2017 . live . 8 July 2017.