| Rasheed Ahmad Siddiqui | |
| Era: | 20th century |
| Birth Place: | Mariyahu, North-Western Provinces, British India |
| Death Place: | Ali Garh |
| Main Interests: | Literature, humour, satire |
| Signature: | Rasheed Ahmad Siddiqi.jpg |
| Signature Size: | 50px |
Rasheed Ahmad Siddiqui (1892–1977) was a noted Urdu writer and a professor at Aligarh Muslim University in India.
Rasheed Ahmad Siddiqui was born in 1892 in Mariyahu, Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. He was one of the most distinguished Urdu writers of the 20th century, known for his unique style of expressing himself in speech as well as in his writings. He was not only a satirist and a humorist, but also a critic, a biographer, a writer of life-sketches and an accomplished essayist.
Noted for his mild satire and humour, impressionistic criticism, a lively style of expression and an eye and feeling for the right word, he has few equals in Urdu literature. He has been called a visionary with a solution in academic circles. Two short extracts from an article published on 13 October 2002 in Dawn, Pakistan's leading English-language daily newspaper, reflect the consensus view on Siddiqui in the academic world:[1]
Any study of his writings without keeping in mind the scholarly, literary and cultural ambiance of Aligarh Muslim University and the city of Aligarh would make little sense. Most of the themes, events and characters in his works are, in one way or another, related to Aligarh but one also catches glimpses of Mariyahu, his place of birth. However, Aligarh is invariably the main source of his inspiration and creativity.
He received the 1971 Sahitya Akademi Urdu Award for his book "Ghalib ki Shakhsiyat aur Sha'airi" (lit. "Ghalib's Personality and Poetry").[2]
Rasheed Ahmad Siddiqui died in Ali Garh in 1977.