M Shakeel (full name: Mohammad Shakeel, alt: M Shakil) was an Indian freedom fighter, politician, Urdu novelist, trade union activist and labour lawyer from the city of Lucknow, India.[2][3] Born in the famous Azizi family of physicians, he was the grandson of Hakim Abdul Aziz.[4]

Mohammad Shakeel
Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
for Lucknow West
In office
1974–1979
Preceded bySyed Ali Zaheer
Succeeded byZafar Ali Naqvi
Personal details
BornLucknow
Died24 December 2007[1]
Lucknow
Resting placeLucknow
NationalityIndian
Political partyIndian National Congress
Other political
affiliations
Revolutionary Communist Party of India, Praja Socialist Party
SpouseBegum Akhtar Jehan
Relationsson of Hakim Abdul Aziz
Children3
Residence(s)Akbari Gate, Lucknow
OccupationTrade union activist
ProfessionLabour lawyer
CommitteesExecutive Committee, Lucknow Municipal Corporation

Early life edit

Born in 1927, Shakeel joined the Indian National Movement in his youth,[5][6] and was imprisoned by the British at the age of 14 years.[7] Though released after 21 days, he was arrested several times again over the years for delivering inflammatory speeches. After the independence of India, Shakeel joined the Praja Socialist Party, and remained a companion of Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and Acharya Kriplani.[citation needed] His wife, Begum Akhtar Jehan, was herself an educationist and principal of the Kashmiri Mohalla Girls' School.[citation needed]

Political career edit

In 1960, Shakeel was elected to the first Lucknow Municipal Corporation, and undertook social work in establishing the Nakhas and Pratap Markets in Lucknow. After the dissolution of the Praja Socialist Party, Shakeel joined the Indian National Congress and won the 1974 Assembly elections from the densely populated Lucknow West constituency.[8][9]

Shakeel continued to argue labour cases for farmers, and trade unions throughout his career. He also served as President of Bhartiya Khadya Nigam Mazdooor Sangh. In 1976, he was instrumental in getting the practice of contractual labour for public cooperatives being abolished by the courts in Uttar Pradesh.[citation needed]

Legacy edit

 
M Shakeel (1st left) leading a procession in Old Lucknow with the then Chief Minister ND Tiwari

Shakeel's works in Urdu poetry and literature have been published by Kitabi Duniya. In 2011, recognising Shakeel's immense contributions to Lucknow, a road was named after him in the Old City.[10] This road lies next to another one named after his grandfather Hakim Abdul Aziz.[citation needed]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Dainik Jagran. 28 December 2007. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ "Details from the DNA newspaper". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  3. ^ Rashtriya Sahara. 31 October 2006. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman (1978). Tazkerah Khandan Azizi (2009 revised 2nd ed.). Aligarh/India: Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences. pp. 228–229. ISBN 978-81-906070-6-3.
  5. ^ Dainik Jagran. 11 November 2006. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Dainik Jagran. 2 November 2006. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Rahman, Hakim Syed Zillur (August 1978). "Tahreek Azadi Main khandan Azizi Ka Hissa". Naya Daur. 35 (5): 28–32.
  8. ^ "Highlights of 1974 elections Govt. of India" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  9. ^ Hindustan. 8 April 2007. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ Shakeel's contributions reported by Dainik Jagran newspaper