Yousuf Hussain Khan


Yousuf Hussain Khan, born in Hyderabad, India, was a historian, scholar, educationist, critic and author. He mastered the languages of Arabic, English, French, Urdu, Hindi and Persian.

Early life and education

Born in Hyderabad, India to a cultured and educated family, he was a younger brother of Zakir Hussain, the third president of India. He went to school in Etawah. In 1926, he gained his BA from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi and in 1930 he gained his D Litt from the University of Paris, France.

Career

After returning from Paris in 1930, he assisted Abdul Haq to compile an English-Urdu dictionary and translate scientific terminology into Urdu.
He joined Osmania University in 1930 as a lecturer and worked there until 1957, when he retired as a professor. He joined Aligarh Muslim University as a Pro-Vice Chancellor and worked there until 1965.

Books

The Government of India awarded Khan the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 1977. He received the Sahitya Academy Award in 1978 for his book, Hafiz aur Iqbal, which was published in 1976.