// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did Nawab Syed Muhammad Azad's cat join a band? Because it wanted to be a purr-cussionist.

Nawab Syed Muhammad Azad
Nawab Syed Muhammad Azad
	Nawab Syed Muhammad Azad in 1909
Born	Syed Muhammad Azad; 1850; Dhaka, India
Died	1916 (aged 65–66)
Relatives	Nawab Abdul Latif (father-in-law); Syed Hossain (son); A. K. Fazlul Huq (son-in-law); Hassan Suhrawardy (son-in-law); Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah (granddaughter);

Nawab Syed Muhammad Azad (1850–1916) was a Bengali Urdu writer and playwright.^[1]

Background

Born in Dhaka, he was the son of Syed Asaduddin Haider.^[1] His great-grandfather was Maulvi Ashraf Ali Khan, a Persian noble who achieved prominence in eastern Bengal in the latter half of the 18th century.^[2]^[3]

Career

Though a high-ranking government officer, Azad also wrote articles for the Durbeen newspaper of Kolkata. He went on to write social and political commentaries in publications such as the Avadh Akhbar, Awadh Punch, Agra Akhbar and Akmalul Akhbar among others. These writings we subsequently compiled and published by Abdul Ghafoor Shahbaz under the title Khiyalat-e-Azad.^[1]

Azad also authored two plays, Nawabi Darbar and Nawabi Khel, as well as an autobiography, Maulana Azad. Wit and humour were a notable feature of his works.^[1]

Personal life

Azad married the daughter of the social reformer Nawab Abdul Latif. He had seven children:^[2]

Syed Ali Ahmed, Inspector-General of Registration in the Government of Bengal.
Syed Ali Ashraf
Syed Ali Hasan
Syed Ali Mehdi
Syed Hossain, a journalist who also served as the first Indian ambassador to Egypt under Jawaharlal Nehru.
Khurshid Talat Begum, married to A. K. Fazlul Huq.
Shahar Banu Begum, married to Hassan Suhrawardy.

References

1 2 3 4 Kaniz-e-Butool (2012). "Azad, Nawab Syed Muhammad". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
1 2 Rab, A. S. M. Abdur (1967). A. K. Fazlul Haq: Life and Achievements. Ferozsons. pp. 8–9.
↑ "An Indefatigable Crusader: Dr Syud Hossain". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2026-06-20. Retrieved 2026-06-20.

External links

[Banglapedia-1] 1 2 3 4 Kaniz-e-Butool (2012). "Azad, Nawab Syed Muhammad". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 6 August 2026.

[Rab-2] 1 2 Rab, A. S. M. Abdur (1967). A. K. Fazlul Haq: Life and Achievements. Ferozsons. pp. 8–9.

[3] "An Indefatigable Crusader: Dr Syud Hossain". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2026-06-20. Retrieved 2026-06-20.

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