AMU fraternity mourns the sad demise of Prof Seemin Hasan

ALIGARH : Prof Seemin Hasan, a senior faculty member in the Department of English, Aligarh Muslim University passed away yesterday morning after a brief illness at her residence in Aligarh. She was 64.

AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Naima Khatoon expressed her deep condolences, stating, “The loss of Prof. Seemin Hasan is a big loss that cannot be made up ever. She was not only an exceptional academician but also a compassionate mentor and a wonderful human being. Her contributions to the Department of English and her influence on the lives of her students are immeasurable. We will miss her dearly and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations.”

Prof Shaheena Tarannum, Chairperson, Department of English, along with the faculty members, research scholars and staff of the department, expressed a sense of grief and sorrow on the demise of Prof Hasan and said that her departure marks the end of an era for the university, leaving behind a legacy of academic excellence, dedication, and profound impact on countless students and colleagues

Prof. Hasan’s illustrious career at Aligarh Muslim University spanned over four decades. She was a beloved teacher, a respected scholar, and a guiding light for a number of young teachers and students. Her contributions to the field of literature, her insightful research, and her unwavering commitment to her students have left an indelible mark on the academic community. She was known for her passionate teaching style, her deep empathy, and her ability to inspire those around her.

Prof. Hasan completed her undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses at AMU, after having completed her schooling from Loreto Convent, Lucknow. She joined the Department of English as a lecturer in 1984 and became Professor in 2005.

She chaired the Department of English from 2015-18, edited Aligarh Muslim University Gazette and served as the Member-in-Charge, Publications Division and Provost, Begum Sultan Jahan Hall for girls.

She worked on the poetry of John Keats for her doctorate and authored a critical work, The Voice of Feeling: Myth and Mythology in Keats’s Major Poems. One of her books, Folktales of UP Tribes, co-authored with her father, Dr. Amir Hasan is catalogued in international libraries. Her research paper entitled, ‘The Mythic Modes in Lyrics of 1920’ (AJES, 16, 1994) has been included in the Current Bibliography, Keats-Shelley Journal, Scholarly Romantic Circles. Her chapter entitled ‘Feminism and Feminist Utopia in Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain’s ‘Sultana’s Dream’, in Behind the Veil (2007) was taught in the Department of English, University of California Los Angeles. In 2018, she was invited by Professor Susan Avery, Department of Psychology, Sonoma University, USA to contribute a folktale, ‘A Rope of Ash’ to her collection Winter’s Graces.

Prof Hasan is survived by husband, Prof Abrar Hasan, former Dean, Faculty of Medicine, AMU, and two sons.