About the Trust

Hali Panipati Trust has been founded to spread the work and philosophy of the great Urdu poet and social reformer Khwaja Altaf Hussain Hali. Maulana Hali besides being the author of the famous Mussadas e Hali, was also India’s first feminist poet. To commemorate the twin pillars of his philosophy, Reform in Islam and Empowerment of Women, the Trust was established in 2007.

Dr. A.R.Kidwai, Governor of Haryana is the Patron of the Trust. Its Chairperson is Syeda Hameed, Member Planning Commission, Govt of India. Eminent Gandhian Mahesh Dutt Sharma is Deputy Chairman and Ram Mohan Rai, advocate and social activist, is the Secretary of the Trust.

On March 19, 2007, the Trust organised a ‘Hali se Dosti’ programme in Panipat, at which Governor of Haryana, was the Chief Guest. Mr. V.N.Rai, Additional Director General of Police, Mr. Deepchandra Nirmohi, Dr. Rana Partap Gannauri and Dr. Subhash Chandra read papers on ‘Contribution and Relevance of Maulana Hali’. Hundreds of admirers of Hali from all parts of Haryana gathered in Panipat for the occasion.

The Trust also conducted Urdu classes under grant-in-aid by the Haryana Urdu Academy. It launched an awareness generation programme for Muslim Women under the banner of ‘Voice of Voiceless’ programme. The Trust has a proposal to preserve and undertake the up gradation of Hali Memorial Library, Hali Park, Maulana Hali’s Haveli and other memoirs in order to preserve his legacy.

Panipat was known as a Sufi markaz and a city of peace. A city with majority Muslim population, it exemplified harmony and coexistence among the communities. With partition the demography changed and so also the interpersonal relations. Earlier people from both cultures would eat together, albeit their food was cooked in different kitchens. They celebrated each other’s festivals with enthusiasm and respect. To bring back the lost spirit Panipatis organised in 1997 ‘Homecoming after 50 years of Independence’. The whole city welcomed with open arms people from Pakistan whose families, former friends and neighbours had reluctantly left Panipat in the aftermath of the Partition. Although the Trust had not been established at the time, most of the people who initiated this event later became founder members of the Trust. The Trust plans to continue this effort by bringing people across the borders together through such homecoming initiatives from time to time.

The next major initiative by the Trust, is the Hali Mela to be held in Panipat on November 22-23, 2008. It is envisioned as a socio-cultural fest for people of all ages and sections to introduce them to Hali’s work, ideas and ideals.