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DR. MANZUR AHMED BAJWA (1931-1993)
DR. kHUSHNOOD A. SIDDIQUI
Obituary: Dr. Manzur Ahmed
Bajwa, an eminent scientist, breathed his last on 16th June 1993 due to heart
failure auhe Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi. May God Almighty shower His
choicest blessings upon the departed soul. Ameen.
Dr. Bajwa was born on 6th
March 1931 at Lyallpur (now Faisalabad). He obtained his M.Sc. (Agric.) degree
in 1954 from the University. of the Punjab, Lahore and the Ph.D. degree in 1968
from North Dakota State University, Fargo, U.S.A. The title of his dissertation
was "Allelic analysis of fertility restorer genes in sterile cytoplasm of
Triticum timopheevi ".
Dr. Bajwa started his scientific career
as an Agricultural Assistant on 1st May, 1953. He stepped through various positions
of Assistant Botanist, Economic Botanist and Director, Wheat Research Institute,
Faisalabad from 1958 to 1985. Dr. Bajwa was selected as an Agronomist/Agricultural
Advisor/Director Research, Kufra Production Project Libya from January, 1973 to
August, 1978 to determine suitable crop varieties for the south eastern part of
Libyan desert, and to provide package of technology for obtaining maximum production.
He established a research station and trained local staff. Besides Dr. Bajwa also
identified suitable varieties of various crops that could grow successfully untler
harsh desert environment. Dr. Bajwa was promoted as Director General, Agricultural
Research at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad on 26th August, 1985.
He accepted this challenging assignment and continued to serve until retirement
on 16th March 1991. In recognition of his services for agricultural research and
development, Dr. Bajwa was honoured and appointed as Scientist Emeritus. Dr. Bajwa
was awarded Dr. Borlaug's Medal for Agricultural Research (1984) and Wheat Production
Medal from CIMMYT, Mexico.
Dr. Bajwa has published more than 100 scientific
research papers and has kindled a wide ranging interest in wheat research. He
has released many high yielding varieties of wheat and other crops to overcome
the food shortage problem.
The versatile genius of Dr. Bajwa was always bent
on widening the frontiers of knowledge. He was gifted with many qualities of head
and heart and was a God-fearing person. Dr. Bajwa was always prepared to ask for
forgiveness even for his junior colleagues if he realized that he was amiss. He
had a captivating personality and had the knack of getting along with persons
of all shades of opinion. He was that rare combination of brilliant research scientist,
stimulating and effective teacher and superbly organized and efficient administrator.
Apart from good scientist and administrator, Dr.Bajwa was a good player of hockey.
He presented Pakistan Hockey Team which won the Gold Medal in the 3rd Asian Games
held at Tokyo, Japan in 1958.
Dr. Bajwa's sudden demise is an irreparable loss
of his friends, family members and the country. His death is a great personal
loss to me. I used to meet Dr. Bajwa very frequently and freely discussed various
aspects of wheat breeding and genetics. May Almighty Allah give us courage and
grant the bereaved family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Dr. Bajwa
was charming person and a very good muslim. He was a friend in misery and his
sublime memories still persist in our hearts. Dr. Bajwa is survived by his wife,
three daughters and two sons.
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