What they said…
The monograph [Arab Geographers’ Knowledge of South India] of Dr. Nainar is the fruit of a courageous undertaking carried out with much ability and crowned with success. He has carefully collected all the references to India and Indian affairs which have been made by early Arab geographers and subjected them to a thoroughly critical study, which has enabled him to determine how far they are related to one another and how far they rest upon independent authority; and in the course of this investigation, he has succeeded in making some important corrections in the texts of these authors published by European scholars. His work is one that must be welcomed as a valuable contribution to the study of an important side of Indian antiquities and of Arabic literature.
Dr. L.D. BarnettSenior Lecturer in Indian History and Sanskrit, School of Oriental Studies
June 23, 1938
That in making the chronicle of Mir Ismail Khan Abjadi available in English, Mr. Nainar has rendered invaluable service to present day students of history, goes without saying.
Khan SahibPrivate Secretary to the Prince of Arcot, Amir Mahal, Madras.
November 8, 1929
Your excellent translation [of Tuhfatul Mujahidin] presents for the first time, a correct rendering of the original and your identification of the names of places is remarkable. It is a marvel of painstaking research.
M.H. HaqPresidency College, Calcutta
December 17, 1942
I remember the days when you were with us and it is a source of great credit to our institution that an ex-student is doing so well in the field of Indian historical literature.
Mohamed HabibProvost, Aligarh Muslim University
October 27, 1935
The sources of the History of the Nawwabs of the Carnatic, are Persian manuscripts, of which Burhan’s Tuzak-i-Wallajahi is an important one. In the present volume, Dr. Nainar has not given us the mere translation of the original chronicles, but has supplemented it with occasional informative footnotes regarding the persons and events mentioned in the chronicle. These footnotes serve as a historical corrective to the author’s statements, which are at times, likely to be exaggerated.
P.K. GodeCurator, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, review in New Indian Antiquary
February, 1941
His present course of studies at Aligarh University is one which will lead, I am sure, to a distinguished career. His purpose to perfect his knowledge of Arabic is a very commendable one. His high aims in life and his gentlemanly bearing will lead undoubtedly to his future preferment. We are proud of him as an ‘Old Boy’ of the American College.
W.W. WallacePrincipal, American College, Madurai
October 2, 1926
For a long time, few Indians have written first-hand accounts on cultural and other relations with neighbouring countries. You have had unusual opportunities of studying Indo-Indonesian contacts and I do hope that you will be able to produce a standard work on the subject.
Humayun KabirMinister, Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs
September 19, 1960, Delhi
It [Arab Geographers’ Knowledge of South India] is a mine of erudition and a unique specimen of thorough and well-planned research.
Dr. S. B. SamadiLucknow
December 14, 1943