Adam Nayyar
Adam Nayyar was a Pakistani anthropologist, researcher, author and ethnomusicologist.
He served the Lok Virsa for twenty years as a Director Research. He was the executive director of Pakistan National Council of the Arts when he died.
Early life
Nayyar was born on 10 December 1948 in Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan. He studied cultural anthropology at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.Career
Adam Nayyar did some pioneering research on Pakistani music especially related to qawwali.
"Dr Nayyar was valued as an authority on Pakistani music, especially Sufi and folk music, and culture. His areas of interests and experience were ethnographic investigations, teaching and training, music and Silk Route music".
"Dr Nayyar was instrumental in putting Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on the world map of music. In 1991, working as a team anthropologist, he produced a film on the musical heritage of Pakistan titled Pardesi which won an "Honorable Mention Award" at the Cannes Film Festival".
He was also the faculty of the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.
Awards and recognition
- Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Award from the Government of France for his contributions to cultural life of the world.
- Silver medal Award for two of his co-produced films with a French team titled 'Religious and Sufi Music' and 'The Music of Balochistan' at the Florence Film Festival.
Death
Nayyar died on 29 July 2008, in Islamabad at age 59 due to cancer of lymph nodes. Many literary figures including Naeem Tahir and his close friends attended his funeral.Prominent Pakistani poet and playwright Sarmad Sehbai said that he lost a personal friend of 40 years and Pakistan lost a brilliant and insightful scholar.