The UChicago community deeply mourns the loss of Professor C.M. Naim (1935–2025), a leading scholar of Urdu literature, linguistics, and South Asian culture.
Prof. Naim served on the faculty from 1961 to 2001, chairing the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations from 1985 to 1991. A mentor, translator, and literary critic, he shaped the field through groundbreaking teaching, editorial leadership, including founding the Annual of Urdu Studies and prolific public commentary.
His recent book, Urdu Crime Fiction, 1890–1950, reaffirmed his lifelong commitment to amplifying Urdu’s diverse textual traditions.
As colleagues, students, and readers mourn his passing, the Center reflects on a legacy that will continue to inspire future scholarship on language, culture, and the subcontinent.
