SRINAGAR: Abiroo Riyaz, a scholar from Bandipora district of north Kashmir, has been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Urdu by the University of Hyderabad and honoured with the Akhtar Hassan Memorial Medal for the best thesis by a female student in PhD Urdu.
Riyaz, a resident of Papchan village in Bandipora, completed her doctoral research on “Anwar Jalapuri Ki Ilmi Wa Adabi Khidmaat”, a study of the scholarly and literary contributions of noted Urdu writer and scholar Anwar Jalapuri.
She was admitted to the PhD programme in the Department of Urdu at the University of Hyderabad on August 6, 2019, under the supervision of Prof. Md. Zahidul Haque. Her pre-submission seminar was held on February 17 this year, followed by submission of her thesis on March 17 and viva voce examination on June 9. The university declared her result on July 9, 2026.
The degree was formally conferred during the university’s convocation held on October 1. University records identify her as a scholar of the School of Humanities and a recipient of a PhD in Urdu.
In addition to the doctoral degree, Riyaz received the Akhtar Hassan Memorial Medal, awarded by the University of Hyderabad for the best thesis submitted by a female PhD scholar in Urdu. The award was presented during the convocation ceremony.
Academics and educationists have described the achievement as a notable milestone for higher education and Urdu scholarship in Jammu and Kashmir. Her research contributes to the growing body of academic work on prominent figures in Urdu literature and intellectual history.
Riyaz completed her doctoral work under the guidance of Prof. Md. Zahidul Haque of the University of Hyderabad.
