Agha (Hakim) Muhammad Baqir
| Agha (Hakim) Muhammad Baqir Qazalbaash آغآ حكيمم محمد بإقر قزللبآش | |
|---|---|
| Chief Physician (1872-1884) Afsar-ul-Tibba افسسرٱللطببآ , درباري سردار | |
| Succeeded by | Agha (Hakim) Ali Naqi (Son) |
| Personal details | |
| Religion | Shia Islam |
Agha (Hakim) Muhammad Baqir (Urdu; آغآ حكيمم محمد بإقر قزللبآش) was the Chief Physician to Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, and headed "Daarul-ul-Tarjumah", the translating institute established under a Royal firman by the Maharaja where books related to "Tibb-i-Unaani" were translated from Arabic and Latin into Persian and Dogri.[1] An authority on Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, Ibn Sina among others, he was a comprehensive thinker, Scholar and Physician par excellence. He was known for his generous support for the poor and destitute. He played an instrumental role in establishing "Shifa-Khanas"(dispensaries) in different districts of the state which later culminated into establishment of 27 Medical institutes and a full-fledged department of Medicine. Hakim Baqir is believed to have cured a paralytic patient by applying living wasps to the parts of the body suffering from paralysis.[2] Because of his observations and enduring contributions towards the field of Unani medicine, he was assigned the title of "Afsar-ul-Tibba" and granted Jagir fiefdom of many villages. Agha Baqir was succeeded by his only son (Agha) Hakim Ali Naqi, as the Royal Physician to Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir.[3][4][5][6]
Agha Hakim Muhammad Baqir, was a Qazalbaashi Agha of Turkish Afghan ancestry. His ancestors were Commanders in the Royal Afsharid forces and the Safavid forces of the Shahs’ of Iran. His ancestor migrated to Kashmir from Kandahar during the turmoil leading to the first Anglo-Afghan War.[7] He was the maternal grandfather of Khan Bahadur Aga Syed Hussain, the first matriculate of Kashmir, later Governor, Judge of the first High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, and Home and Judicial Minister in Hari Singh's Cabinet.[8] Agha (Hakim) Muhammad Baqir's great great grandchildren include Agha Nasir Ali IAS, Kashmir’s first civil servant through competition and the first Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, Agha Shaukat Ali, Pakistani Civil Servant and Writer and Agha Ashraf Ali Kashmiri Educationist and Academician.[9] The village of "Gund Bakir" in Sopore town of Baramulla district of Kashmir is named after Agha (Hakim) Muhammad Baqir.[10]
Legacy
After Agha Baqir's death, his only son (Agha) Hakim Ali Naqi took over as the Royal Physician to Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir.[11] Hakim Ali Naqi was equally competent like his father and was known for his liberality and generosity towards the poor. He gave away the Jagir of "Gund Bakir", in charity to the poor people of the village. It is famous with him that he had cured a patient suffering from double pneumonia even though the patient was given up as hopeless by a British doctor.[12] (Agha) Hakim Ali Naqi was survived by a daughter and two sons- Mirza Agha and Agha Sher Ali who were appointed as Thanedaars. While as Mirza Agha served as Inspector of Police and later Assistant superintendent, Agha Sher Ali served as an Inspector of Police in the state during the Maharaja Rule. Agha Mirza was survived by a son Agha Abdullah while as Agha Sher Ali was survived by two sons Agha Zafar Ali, Agha Firdous Ali and a daughter.[13]
Further reading
History of Kashmir by G.M.D Sofi