Muntazir Imam

A tribute from my colleagues

Muntazir Imam — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 13:36:16 +0000

Some of my colleagues put together a tribute for me. As we commuted a long professional and personal journey together, we assembled a grand bouquet of fond memories along the way. Here is what they have to say, in their own words.

Syed Muntazir Imam is a living legend, a gem and a veteran journalist and a global renowned scholar, author and novelist. I had the privilege and honor of working with him since nearly two decades in Gulf Today. I found him a very hard worker, soft spoken, innovative, team player and creative person. He is a passionate, motivated, knowledgeable and intelligent media professional. As today he is leaving our Gulf Today editorial team and he is moving back to his home country, though we are losing a strong hand but any how moving and switching is part of life. We will miss him too much. I wish Muntazir sb all the best and more success in his future endeavors.
Inayat ur Rahman Business Editor Gulf Today

Thank you Syed Muntazir Rizvi, Almaroof Baba, for your contributions to the Gulf Today and friendship. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours! Your kindness and expertise have been an inspiration, not only for me, but to the whole family members of the Gulf Today. It’s been an honour working with you. I will miss you my great baba, baba and baba. No one can replace your personality. Keep shining and smiling as you did! Warm regards
Mian Mujahid Shah, Gulf Today…

Muntazir bhai aka Baba’s dedication, wisdom, and unwavering support have been a guiding light to us all. Over the years, he has not only contributed immense knowledge but has also inspired us with his kindness and resilience. Always willing to lend a hand or share advice, he has been more than just a colleague—he has been more of a friend than a senior. While we’ll miss his presence, we know this next chapter holds new adventures for him. May he enjoy every moment of retirement, filled with happiness, health, and all the joy he deserved.
Faisal Siddiqui, Gulf Today

As we bid farewell to Muntazir Imam, we celebrate not only his encouragement and support but also his talent as an author. His passion for storytelling and his sense of humor have truly enriched our newsroom. Muntazir, your wisdom and creativity will be greatly missed, but your legacy will remain with us. Best wishes for your next chapter!
Tanvir Usman, Gulf Today

Dear Baba,
I want you to know how deeply you’ve touched our lives. The memories we’ve shared will forever hold a special place in our hearts and minds. Despite being senior, you’re always cordial and friendly with every group member.
Though it’s hard to say goodbye, I find comfort that you are leaving us to pursue your dream of becoming an author that we are all proud of. You will be dearly missed.
With all my love,
Waheed Abbas, Khaleej Times

Muntazir Bhai’s departure from Gulf Today is both saddening and heartening. Saddening in the sense that his resignation marks the end of a long association of over 17 years, and heartening because he is embarking on a journey he has long been passionate about. As he packs up, I’m sure of two things — the gap he leaves behind will be felt for a long time, and the impression he will create on the literary arena will be profoundly significant. Among his many traits, his humility is the most striking. I haven’t met a person humbler than him. I’m not good at farewells, let alone bidding adieu to three people at once — a colleague, a friend and a mentor. This is Muntazir Imam. I will miss your humour, wisdom, and insightful conversations. Wishing you nothing but the very best in all that lies ahead.
Waseem Akhtar, Gulf Today

World outside office

Muntazir Imam — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 20:20:22 +0000

Till now I subsisted as a journalist. Now I have virtually changed my profession. Writing novels will be my new work. Now I will devote all my time to my literary activity. My two published novels prompted me to leave the journalistic job so that I could be able to spend most of my time in writing my next novel. I hope with the entire 24 hours in my possession, I will be able to finish the book within this year.

There is a good chance that my book will be published from London. I am in touch with a literary agent who has assured me all possible help after taking the idea of my literary ability from my published novel ‘Jaihind made the Cobble a Novelist’.

My next work is a children book. Its outline is ready. Its blurb is ready. Its synopsis is ready. Its first two chapters are ready. It will be a book of at least 14 chapters. A book of around 100 pages.

I will try to make its story engaging and its style very simple. My last working day here in Gulf Today is November 7, 2024. This date will be the last date of my journalistic career.

For my colleagues

Muntazir Imam — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:19:04 +0000

With my last working day coming closer day by day here in the office of Gulf Today, the feelings I am dealing with daily can not be expressed in just a few words. I was helpless to go from here for a better career despite my strong affiliation with the office and my colleagues. One of my colleagues Waseem Akhtar whom I fondly call Waseem Bhai and who is like my younger brother, was a great strength for me in my office in general and in the entire UAE in particular. I will never let myself miss him with all the facilities available these days. I will remain as close as I am in the office with him even after going far away from him.

I should write some words about his intellect. He is not just a literary man, his great skill of making websites also makes him a special person, multifaceted, industrious, diligent, intelligent, enterprising and capable. Above all, he is a simple and nice person. We worked together for more than seventeen years. He has given me some precious suggestions. I will follow all his advices with all my sincerity and honesty. I have also given him some valuable suggestions. He too promised to follow all that.

I have said the matters of my heart. Leaving the office and the colleagues after 17 long years is not an easy thing. I will always wish them grow rich. I have learnt a lot of priceless things from them. I will not let myself miss any of them.

Lovely Sharjah Corniche

Muntazir Imam — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 19:46:36 +0000

Spending time at Sharjah Corniche gives me a lot of creative energy and several new ideas for my literary work. This is the place where I wrote a major portion of my novel ‘Jaihind made the Cobbler a Novelist’. Now I have resigned from Gulf Today and am to leave Sharjah in the first week of November. The close intimacy that I have formed with Sharjah Corniche can not be expressed through even billions of words. Bathing in its soothing winds and watching the birds of different feathers criss-cross, particularly the seagulls, feel good here. The panoramic view of the place sends me in a different world where there is no tension at all. That is to say, it is the place where I unwind and relax and find an ideal atmosphere for my imagination and creativity.

I remember the moments that I have spent at Sharjah Corniche in the early days of my literary activities. It was wonderful and fruitful. The place did not let me get engrossed in unwanted things. It gave me all that I needed for my novel. Around ten years of my association with this place gave birth to my novel in January 2022. Leadstart Publishing, a famous traditional publisher of Mumbai in India, published my novel. I have done some work of my next novel that is a falcon story here too. I will finish this novel in India. I have resigned from Gulf Today only to work on this novel with all my sincerity, honesty and dedication.