M. H. Panhwar

Muhammad Hussain Panhwar (Sindhi: محمد حسين پنهور; 25th December 1925 – 21st April 2007) popularly known as M.H. Panhwar was an Engineer and an expert in environment, history, archaeology, anthropology, historical geography and geology from the Sindh province of Pakistan.

Early life

He was born on 25th December 1925 in the home of a poor farmer, Haji Khan, who lived in the village of Ibrahim Kachi, Dadu District, Sindh. He obtained his primary education from his native village and matriculation from Mehar. Panhwar was awarded a B.E. in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from NED College (now university) in 1949. He was later awarded a scholarship by the Government of Sindh to study in the United States, where he completed his M.Sc in Agriculture Engineering at Wisconsin.

Career

M.H. Panhwar was a distinguished expert in the fields of environment, history, archaeology, anthropology, historical geography, and geology. His expertise extended to groundwater development, earth moving, agricultural machinery, water logging, salinity control, drainage, and agriculture. Panhwar served as an agricultural engineer with the governments of Sindh and West Pakistan for four years and later as a superintending engineer for Sindh and Balochistan for 12 years, until the end of 1969. He authored 10 books on groundwater in Sindh and numerous articles on the Thar and Kohistan deserts.

In 1964, Panhwar established a horticultural farm focused on fruit crops, which was transformed into a research farm in 1985 to introduce new fruit crops suitable for Sindh’s climate. He authored 36 books on agriculture and post-harvest handling of fruit crops. Widely regarded as a one-man 'Sindhologist,' his passion was the study of Sindh, resulting in the publication of over 500 pages on various aspects of the province.

Personal life

He had four sons: Rafi Hussain (who passed away in 2004), Tariq Hussain, Sani Hussain, and Muhammad Ali, all of whom settled in the USA. His first wife passed away, and his second wife, Farzana, a biochemist, has authored numerous books and attended many international conferences.

In June 2003, M.H. Panhwar established a trust dedicated to social work in Sindh. He transferred his home, office, and agricultural land, including a farm and orchard, library, and other properties to the trust. M. H. Panhwar died on 21st April 2007.

Recognition

• Sitara e Imtiaz by the president of Pakistan.
• Medal from Sindh University, for securing first number in first class in B.E. (Mech. And Elec.), 1949.
• Sitara–e–Imtiaz (1992)
• Nominated in “Who's Who" (1987/88)
• Life Time Achievement Award (1999) for serving Motherland in History and Archaeology by Tarqi Pasand Party
• Lifetime Achievement Award (2002) for Services in Science of Engineering and Agriculture, by Revivers
• Top horticulturist of Pakistan (2004) by Khabreen, Kisantimes TV and Chawla Group
• Life Time Research on Sindh (2004) Sindh Graduates Association
• Life Time Service to Agriculture Science (2004) Sindh Agriculture University

Family

M.H. Panhwar married Farzana Panhwar. She was President of the Sindh Rural Women’s Uplift Group, Managing Director of the Soil Testing Laboratory (Pvt) Ltd. and the Manager of Research & Development Engineers (Agro-chemistry and organic agriculture Wing).

Works

He wrote 10 books on groundwater and many articles on Thar and Kohistan deserts and engineering. He wrote 36 books on culture and post-harvest of fruit crops, some unpublished.

• Panhwar, M.H., Panhwar, Farzana "Sustainable methods as applied to raising fruit crops", Institute of Organic and Sustainable Horticulture and Agriculture Research (IOSHAR), Hyderabad and Sindh Society for Horticultural Science, Karachi, 1995, 49 p.
• Panhwar, Farzana, "Flora of Thar and Kohistan Desert" J. Sindh Quarterly, Vol.XV, No.3, 1988.
• Panhwar, Farzana, "New Resources for oleochemical and agrochemical industry"
• Panhwa, M. H. and Panhwar, Farzana, "Design of an Aquaculture Enterprise" J. Pak. Agri. Vol. VII, No. 10, Oct. 1985.
• Panhwar, Farzana, "Anaerobic Digestion and use of its Residues in Agriculture", Mehran University Res. J. of Eng. J. of Eng. And Tech. Vol. 12, July 1993, No.3, pp. 18–22.
• Panhwar, Farzana and Panhwa, M. H., "Scope for Prawn Farming along Sindh Coast", J. Sci. Tech. And Development.
• Panhwar, Farzana and Panhwa, M. H., "Samphire - an edible oil crop for Sindh" Agriculture and Technology’ DAWN Economic and Business Review, May 27 to June 2, 1995, p. 111.
• Panhwar, Farzana and Panhwa, M. H., "Intellectual Property Rights Production", Agri. And Tech. DAWN Econ. And Business Rev., Dec., 9-15, 1995, p. III.
• Panhwar, Farzana and Panhwa, M. H., "Flying Fox a new agriculture pest, Eucalyptus and new host and fruit orchard a new target"
• Panhwar, Farzana and Panhwa, M. H., "Neem Versus Eucalyptus in Social Forestry of Pakistan"
• Panhwa, M. H. and Panhwar, Farzana, 1995, "Scope for Prawn Farming along Sindh Coast", PIMA Magazine, Karachi, 2 p.
• Sikandar Ali Arbani, Panhwar, Farzana and Panhwa, M. H., "Anaerobic Digestion and use of its residues in Agriculture", Department of Petroleum and Gas Engg., Mehran Univ., of Eng. And Techn., Jamshoro, 5 p.
• Chiku or Sapodilla the Neglected fruit of Sindh, Newsletter Sindh Society for Horticultural Science SSHS, Karachi/Hyderabad, Vol.I, No.1, 7 p.
• World rural Women’s Day Celebrated in Hyderabad, Sindh Agriculture, Nov., 1997, 33 p.
• Earthworms, Vermicasts and vermiculture, Wildlife and Environment, Oct-Dec 1997, pp. 25–29.

Bibliography

• Thaheem, Aijaz Ali (2018). "M.H. Panhwar as a Historian". Pakistan Perspectives. 23 (1). University of Karachi: 145–163.

External links

• Official website