On 31st May, 2016, I was in Behrampur University for a Ph. D viva in the Centre for Women's Studies. One of my Ph. D student Sankarsan Malik has joined as a faculty in History Department. I was very happy to see him and his progress in life. He has purchased a New car and refused to take the official vehicle but took me around in his car. I am indeed proud of your achievements and just hoping you are able to submit your Ph. D soon.
I have just returned from Lucknow on 25th Maym 2016, and spent some time with my friend Ashima Singh who is the Raj Mata of Basti and their ancestors were the rulers of the Basti estate. She introduced me to the great grand son of Bahadur Shah Zafar and I spent some time talking to him and getting the oral history of the Mughal dynasty after the mutiny. We do not know much except that Bahaduri Shah Zafar died in Rangoon. I was told by his great grandson Faizuddin Khwaja Moinuddin that Bahaduri Shah Zafar had eleven sons from four wives. Seven were massacred after the mutiny. One travelled with the king to Rangoon. The other three escaped to Agra, Calcutta and his great grandfather Zahiruddin came to the Agra first with boxes of documents and jewelery. The documents were stolen in Agra and even the Nizam of Hyderabad cheated them after inviting them. Then they escaped to Dharwad. His father Moinuddin was born at Ajmer and hence the name. He is now the real heir apparent of the Mughal throne. I plan to catch up with him again in future to get some more of this history that has been transmitted to him by his forefathers.
