Saleem Kidwai, the noted historian and queer rights activist, died at his Lucknow home on Monday. He was 70.
The news of his death was shared on Twitter by author Rana Safvi, who wrote that the news came through Askari Naqvi, a friend of the Kidwai’s.
“He left us this morning. A noted historian, author, and gay rights activist, Saleem leaves behind a rich and valuable legacy of literature, activism, and friendship,” she wrote.
She further added that Kidwai’s mortal remains were buried on Monday afternoon in his native village of Badagaon in Barabanki.
Kidwai is best-known for co-authoring Same-Sex Love in India: Readings from Literature and History, which examines same-sex relationships in South Asia. He authored the book with Ruth Vanita, who is currently a professor at the University of Montana. A copy of the book, published in 2001, was placed before the Supreme Court while it heard petitions against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised consensual homosexuality, according to the Hindustan Times.
His other noted works include Song Sung True, The Mirror of Wonders, and Ship of Sorrows, a translation of Urdu writer Qurratulain Hyder’s book Safina-e-gham-e-dil.
Kidwai, who was openly gay, taught medieval history at Delhi University’s Ramjas College for 20 years till 1993. He also attended several Pride events and marches in Lucknow.
After news of his demise broke, Twitter was flooded with people expressing their grief.
Actor Manoj Bajpayee tweeted, “Rest in peace Salim sahab. A gentle soul and a great scholar. Our professor of medieval India at Ramjas college!”
Apurva Asrani, writer of films like Aligarh and Simran, also mourned the author’s death and wrote, “We have lost a great historian and academic whose work for India’s LGBTQ is unparalleled. Saleem Kidwai came out publicly when few dared to and had co-authored the pioneering Same-Sex Love in India. I am eternally grateful for his insights during the writing of Aligarh.”
Actor and theatre artist Danish Hussain called Kidwai a “brilliant historian, a generous friend, and a storyteller par excellence.”
Filmmaker-writer Paromita Vohra echoed similar emotions and said the late author was “gentle, generous, affectionate, humorous and capacious.”
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Author Devdutt Patnaik shared one of Kidwai’s old interviews and wrote, “Just heard about Saleem Kidwai passing away… feeling so sad. Met him so many times after I read Same-Sex Love in India and he spoke so wonderfully about his gay life.”
Authors Nilanajana Roy and Gautam Bhan too shared their tributes.
Kidwai is survived by his three sisters, Azra Kidwai, Sufia Kidwai and Afsaha Kidwai.