Hiroji Kataoka
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese professor of Urdu
at Daito Bunka University
, where he also serves as dean of the Faculty of International Relations and director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies.
. He entered the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
' Urdu department in 1964. He describes himself as being an initially unmotivated student, even once failing a class in his second semester. However, he was inspired to work harder after his professor, Takeshi Suzuki, assigned Krishan Chander
's short story Sufaid Phool as class reading. The story describes a young mute boy who had fallen in love with a girl but had no way to express his feelings to her except through glances and gestures, which echoed a situation Kataoka was facing in his personal life with a girl he liked but to whom he was too afraid to speak. In the early 1970s, he attended a two-year course in Urdu at the University of Karachi
. He joined the faculty of Osaka University
in 1974, and moved to Daito Bunka University in 1986.
Sitara-i-Imtiaz
upon Kataoka for his contributions in the field of education.
and language as well as the culture of Pakistan
, in addition to his work in translating South Asian poetry and literature into Japanese. Among the works he has translated are:|publisher=大阪外国語大学インド・パーキスターン研究室 [Osaka University of Foreign Studies Indo-Pakistan Research Institute]|id=}}. Translation of poetry by Faiz Ahmed Faiz
.|publisher=大同生命国際文化基金 [Daidō Life Insurance International Culture Foundation]|id=|month=December|year=1988}}. Translation of short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto
.|publisher=大同生命国際文化基金 [Daidō Life Insurance International Culture Foundation]|id=|month=March|year=1990}}. Translation of short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto.|publisher=未來社 [Miraisha]|month=June|year=1994|id=|isbn=9784760212682}}. Further translation of poetry by Faiz Ahmed Faiz.|publisher=花神社 [Kashinsha]|month=February|year=2006|isbn=9784760215836|id=}}. Translation of the Diwan-i-Ghalib by 19th-century poet Mirza Ghalib
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professor of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
at Daito Bunka University
Daito Bunka University
is a medium-sized four-year university with two campuses: one at Itabashi in Tokyo, and the other at Higashi Matsuyama in Saitama, Japan. The sports program is strong in rugby and marathon running, with the Ekiden team coming 4th in the prestigious January 2009 New Year Hakone Ekiden.Daito Bunka...
, where he also serves as dean of the Faculty of International Relations and director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies.
Early life and career
Kataoka was born in Saitama PrefectureSaitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. He entered the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
TUFS is a specialized institution only in foreign language, international affairs and foreign studies, thus it is not as well-known as other big universities such as University of Tokyo and Kyoto University...
' Urdu department in 1964. He describes himself as being an initially unmotivated student, even once failing a class in his second semester. However, he was inspired to work harder after his professor, Takeshi Suzuki, assigned Krishan Chander
Krishan Chander
Krishan Chander was an Urdu and Hindi Afsaana Nigaar, or short story writer. He wrote mainly in Urdu, but was well-versed in Hindi and English....
's short story Sufaid Phool as class reading. The story describes a young mute boy who had fallen in love with a girl but had no way to express his feelings to her except through glances and gestures, which echoed a situation Kataoka was facing in his personal life with a girl he liked but to whom he was too afraid to speak. In the early 1970s, he attended a two-year course in Urdu at the University of Karachi
University of Karachi
The University of Karachi is a public university located in Karachi, Pakistan. It serves an on-campus student population of more than 24,000. According to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, it is ranked among the top three universities of the country...
. He joined the faculty of Osaka University
Osaka University
, or , is a major national university located in Osaka, Japan. It is the sixth oldest university in Japan as the Osaka Prefectural Medical College, and formerly one of the Imperial Universities of Japan...
in 1974, and moved to Daito Bunka University in 1986.
Awards and honours
In 2009, the Pakistani government announced that it would confer the civil decorationCivil decorations of Pakistan
The Pakistan Civil Awards were established on March 19, 1957, following the proclamation of Pakistan as an independent Republic on March 23, 1956. The announcement of civil awards is generally made once a year on Independence Day, August 14, and their investiture takes place on the following...
Sitara-i-Imtiaz
Sitara-i-Imtiaz
The Sitara-i-Imtiaz , is the third highest honour and civilian award in the State of Pakistan. It recognizes the individuals who made an "especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of Pakistan, world peace, cultural or other significant public endeavors"...
upon Kataoka for his contributions in the field of education.
Works
Kataoka has published over 60 research papers on Urdu literatureUrdu literature
Urdu literature has a long and colorful history that is inextricably tied to the development of that very language, Urdu, in which it is written...
and language as well as the culture of Pakistan
Culture of Pakistan
The society and culture of Pakistan comprises numerous diverse cultures and ethnic groups: the Punjabis, Kashmiris, Sindhis in east, Muhajirs, Makrani in the south; Baloch and Pashtun in the west; and the ancient Dardic, Wakhi and Burusho communities in the north...
, in addition to his work in translating South Asian poetry and literature into Japanese. Among the works he has translated are:|publisher=大阪外国語大学インド・パーキスターン研究室 [Osaka University of Foreign Studies Indo-Pakistan Research Institute]|id=}}. Translation of poetry by Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmad Faiz was a Pakistani intellectual, poet, and one of the most famous poets of the Urdu language. He was a member of the Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind and an avowed Marxist. In 1962, he was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union...
.|publisher=大同生命国際文化基金 [Daidō Life Insurance International Culture Foundation]|id=|month=December|year=1988}}. Translation of short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto
Saadat Hasan Manto
Saadat Hassan Manto was a short story writer of the Urdu language. He is best known for his short stories, 'Bu' , 'Khol Do' , 'Thanda Gosht' , and his magnum opus, 'Toba Tek Singh'....
.|publisher=大同生命国際文化基金 [Daidō Life Insurance International Culture Foundation]|id=|month=March|year=1990}}. Translation of short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto.|publisher=未來社 [Miraisha]|month=June|year=1994|id=|isbn=9784760212682}}. Further translation of poetry by Faiz Ahmed Faiz.|publisher=花神社 [Kashinsha]|month=February|year=2006|isbn=9784760215836|id=}}. Translation of the Diwan-i-Ghalib by 19th-century poet Mirza Ghalib
Mirza Ghalib
Dabir-ul-Mulk, Najm-ud-Daula Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan , pen-name Ghalib and Asad , was a classical Urdu and Persian poet from India during British colonial rule...
.