Ali Baquer and Najma led a happy, content and fulfilling life in the company of their daughter Seema, who is trained as a lawyer specialising in Human Rights and Disability law. 

Like many people in this world Ali Baquer also had a disabled family member, a cousin who was mentally challenged. His observations and interactions with this cousin helped him to develop a keen interest in the issues related to disability. Post his graduation in Social Work from Osmania University, Hyderabad he chose to go to the University of Oxford, United Kingdom for specialising in the newly developing field of Sociology and Behavioural Science and Criminology. During his stay in the United Kingdom, his areas of work included mental retardation, health, family counselling and the study of management systems through the techniques of Action Learning developed by his mentor Prof. R.W. Revans.

Ali Baquer’s personality was as wide ranging as the shades of a rainbow, each distinct, yet when viewed together, whole and complete. His interests ranged from social issues to languages, literature, education, health systems, media, music, art and culture. A multi-faceted man of refined tastes, humble profile, vast knowledge, wit, humor, sensitivity, deep reflection and creativity. His caring nature and approachable personality made him a people’s person in the true sense of the term and he would be, to many, a friend for life.

Ali Baquer was a spokesperson and campaigner for the rights of people, children, refugees, marginalised and minority groups, at both national and international levels. At the age of 23 years he had represented India in Geneva at an International Conference on Criminology organised by the United Nations. In the health field Ali Baquer mainly worked on the management of health systems in relation to the mentally challenged.

In the field of education, Ali Baquer made commendable contributions. He served on various committees of the Government dealing with education. Furthermore, he was one of the founder members of the World Education and Development Organisation and the New Horizon School at Nizamuddin, New Delhi, set up to provide a high standard of education to Muslim children. Ali Baquer was a member of the Management Board of the school till the end and had also served as the Chairman for a number of years. 

In India, he was closely associated with the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), as a Consultant and with its subsidiary Voluntary Health Association of Delhi (VHAD), as a founder member and President and then President Emeritus. In VHAD, he worked on the health issues of residents of Delhi, UNHCR refugees in Delhi and with TB Alert, UK on eradicating TB from Delhi.

Ali Baquer’s professional interests were varied and multi-faceted. He worked at the universities of Oxford and London and at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in India. As a consultant he was associated with ILO, UNICEF, WHO, UN Habitat Centre, UNHCR, Council for Social Development, Ford Foundation, DANIDA, Ministry of Health (UK) and Ministry of Welfare (GOI). He was a member of various high-level committees set up by the Planning Commission of India, Doordarshan, IGNOU and other national and international agencies dealing with education, health, mental health, management and disability issues. In the 17 years that he spent in England, he held senior positions in organisations connected with education, research, policy formulation and resource allocation.

Ali Baquer wrote over 150 articles in reputed journals in India and abroad and was author and co-author of 18 books (one in Hindi and one in Braille), five of which are his short stories in Urdu. Amongst his many works on disability, his acclaimed and highly quoted book `Disability: Challenges Vs Responses` was released in its second edition on 3rd December 2006 and this was his last book.

Ali Baquer truly believed that film and television were the best medium of communication with the wider public. He acted and worked in the production of a serial titled ‘Purvai’ to learn the techniques of serial making. He went on to produce his 26 episode serial ‘Ek Ghar Aas Paas’ for Doordarshan (the Indian National TV Network) based on the problems faced by the mentally challenged. He also acted as anchor/host on various TV shows. He worked in various productions and also served as a member on Doordarshan’s Screening Committee for several years. One of his last projects was the making of a documentary on a disability worker named and entitled ‘Sonia’.
 
One engaging aspect of Ali Baquer’s personality was his creative writings in Urdu. His journey as a short story writer started with the publication of his first story in the popular Urdu magazine Shama in 1959. He published four volumes of short stories titled Khushi Key Mausam (Seasons of Happiness), Jhootey Wadey Sacchey Wadey (False Promises, Truthful Promises), Bey Naam Rishtey (Unnamed Relationships) and Muthi Bhar Dil (Fist Sized Heart).  His last Urdu collection London Key Raat Din (Nights and Days of London) was a selection of his own favourite short stories. He mainly wrote about Indians living in western countries and their interactions with their environment. He was regarded as a prolific, romantic, insightful and sensitive writer of his age, read widely and highly appreciated. Many of his stories were translated into other regional languages of India. Ali Baquer won many literary acclaims and awards for his immense contribution to Urdu literature. His unpublished creative writings include a novel about three generations of Indians in Britain, the biography of his close friend the famous painter M.F.Husain, and two short stories. His letter writing skills are documented in the letters that he wrote to his sister Naseema, on every 23rd of every month, since she got married on 23rd October 1959 till the last letter addressed to her on 23rd April 2007.

Ali Baquer was a complete person, a valued friend, a philosophical guide, a mentor to many and a treasured relative. After having suffered from heart problems for 15 years of his life, he finally succumbed to a massive heart attack on 5th May 2007 at his Aya Nagar residence in New Delhi.