Dr. Husayn Gulgulab

Gul-i Gulab, Husayn (1897-1984), son of Mirza Mahdi Khan Musawwir al-Mulk. Writer, translator, musician, and university professor born in Tehran. His father was a painter and photographer under the Qajars. Having received his primary education at the ‘Ilmiyya Madrasa from distinguished teachers, like ‘Abd al-‘Azim Gharib, Mirza Ibrahim Qumi Mas’udi, Ghulam Husayn Rahnama, and Shams al-‘Ulama’ Qarib, he later completed his high school education at Dar al-Funun, where also learned English, French, and some Russian from Iskandar Khan Mardirusiyan. Having completed his high school, he taught natural sciences at the Dar al-Funun where he wrote twelve textbooks on natural sciences between the years 1919 and 1928. He received Bachelor degrees in law and political science from the Faculty of Law in 1922. He was appointed a teacher at military college in 1928 when he was at the same time vested with field work on botany at the Faculty of Medicine and taught botany at the military high school and the Faculty of Medicine from 1928 until 1934. Introductory medical classes were transferred to the College of Higher Education the next year when he was appointed the deputy of the College of Higher Education and also the Faculty of Sciences and Literature and according to the by-laws of the University was awarded a PhD in Sciences and taught botanical physiology at the College of Higher Education and botany at the Faculty of Medicine and assumed the directorship of the biological laboratories. Besides teaching at the Faculty of Medicine, he was appointed deputy of the Faculty in 1945 and served in that office until 1948 when he retired. Upon the establishment of the Academy, he was elected as a permanent faculty member owing to his expertise in finding Persian equivalents for European scientific terminology. He was appointed the secretary of the Academy in 1936. In his high school years, he studied music under Aqa Husaynquli, the Maestro tar player and thus received his preliminary musical education. Then, he studied at the musical school of Colonel ‘Alinaqi Waziri and composed some tasnifs at the latter’s suggestion which were warmly received. He also composed lyrics for the National Musical Association. Ay Iran and Adharbayjan are two of his poetical compositions (lyrics and anthems). He was also interested in painting, photography, and poetry. His works include: Tarikh-i Tabi’I; Tashrih wa Fiziyolozhi-yi Hiywani; Zaminshinasi; Tarikh-i Tabi’i; Giyahshinasi; Tarikh-i Tabi’i (pt. 4); Hifz al-Sihha; Dar Barih-yi Nabatat-i Iran; Farhang-i Giyahan-i Ma’muli wa Daru’i; Shimi-yi Filizzat; Jughrafiya; Tarjama-yi Mushakhassat-i Jughrafiya-yi Tabi’i-yi Iran.

Zindiginama-yi Rijal wa Mashahir (5/ 336); Sharh-i Hal-i Rijal (5/ 302).