Syed Manzar Hasan Zaidi

Syed Manzar Hasan Zaidi

Syed Manzar in Mumbai, 2011
Born
Syed Manzar Husain Zaidi
October 15, 1969 (age 42)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Residence Mazgaon, Mumbai, 400010, India
Nationality Indian
2,2,907 Mumbai University (Dropout)
ccupation
Managing Director oI Axis SoIMedia
Pvt. Ltd.
Years active 1988present
Religion Islam
Spouse Rina Syed (m. 1995present)
Children 2
Parents
Syed Mukhtar Hasan Zaidi, Fatima
Syed
Contents
O 1 Syed Manzar
O 2 Early liIe
O Philanthropy
O 4 Recognition
O 5 Axis SoItMedia (Center Ior Research in Digital Calligraphy)
O 6 Published works
O ReIerences
O 8 External links
Syed Manzar
Syed Manzar is one among the Iew who has literally rejuvenated Urdu calligraphy that was on
the throes oI death by linking it with digital technology. He has brought revolutionary changes in
Urdu printing, publishing and news broadcasting world. Manzar has de Iacto made Urdu
multimedia a living reality.
Early life
Eldest among his six brothers and younger to his only sister, Syed Manzar is endowed with a
keen interest in computer technology. Born on October 15, 1969 ( Shaban '~) in Mumbai, an
island city oI Maharashtra state in India. The industrious son oI a well-known businessman, Syed
Mukhtar Hasan Zaidi (Abu Bhai), Manzar accomplished his Masters Degree in computer
application (MCA) quite early in his liIe, while still doing 12th standard, as a part time course
Irom APTECH institute oI the city.
Being an Urdu medium student who did his schooling Irom Anjuman Khair-ul-Islam, Manzar
had a deep Ieeling Ior Urdu as the language suIIered Irom many oI the handicap in its printing
technology. This love Ior the language blossomed into versatile Urdu Unicode Fonts, developed
by Manzar and his core team oI proIessionals that helps Urdu publishing houses in multiIarious
ways.
Philanthropy
A man with a rare philanthropic temperament, Manzar at times go out oI the way to bail out his
Iriends and even strangers Irom thorny situations. In 21`st century where competition is the
buzzword, Manzar still believes in cooperation and collaboration. Philanthropy may have
become a style statement oI today`s elites but Manzar, in his own inimitable style, is practicing it
since his adolescence, much ahead oI what business magnates Bill Gates and Warren BuIIett are
doing today, albeit, this may be a peanut compared to the latter altruistic endeavor on global
scale.
Recognition
He had created most oI the Ionts used in InPage soItware; arguably world's best Urdu soItware as
Iar as pagemaking in Urdu is concerned. InPage was honored by Urdu Academy, Delhi in 2006.
Later, on May 1, 2009, Syed Manzar received an award underlining his achievements and
excellence in Urdu computing at a Iunction Ielicitating people oI high repute in the Iield oI art
and language by Pasbaan-e-Iun - an organization oI artists, calligraphers and painters, Ior his
contribution in Urdu printing technology in the textile town oI Maharashtra, Malegaon. They
recognized the services oI Urdu Fonts, calligraphic Ionts, developed by Syed Manzar and his
small team oI researchers. The new Ionts, especially Faiz Nastaliq and Manzar Indo-Pak Naskh,
were greatly appreciated by the eminent judges on the panel.
is SoftMedia (Center for Research in Digital Calligraphy)
Syed Manzar established Axis SoItMedia Pvt. Ltd. (Center Ior Research in Digital Calligraphy -
Perso-Arabic), a Iont-developing research-lab based in Mumbai, India that primarily develops
Ionts that have Perso-Arabic origin. The company was established in 1992 to cater to the needs
oI the Perso-Arabic Publishing Market and the computing world. The company develops all
Ionts oI InPage except Noori Nastaliq. Axis SoItMedia is the Iirst oI its kind in the sub continent
to develop such Ionts. It also creates customized Ionts.
It is the Iirst company in India which has worked on Urdu TrueType & OpenType Ionts *(1).
The company primarily Iocused on Urdu Ionts and calligraphy research. In due course it has
emerged as a Iull-Iledged Perso-Arabic calligraphic research center, inviting the best
calligraphers Irom across the globe to contribute.
O (1) BeIore InPage all Urdu Ionts in India were Bitmap based.
Published works
Syed Manzar worked on Urdu Ionts since 199. By the end oI 1994 Iorty (40) ASCII based True
type Urdu Ionts were developed which was launched with InPage1.0 in 1994. This has virtually
catapulted Urdu into the league oI other Indo-Aryan languages.
Faiz Lahori Nastaliq The Urdu publishing and computing world has long been looking Ior a
new Iont. A Iont that is not only aesthetically Iine but also technically supportive by developing
Faiz Lahori Nastaliq. In 2006 the team oI experts headed by Syed Manzar developed a most
Ilexible Iont called Faiz Nastaliq with Kashish which is considered as a panacea Ior Urdu
publishing world.
Faiz Nastaliq 1.0 is specially created Ior those who are Iond oI Lahori Nastaliq. It not only
enriches InPage Version but also makes it the most comprehensive Urdu typesetting and
designing tool in publishing industry. Faiz Nastaliq gives the designers and publishers the most
indispensible high-quality typesetting Ior literary academic production. It provides ligatures to
shape writing oI diIIerent genre, poetry, prose, blank verse, etc. It is a delight oI designers. It will
help them enhance the designs oI the magazines, hoardings, posters, advertisement and
newspapers. Corporate users will be pleased to discover Faiz Nastaliq eIIective protection oI
their investment in proprietary typography.
hat is Faiz Nastaliq? Faiz Nastaliq is a dream comes true. The type Iace is designed on the
rules & scales oI Lahori Nastaliq script set by Late Faiz Katib (19121986). Faiz Nastaliq is an
innovative set oI Fonts Ior InPage Version that has been speciIically developed Ior Urdu
publishing world. It integrates traditional calligraphy with modern typeIaces, giving designers
the Ireedom they need to remain creative in today's world. By adding Faiz Nastaliq, InPage
Version truly becomes the most comprehensive Urdu typesetting and designing tool in the
industry.
hy Faiz Nastaliq? Urdu typography has been a great challenge Ior the printing and publishing
industry. Because it is composed oI complex and shiIting letters, typesetting technology based on
letter analysis could not render the richness oI the script. It is Ior this reason that Syed Manzar,
has developed Faiz Nastaliq by analysing individual penstrokes and creating a clear and limited
set oI rules. Faiz Nastaliq is a true breakthrough in Urdu typography as it allows InPage Version
users to Iully express the enormous variability oI Urdu letters. Faiz Nastaliq returns to the
sources oI the Urdu script traditions, providing today's generation oI high-tech designers with
greater Ireedom and oIIering them a real Urdu-Iriendly design environment. The ingenious
interIace and set oI Urdu-related Ieatures are ideal to create richer, more complex Urdu
typography. Faiz Nastaliq let you work better and Iaster than ever.
hy it is unique? Urdu typography, so Iar, was devoid oI 'Kashish'* Ieature oI words &
ligature. Faiz Nastaliq Kasheeda enriches the publishing world with this beautiIul Ieature and
blesses the documents & published data with true Ilavour oI Urdu calligraphy. All the unique
ligatures that are used in the Iont are without 'Nuqta' and 'Aeraab' unlike other Nastaliq Ionts. It
covers up to 10 less space* than available Nastaliq Ionts and looks extremely attractive in
'Kashish' with kerning*.
Urdu Unicode/SCII System for broadcasters: Many Urdu News Channels employed this
technology to bring about quality improvement in news presentation.
Unlike news channels in other languages, Urdu channels suIIered Irom (Urdu) Iont handicap.
ETV Urdu desperate to resolve the stalemate got in touch with Syed Manzar. He, along with
ETV`s technical team worked out a solution that has brought Urdu on a par with other major
languages. This enabled ETV to run its tickers, headlines, graphics and teleprompting
exclusively in Urdu language. Later, Doordarshan, Sahara, MunsiI and scores oI other news
broadcasters too used the expertise to do away with similar hiccup. A plethora oI international
news channels too employed this to beautiIy their presentations.
Sunsilk Cosmetics: The cosmetic company that develops a battery oI skin care and hair products
was launching its worldwide campaign to boost the popularity oI its product Sunsilk shampoo
in 2010. The advertisement used dotted Ionts in every major global language. Manzar was roped
in to develop similar Ionts in Urdu and Bengali languages which he did quite eIIectively.