Mumbai-born Dr Tahera Qutbuddin, the American professor who was recently awarded the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for her groundbreaking work, Arabic Oration: Art and Function, says her home city played an important role in shaping her love for the Arabic language. The award is considered to be the most prestigious prize in the Arab world for literature and culture. Qutbuddin, who teaches Arabic literature at the University of Chicago, was born and raised in South Mumbai, and completed her schooling from Villa Theresa High School, before graduating from Sophia College for Women.

Her book delves into the origins of Arabic oration, focusing on the Khutbahs of Mohammed Rasulullah SA and Imam Ali. A member of the Dawoodi Bohra community, Qutbuddin says Mumbai and her community, in particular, inspired her work.  “The city is a part of me. My childhood years are filled with happy memories of living here. I received my education at a convent school in the city, with three years in the middle spent at the Presentation Convent in Kodaikanal. Growing up in a dynamic, bustling, alive city like Mumbai contributed to my immediate sense of belonging in Cairo and Chicago, both of which are vibrant cities like Mumbai. The Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, which I can see from my apartment window, is a mirror image of Mumbai’s Marine Drive,” she says.