Mirza `Abdul Qadir-e Bidel (1054/1644-1133/1720) is the most significant literary figure born in India in 18th century. He had played a vital role in further strengthening and integrating the cultural elements from the entire Asian lands where Persianate Culture flourished. Bidel was a prolific writer leaving voluminous works, both in prose and poetry which have accurately been preserved and now available in almost all the important oriental collections around the world. In view of his considerable output and original contribution especially to mystical thought, Bidel is reckoned as one of the greatest poets of Indo-Persian tradition. The actual extent of Bidel`s influence on Indo-Persian, Urdu,Dari and Tajik Literature is beyond measure and it seems to have increased with each succeeding generation of poets. In Afghanistan Bidel is still more appreciated than any other Persian poet. His influence persists as a vital pervasive force in village as well as urban literary circles. Branches of a cult group each meet weekly to recite and deliberate on the works of Bidel and enjoy the philosophical and mystic discourses of this son of India. The Tajik scholars regard Bidel`s language as Central Asian Tajik and consider him as innovator of Persian Tajik Literature.

A significant number of all the works of Bidel in manuscript and published editions in most of the Indian and foreign collections have been traced and systematically catalogued in the present work. Moreover 67 books and 61 research articles published in Persian, Urdu and English on the life and works of this poet have also been recorded in this catalogue. This all leads one to realize the wide spread appeal and celebrity of Bidel in Persian World and Persianate Culture.

Prof. Sharif Husain Qasemi, a prominent scholar of Persian Language, Literature and Culture, was a faculty member in the Department of Persian, University of Delhi. He obtained his Master`s and PhD degrees from the same university and later successfully completed his Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology from the School of Archaeology, New Delhi. He was head of the Department of Persian and also served as Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi. He retired from the active service in 2008. He is a prolific writer. His more than twenty research works and two hundred articles on Indo-Persian Literature and Culture have so far been published from India and Iran:Sairul Manazil on Topography of Delhi, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Mss. and Printed Editions of Diwan-e ?afiz in India, The Maulavi Flute, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Mss. and Printed Editions of Maulana Rumi`s Works in India, A Descriptive Catalogue of Persian Translations of Indian Works,Muntakhab-e Ijad-e Bideli (aselection of Bidel`s poetry made by Bidel himself), Bidel Be-Intekhab-e Bidel (a selection of Bidel`s Ghazals made by Bidel). Talmihat-e Ghalib are among some of his works well received in the Persian World. Moreover he has also contributed more than twenty articles on Indo-Persian Literature to Encyclopedia of Indo-Persian Literature, published by the Persian Academy of Iran.

Prof. Qasemi has represented his university in a number of national and international conferences held in Iran, France, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Sweden etc. Prof. Qasemi is the recipient of various honours and awards for his research and literary achievements: Certificate of Honour by Honb`l President of India, Ghalib Institute, New Delhi. Delhi Urdu Academy, Furugh-e Urdu in Qatar, Anjuman-e Athar-oMafakher-e Iran, Sa`di Award. Presently he is delivering lectures on Persian language, literature and culture in different academic institutions. He is also serving as advisor to Delhi Archives.