Mohammad-Hassan Ganji, father of modern geography in Iran, dies at 100

TEHRAN,July 22(MNA) -- Mohammad-Hassan Ganji, known as the father of the modern science of geography in Iran, died of a cerebral hemorrhage on Thursday. He was 100. Professor Ganji was taken to the hospital on Wednesday after he fell down at his home. He underwent an operation but died the next day, Persian news agencies reported on Friday. Ganji was born in Birjand, South Khorasan Province. He studied history and geography at the Shokatieh School in his hometown and later completed his studies in Tehran. He traveled to England and got his B.A. in geography from the Victoria University of Manchester in 1938. Several years later in 1952, Ganji continued his studies in the United States and received his Ph.D. in geography from the Clark Atlanta University. He next began to teach at the University of Tehran and was the first who taught modern geography at Iranian universities. Ganji established the Iran Meteorological Organization in 1955 and ran the organization for several years. He was also the permanent member from Iran in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and was selected the winner of the International Meteorological Organization (IMO) Prize organized by WMO in 2001. In addition, he was collaborating with the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia (CGIE) in Tehran since 1985. He has written over 130 articles in Persian and English and has trained many scholars and masters of geography over the years. The funeral procession for Ganji will begin today at CGIE. His body will later be carried to the University of Tehran where scholars will gather to bid him farewell. Based on his last will and testament, Ganji will be buried in his hometown Birjand. His memorial service will be held on Tuesday morning at the mosque of the University of Tehran.