In this episode of Voices of IIS, Dr Najam Abbas reflects on his two-decade journey at The Institute of Ismaili Studies. Born in New Delhi, he pursued his studies across Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, along a multilingual and transregional academic path. He discusses his pivotal work on The Great Islamic Encyclopaedia, which seeks to enhance access to knowledge of Persian and Central Asian Islamic traditions for English-language audiences."

00:00 Introduction to Najam Abbas
02:15 Early life in Delhi and family background
05:40 Academic journey and studying economics
09:10 Moving to Pakistan and further studies
13:30 Joining the Institute of Ismaili Studies
17:05 Research interests and key projects
21:20 Reflections on teaching and mentorship
25:45 The role of family and community
29:10 Challenges and lessons learned
33:00 Vision for the future of IIS
36:20 Advice for young scholars
39:00 Closing thoughts and gratitude