User:Narouni/sandbox

Died 23 November 2010 (aged 89)

Tehran, Iran

Nationality Iranian

Occupation Professor, writer, historian

Spouse Ozra Nikhah Kashani|border]]

Dr. Gholam Reza Salim (Arouni) (Persian: دکتر غلامرضا سلیم آرونی) (November 30, 1921 - November 23, 2010) was an Iranian university professor, writer, orator, philosopher, researcher, and historian. Dr. Salim proudly taught many people of all ages for 66 years. He also taught from adult school all the way to post doctoral students.

The eldest of six boys, he was born in Mashhad in 1921. His family name of "Arouni" stems from the city of Kashan in Iran. His mother (first name: Sakineh) was a homemaker. She enrolled him in "maktab", a traditional religious educational school. This is why he was able to read from a young age before attending elementary school with his peers. His father, Ali Akbar Salim Arouni, was a blacksmith. Dr. Salim worked in his father's shop during the summers in exchange for the chance to continue pursuing his education. At night, the kerosine light would be turned off at around 8 or 9 pm and as a child, Dr. Salim would read books with the light shining from the moon and the stars.

Personal Life
Dr. Salim married Ozra Nikhah Kashani in 1944. Dr. and Mrs. Salim had five children: Maryam (born. 1945), Mehri (born. 1950), Mehrdad (born. 1952), Majid (born. 1959), and Masoud (born. 1961). He went through great lengths to make sure his children could receive an education.

He kept a daily journal starting from his early twenties. He recorded his thoughts and feelings nearly everyday within those pages.

Education and Career
Dr. Salim attended college in Mashhad for about two years, in which he enrolled in general education courses. After which, he was an elementary school teacher (starting in 1940) and then taught highschool students. Dr. Salim attended the University of Tehran where he simultaneously studied history and geography as well as law around 1946. He also studied French during his time in university. During this time, he had two children and he supported them by working during the night. He would attend his classes and study during the day and work at night, getting home around midnight every night. He was told that he should not be double majoring and that he should choose one of the areas of study. He believed that he could still pass while studying both. Indeed, upon his graduation, he was given a medal (pictured here) because he achieved grades at the top of his class. This is similar to Western honors of high school valedictorians or Summa Cum Laude honors within the university system.

After graduating with two degrees, history and geography as well as law, Dr. Salim became a highschool principle in Tehran. At the time, this high school was known as "the school of science and arts". Following this position, Dr. Salim began working as the vice president of the endowment office of Iran in Tehran and then Mashhad. Within this job, he reported to the head of the endowment office within the Iranian government.

At this point, Dr. Salim realized that he was born to be a teacher and he wanted to teach and conduct research within academic institutions where he felt he belonged. He returned to his studies at the University of Tehran under the supervision of Dr. Saeed Nafisi in 1957. He was the first person in Iran to earn a PhD in history and geography and wrote his thesis on the history of Iran before Islam. Following this, at the University of Tehran, he became an assistant professor. Next, Dr. Salim served as the head of the department of social studies at the University of Tehran as well as a professor of social studies, social anthropology, and cooperative education (around 1967). His devotion to education was uncompromised across all levels due to his strong ethical mentality.