Prof. Shafey Kidwai, is a well- known author, bilingual critic, translator, and media educator. A Sahitya Academy awardee (2019), Professor Shafey Kidwai has been teaching film studies, broadcast journalism, editing, sports journalism and Urdu journalism for more than 30 years. His recent book, ‘Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: Reason, Nation and Religion’ (Routledge, 2020) has been reckoned as a nuanced narrative and objective appraisal of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, one of the seminal figures of nineteen century India, and it zeroes in on the social, political, educational and religious questions that rocked India reeling under the colonial rule. The book has received widespread acclaim across the globe. Routledge published its international edition for the USA, UK and Europe before releasing its South Asian print.

His other book, ‘Literature and Journalism: Critical Perspectives’ (Cambridge University Press, India, 2014) won wide critical appreciation.

Besides Sahitya Academy award, Dr Kidwai is the recipient of several prestigious awards including Kalinga Literary Award (2021), Iqbal Samman (Highest literary award of Madhya Pradesh Government, 2018) and Amir Khusro award (Highest Literary award of Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy, 2017)

He reviews books regularly for The Hindustan Times, The Frontline, The Outlook, The Book Review, and News Trail.
He wrote a fortnightly column on culture, media and literature called ‘Going Native’ for the Friday Review, the Hindu for ten years.

His research dissertation on Sir Syed’s contribution to journalism is considered as one of the substantial works on nineteenth-century journalism. He has prepared the 'Style Book' (2002) for the ETV, Hyderabad and 'Glossary of Mass Communication in Urdu' (2003) for NCPUL, New Delhi.

He has been on the editorial board of several peer-reviewed journals including Global Media (University of Purdue USA) and Calcutta University. He is the chief Editor of Aligarh Journal of Communication Studies

His Urdu book ‘Sawaneh Sir Syed: Ek Bazdeed’ (2017) fetched him the highest literary award of the country Sahitya Academy Award in 2019.

His other books, ‘National Awakening and Maulana Azad’, (, Ranchi University, 2012), Aligarh Institute Gazette (2019) 'Fiction Motaleyat: Ma-baad-e-Jadeed Tanazur' (2018), 'Meeraji' (Monograph, Sahitya Academy, New Delhi,2001), ‘Khabar Nigari’ (1988) are well received by reviewers and readers.

The Academy of Letters, Sahitya Academy New Delhi has published his translations ‘R.K. Narayan’ (2009), and 'Michael Madhusudan Dutt’ (1995). His book 'Khabar Nigari'(1988) is the first book on the art of reporting in Urdu.

He has visited England, Mauritius, Qatar, Syria, Saudi Arab, Thailand and Pakistan. He has served as the member of general counsel of the Indian academy of Letters, Sahitya Academy and National Council for promotion of Urdu Ministry of HRD, govt of India. Presently. He was the Convener of the Urdu Committee, Bhartiya Jnanpith and Sarswati Samman, New Delhi.

He has contributed more than seventy research papers and participated in more than two hundred international and national seminars and workshops.

His is a regular participant in panel discussions on books, Literary festivals held in New Delhi, Bombay, Goa, Chennai, Lucknow, Bhuvneshwar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kishan Gunj etc.