The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : World Urdu meet gets under way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 16, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

World Urdu meet gets under way

Staff Reporter

Host of writers and critics taking part in the meet

Hyderabad : Hyderabadis came under a magical charm as the Alami (world) Urdu conference got off to a colourful start here on Saturday. A galaxy of Urdu writers, poets and critics from different parts of the globe are here to take part in the three-day conference being organised by the Urdu daily The Siasat.

The inaugural ceremony held at Jubilee Hall, Public Gardens, attracted a large number of Urdu lovers. And as expected it was Urdu at its literary best. Speeches laced with poetry enlivened the event. Governor Sushil Kumar Shinde, who inaugurated the conference regaled the audience with the couplets of Shaz Tamkanat, Sayeed Shaheedi and Makhdoom Mohuiddin. He sent everyone in peals of laughter by reciting a romantic couplet:

Nazar jis ki tarf karke nigah pherlete hain

Kayamat tak is dil ki virani nahin jati.

However, Mr. Shinde hastened to add that it was a couplet of his student days. He waxed eloquent about the sweetness of Urdu language and recalled how films like `Chowdhwin ka Chand' and `Saheb Bibi aur Ghulam' were literary masterpieces.

Describing the beauty of Urdu, he said the language came into being when a moon's beam coyly asked a lily bud to merge into a thought. He went on to say how Meer (poet) added a dash of kajal in its (Urdu) eyes and Ghalib decked it with new literary gems. It had a mesmerising effect as it contained the `sur' of other languages too. "Urdu is everlasting and is capable of facing challenges on is own," the Governor remarked.

Plea for research centre

He complimented Zahid Ali Khan, Editor, Siasat, for organising the conference and asked him to set up Urdu research centre in Hyderabad as the Urdu culture and traditions were still alive here. Not to be left behind, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, also had a go at Urdu. To the surprise of everyone he commenced his speech in chaste Urdu and then switched over to English "I have a strong urge to learn Urdu, but my present knowledge is very limited," he said.

Mr. Reddy recounted the steps taken by his Government for promotion of Urdu and uplift of minorities. He assured substantial increase in the scholarships being given to minority students. Mufti Mohmmed Sayeed, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, expressed happiness that the southern states were taking concrete steps for promotion of Urdu.

Union Minister of State for Food Processing Subodh Kant Sahay and Minister for Information and Public Relations Mohd. Ali Shabbir congratulated Siasat for its efforts in promoting Urdu.

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