Last Updated on July 22, 2026 11:57 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
The Al Qazi Urdu Academy organised a special felicitation ceremony in New Delhi to honour distinguished personalities associated with the promotion of the Urdu language and literature. The event, held at NFC, New Delhi, was presided over by Padma Shri Prof. Akhtarul Wase and brought together noted scholars, writers, journalists and Urdu enthusiasts from across the capital.
Addressing the gathering, Advocate Shah Jabeen Qazi, founder of the Al Qazi Urdu Academy and Coaching Trust, asserted that the growing popularity of Urdu demonstrates that the language continues to flourish despite various challenges.
“By establishing the Al Qazi Urdu Academy and Coaching Trust, we have shown that Urdu’s popularity is steadily increasing and that the language can never disappear,” she said.
The programme featured extensive discussions on the current status of the Urdu language and literature, the challenges confronting Urdu, and measures needed for its preservation, promotion and wider dissemination.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Syed Ahmad Khan observed that while the number of people who speak and understand Urdu is increasing, the decline in Urdu readership remains a matter of concern. He said the primary objective of the Urdu Day Movement (Urdu Day Tehreek) is to increase readership and connect the younger generation with Urdu language and literature.
Dr. Khan highlighted the significant role of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) and various state Urdu academies in promoting Urdu books, magazines and literary works. He stressed that these institutions should take effective measures to expand readership and cultivate an interest in Urdu literature among young people.
Speakers at the event described Urdu as much more than a language, calling it an integral symbol of India’s composite culture, Ganga-Jamuni heritage and social harmony. They emphasised that the promotion of Urdu requires the collective efforts of writers, educators, journalists, literary organisations and society at large.
Participants also underscored the importance of introducing the younger generation to Urdu through educational institutions and by making Urdu literature more accessible on digital platforms.
The ceremony was attended by several eminent personalities, including Prof. Mohammad Idris, Sirajuddin Qureshi, T.N. Bharti, Qazi Abdul Basit, noted poet Moeen Shadab, senior journalist Sohail Anjum, Masoom Moradabadi, Maroof Raza, Prof. Syed Mohammad Arif Zaidi, Dr. Uzair Baqai, Hakim Naeem Raza, and Javed Akhtar, former Chief Sub-Editor of UNI, among other scholars, writers, journalists and lovers of the Urdu language.
Concluding the programme, Advocate Shah Jabeen Qazi thanked the guests and awardees for their participation and reaffirmed the Academy’s commitment to organising similar initiatives in the future to promote Urdu language, literature and readership. The event concluded on a successful note.