New Delhi, 08 February (H.S.): On the third and concluding day of the International Urdu Conference themed Urdu Language and Culture in Multilingual India, organized by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language here, three pivotal technical sessions and a grand mushaira unfolded, spotlighting Urdu's profound linguistic, cultural, literary, and civilizational interconnections with other tongues.

Session chairs hailed the conference as a timely imperative, congratulating the National Urdu Council and its Director while deeming it a milestone in Urdu's propagation.

First Session: Linguistic and Cultural Interplays

Chaired by Dr. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmad, this session featured Professors Shafe Kidwai and Ravi Tekchandani as chief guests. Scholars including Professor Shambhunath Tiwari, Professor Intikhab Hamid, Khawar Naqib, Shabbir Ahmad, and Asma Imroz presented research papers, with Nihan Rabab moderating.

In his presidential address, Dr. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmad likened India to a tree with myriad branches, underscoring the collective duty to nurture each. He advocated simplifying Urdu through accessible vocabulary, asserting it transcends communal boundaries to embody the nation's collective voice. Such forums, he noted, foster harmony and mutual understanding, with language playing a crucial role in interfaith amity.

Chief guest Professor Ravi Tekchandani illuminated Sindhi-Urdu linguistic affinities and expounded principles of language evolution. Professor Shafe Kidwai explored the theme's facets, highlighting multilingualism's merits alongside latent perils, referencing Panini, Anandavardhana, and Abhinavagupta's influences on Urdu language and literature.

Asma Imroz detailed Telugu-Urdu linguistic bonds via illustrative common lexicon. Khawar Naqib positioned Urdu translations within the Indian Knowledge System as bridges across civilizations. Shabbir Ahmad reflected on national heritage and culture through Urdu translations. Professor Intikhab Hamid dissected language's pragmatic logic and ramifications, aligning conference themes with the National Education Policy 2020.

Professor Shambhunath Tiwari celebrated Urdu's expression of Indian culture and civilization as the nation's defining strength.

Second Session: Global Urdu Synergies

Presided over by Professor Syed Ainul Hasan with Dr. Jameel Akhtar as chief guest, this session saw papers from Professor Mushtaque Alam Qadri, Professor Jalal al-Hifnawi, Dr. Tashiyana Shamthali, Dr. Ellen Desolierlis, and Dr. Safina Begum, moderated by Dr. Nisar Ahmad Khan.

Professor Ainul Hasan affirmed Urdu's stature, having assimilated diverse knowledge domains and arts, attributing its growth to cross-linguistic ties.Dr. Jameel Akhtar called for rigorous discourse on Urdu's imprints upon other languages.

Dr. Safina Begum presented translations of two Rabindranath Tagore stories. Mauritius' Dr. Tashiyana Shamthali probed Urdu-Mauritian linguistic harmony. Professor Mushtaque Alam Qadri analyzed Urdu's sway on Gojri ghazals. Egypt's Professor Jalal al-Hifnawi traced Urdu-Arabic linkages. France's Dr. Ellen Desolierlis lectured on Sufism and imagination in Spanish and Urdu contexts.

Third Session: Symbolic Depths of Urdu

Under Professor Quddus Javed's chairmanship, with Professors Ejaz Ali Arshad and Irtaza Karim as chief guests, Professor Heinz Werner and Mohammad Saifi Umri delivered papers, moderated by Dr. Ahsan Ayubi.

Professor Quddus Javed portrayed India not merely as geography but a confluence of multifaceted cultures. Urdu's essence, he averred, resides in its symbols, metaphors, and allusions—words as vivid imagery, sonance, and bearers of enduring cultural legacies.

The conference culminated in Director Dr. Mohammad Shams Iqbal's address, relaying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message. He proclaimed Urdu omnipresent across India's provinces, districts, and regions—a vibrant language actively contributing to national progress.

The proceedings closed with a majestic mushaira chaired by veteran poet Chandrabhan Khayal, where eminent poets enthralled audiences with their verses.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar