Five days Workshop titled "Capacity building workshop for Urdu journalists" Commences at JU

Five Day workshop on the topic "Capacity building workshop for Urdu journalists" organized by  Department of Urdu, University of Jammu in collaboration with National Council for Promotion of Urdu language (NCPUL), New Delhi to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commences at Jammu University. Prof. Aquil Ahmad , Director National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language,  Prof. Manoj Kumar Dhar, Vice Chancellor University  of Jammu,  Jb Sohail Kazmi, Senior Journalist and Prof. Mohd Reyaz Ahmad, HOD Urdu also shared the presidium.

Prof Manoj Kumar Dhar, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu  in his inaugural address  said that he is optimistic that  this workshop will be an enriching experience for Urdu journalists and should allow them to upgrade their proficiencies and their skills, and acquire new technical skills that should allow Urdu journalism to thrive and nourish in the Jammu Province.” Calling for the promotion of Urdu language and keeping it alive as a necessity for being in sync with Jammu’s rich heritage, traditions and history in particular and with the history of the Indian -Sub Continent in general, Prof Dhar said that Urdu language was not only been spoken in the entire subcontinent but had a unique place in Jammu and Kashmir as well.

Chief Guest of the Inaugural Function, Prof. Aquil Ahmad, Director, National Council for promotion of Urdu Language, New Delhi said workshop is important for all of us and it is our moral duty to make efforts for the promotion of the Urdu language . While maintaining that capacity building is very important for every discipline Prof Aquil Ahmad said “Journalists have a great role to play and their writings and reports do bring a change and influence the overall policy making and planning and I hope this workshop would prove quite signi­ficant as far as promotion of Urdu language and Urdu journalism is concerned.                

Guest of Honour, JnbSohail Kazmi, Senior Journalist said “Urdu journalism has played a vital role in the freedom struggle of India and at that point of time Urdu was the language of the common masses.” Speaking about the aims and objectives of the workshop Jb SohailKazmi said “Urdu is still the third most important language in the Indian subcontinent after Hindi and English and Urdu newspapers are presently getting published from 18 states of the country. Urdu language played a great role in the freedom struggle of India but with the passage of time we became complacent and things didn't improve as they should have. It is with this aim that the present workshop has been organized so that Urdu journalists and students of journalism should go all out in taking advantage of new technological advances that are radically changing the way information is reached to masses for the promotion of Urdu language.

In his welcome address Prof. Mohd Reyaz Ahmad highlighted the problems and challenges faced by the working journalist in the Jammu Province and said that “only such languages prosper which have the official patronage from the governing regimes and as far as Urdu is concerned it has faced discrimination on that front from a long time now. The proceedings of the inaugural session were conducted by Dr Farhat Shamim.Formal Vote of thanks was presented by Dr.Abdul Rashid Manhas. The workshop was attended by journalists from print and electronic media, officials from Directorate of Information & Public Relations UT J&K, scholars and faculty members. Among Others prominent citizens like Khalid Hussain, Aseer Kishtwari, Khurshid Kazmi and many others were also present on the occasion. Later, two academic sessions were conducted in which Mr. Shahnawaz Khan from New National Bureau Chief and Prof. Mohd Kazim delivered lectures which was appreciated by one all.