Urdu journalism’s legacy, new prospectus feature at World Urdu Day event

Srinagar, Nov 9: The Anjuman Urdu Sahafat organised a significant event at Tagore Hall today, marking World Urdu Day.

The event focused on the current state of Urdu journalism, its opportunities, and the challenges it faces.

During the ceremony, Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to  Manzoor Anjum, Editor of Daily Uqab, and Abdul Rashid Shah, Editor-in-Chief of Daily  Nida-e-Mashri, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Urdu journalism.

Additionally, Shamim Ahmad Shamim Award was presented to Mohammad Shafi Samanani.

The event also honored late stalwarts of Urdu journalism, including the founder-editor of weekly Rahbar, late Ghulam Mohiuddin Rahbar, and the founding editor of Daily Roshni,  Aziz Kashmiri, who were recognised with posthumous awards for their immense contribution to the field.

Furthermore, Dr Ruhi Jan, an academic scholar in Urdu journalism, was also honoured with an award for her scholarly contributions.

The ceremony was attended by several prominent personalities from the media and political spheres, including former Minister, Naeem Akhtar, Anjuman Urdu Sahafat’s patron Hamid Hamid, Javaid Azar of Kashmir Uzma, Mohammad Aslam Bhat  of Kashmir News Service, Haroon Rashid of Nida-e-Mashriq, Zahoor Ahmed Shoria of Roznama Roshni, Rashid Rahil of Asian Mail, Haroon Reshi,Tariq Bhat, Majid Jahangir, Qurat-ul-Ain, Hawa Basheer, Professor Muslim Jan, Javaid Matji of Urdu Council, Professor Hamida Naeem, Dr Mushtaq Haider, Dr Kounser Rasool of Kashmir University, columnists Mohammad Saleem Baig,  Anjuman’s Jammu Provincial President Jeahangir  Khan, Kashmir Provincial President Raja Irshad, and Chief Coordinator Firdous Rehman. The event was hosted by Showket Sahil and Nazim Nazir.

The chief guest, BBC correspondent Riyaz Masroor, in his address, emphasised the growing involvement of Urdu journalists in digital media over the past few years, which he described as a positive development. He pointed out that although the number of journalists in print media is declining, the production of content and interest in Urdu journalism on digital platforms continues to thrive.

Kashmir Life’s Editor-in-Chief, Masood Hussain, emphasised the professional responsibility of journalists, urging the need for better training and skill development for new journalists to improve the standards of Urdu journalism.

Professor Nasir Mirza, speaking on the occasion, highlighted the importance of promoting the Urdu language, calling it a vast and rich language that requires serious efforts for its development. He stated that change is a natural process and that Urdu journalism needs to adapt to new demands in order to remain relevant and connect with its audience.

The event also featured a discussion on the current prospects of Urdu journalism and its future direction. Speakers stressed the need to maintain the traditions and professional standards of Urdu journalism, even in the face of growing influences from digital and social media platforms.

In the concluding remarks, Anjuman Urdu Sahafat’s President, Riyaz Malik, thanked all the distinguished guests, and the General Secretary, Bilal Farqani, delivered the opening address, which provided insights into the current challenges and opportunities faced by Urdu journalism.

At the end of the event, the late member of Anjuman and founder-editor of Wadi Kashmir newspaper, Mohammad Shafi Khan, was posthumously awarded a certificate of appreciation, and tributes were paid to journalists who passed away over the past year.

This programme marked a significant milestone for Urdu journalism, reaffirming the collective commitment to strengthening and further enhancing the profession, with a focus on collaboration and shared efforts moving forward.