Contribution of Non-Muslim Journalists in Promotion of Urdu Journalism

The book focusses on the role and contribution of non-Muslim i.e. Hindu, Sikh and Christian journalists in promoting Urdu journalism in India

• Book: Contribution of Non-Muslim Journalists in Promotion of Urdu Journalism (Urdu sahafat ke farogh mein gair-Muslim sahafiyon ki khidmat)
• Author: Suhail Anjum
• Book Review by: Asad Mirza
• Publisher: Nomani Care Foundation, Lucknow, U.P.
• Pages: 368
• Price: Rs 500/-

Senior journalist, Suhail Anjum is a renowned name in Urdu journalism. During his career spanning more than 35 years he has been associated with leading Urdu publications like, Weekly Blitz, Weekly Akbar-e Nau, Weekly Hamara Qadam. From 1995 to 2008, he was associated with the oldest multi-edition Urdu newspaper Qaumi Awaz as a Sub Editor. From 2002, he has been working as VOA’s Urdu Correspondent from India.

Suhail has penned more than 40 book in different genres over the years. Out of them, 12 have been focused on different aspects of the Urdu Journalism.

His latest work, focusses on the role and contribution of non-Muslim i.e. Hindu, Sikh and Christian journalists in promoting Urdu journalism in India.

This aspect of Urdu journalism also exposes the misconception that Urdu is a language of the Indian Muslims, which has been promoted by successive governments of the day. Thus, any work related to promotion of Urdu by them was seen as part of their appeasement policy, which has been used by the opposition parties to target the Muslims and underplaying the part of the Urdu language, in recent days.

Suhail’s contribution in this regard is praise worthy, as his thorough research has also brought out the contributions of lesser-known Hindu journalists to the promotion and growth of the Urdu language in the country.

In this well-researched and curated book, Suhail provides pen sketches of 54 Hindu journalists from Harihar Dutt and Sada Sukh Lal to Kuldip Nayar, Vijay Kumar Chopra, Shanti Ranjan Bhattacharya, Fikr Taunsavi, GD Chandan and Jamna Das Akhtar.

However, one is unable to comprehend why Suhail has ignored Munshi Premchand from this list. Premchand (1880-1936) started his career as one of the most prominent Indian authors of the 20th century in Urdu. His switching towards Hindi was gradual, and he continued to write in Urdu until his death. May be this is due to the fact that Premchand is much better known as a novelist and short story writer.

Nonetheless, the book is a must read particularly for those who harp on the theme of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb or the mixed syncretic culture of North India, as the book proves the point that Hindu journalists - from not just Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, but from Punjab and even Bengal played a key role in the promotion of Urdu language in India.

Thus, to link the Urdu language to a particular religion would be a great disservice to the nation’s diversity and cultural ethos.

And, when we write about the history of Urdu Journalism, we can not ignore the role and contribution of Hindus to Urdu Journalism, from the start of the first Urdu newspaper Jam-e Jahan Numa in 1822 by Hari Har Dutt, till date.

It would be a great work indeed, if the book is translated into English, so as to reach those readers who can’t read it in Urdu, and also to highlight the rich diversity and assimilation of Urdu by all irrespective of their religion.

Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.