Anjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu (Urdu:اَنْجُمَنِ تَرَقِیِ اُرْدُوْ;Organisation for the Progress of Urdu) was an organisation working for the promotion and dissemination ofUrdu language,literature and culture inBritish India.
| Founded | 1886 (renamed in 1903)[1] |
|---|---|
| Founded at | Aligarh, British India |
| Type | Literary organisation |
| Legal status | Non-government organization |
| Purpose | To promote theUrdu language |
| Headquarters | New Delhi Karachi |
| Location |
|
Key people | Syed Ahmad Khan[2] Abdul Haq |
| Urdu literature ادبیاتِ اُردُو | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Urdu literature | |
| By category Urdu language Rekhta | |
| Major figures | |
| Amir Khusrau (father of Urdu literature) -Wali Dakhani (father of Urdu poetry) -Mir Taqi Mir -Ghalib -Abdul Haq (Baba-e-Urdu) -Muhammad Iqbal | |
| Urdu writers | |
| Writers –Novelists –Poets | |
| Forms | |
| Ghazal -Dastangoi -Nazm –Fiction | |
| Institutions | |
| Anjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu Urdu movement Literary Prizes | |
| Related Portals Literature Portal Pakistan Portal | |
After thepartition of India, the separated organisations,Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu Hind in theRepublic of India andAnjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu Pakistan continue its works. These serve as the largest Urdu scholarly promotional associations inthe subcontinent.[2]
History
editThe organisation owes its origin to theAll India Muslim Educational Conference, set up by the great social reformer and educationist SirSyed Ahmad Khan in 1886, with the assistance of NawabMohsin-ul-Mulk. The basic objective of the above-mentioned conference was to encourage Indian Muslims to adopt modern education, and for this purpose, establish schools and colleges along the lines of theMuhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (later known asAligarh Muslim University).[2]
The conference had three sections: Women’s Education, Educational Census and Schools. In a later conference held in 1903, three more branches were added: Social Reform, Shoba-yi-Taraqqī-yi-Urdū, and Miscellaneous.[2] It is to the Shoba-yi-Taraqqī-yi-Urdū that the currentAnjuman traces its origins. Incidentally,Thomas Walker Arnold was the first elected president of the Shoba-yi-Taraqqī-yi-Urdū and the noted writer AllamaShibli Nomani was the first secretary along withAbul Kalam Azad, first Minister of Education in independent India, as Assistant Secretary. They were some of the renowned personalities that worked hard to create theAnjuman and people continue to draw inspiration from them even today.[2]
Abdul Haq became the secretary of the organisation in 1912, and its base was shifted to the modern-dayAurangabad district in 1913, where he was employed by the thenNizam of Hyderabad. Thereafter, theAnjuman shifted its base toDelhi in 1938 where it functioned until 1947 with Abdul Haq as its head.[2]
Under Abdul Haq, Anjuman launched a number of magazines notablyUrdu launched in January 1921,Science, in 1928, andHamari Zaban, in 1939.[4]
India
editAnjuman in India is known as "Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu (Hind)" (انجمنِ ترقیِ اردو (ہند.[5] It has 600 branches across India.[5]
After the independence of India,Zakir Hussain become the Vice-Chancellor ofAligarh Muslim University in 1949. Anjuman Taraqui Urdu (Hind) was shifted to Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. In the year 1977 Anjuman was moved toNew Delhi with its office at Urdu Ghar. It started to work for the promotion of Urdu as a common language in India. In the spirit of the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, it started to play a vital and positive role in the language of Indian origin.
Anjuman Taraqui Urdu (Hind) has echoed the nationalistic character under the guidance of Indian leaders likeMahatma Gandhi,Jawaharlal Nehru,C. Rajagopalachari,Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Zakir Husain had good relations with Anjuman.Premchand was one of the prominent people of the Anjuman. It has been maintaining the "Ganga-Jumni Tehzib" (Ganga Yamuna Civilization) among the masses and working both for the Urdu language and national integrity.[6]
The Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu (Hind) besides publishing journals and books, and supporting research and creative work in Urdu linguistics and literature, has many other activities to promote the language e.g. Urdu Adab (Quarterly), Hamari Zaban (Weekly), Books and Dictionaries, Urdu Archives, Photo Collection, Audio Collection, Writing Competition of Children's Literature, Urdu Theater - ARPAN (Anjuman's Repertory of Performing Arts)
Its office bearers includeSadiq-ur-Rahman Kidwai, President andAther Farouqui, General Secretary.
Pakistan
editAnjuman in Pakistan is known asAnjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu (Pakistan) – (انجُمنِ ترقیِ اردو (پاکستان.[3]
Abdul Haq, the Anjuman's secretary and one of its pioneering members, shifted to Pakistan in 1947 following its independence. The Anjuman played a decisive role in thePakistan Movement.[7] The office of Anjuman's Pakistani chapter was established inKarachi in 1948.[3] The same year, a fortnightly and later monthly Urdu magazine known asQaumi Zaban was launched by Anjuman which continues to remain in publication today. For some time, Anjuman also published Urdu magazines focusing on the subjects of economics, politics, history, and science.[3] As the Anjuman's secretary, Abdul Haq played an instrumental role in the establishment of Karachi'sUrdu College in 1949, with Urdu as the medium of instruction. After Abdul Haq's death in 1961, poetJamiluddin Aali succeeded him as the Anjuman's secretary. Aali maintained a great interest in the affairs of the Urdu College, and during his tenure, the college attained university status – becoming the Federal Urdu University in 2002.[3] Aali handed over his office to Fatema Hassan in 2014.[7]
Membership of the organization was re-opened after 50 years on the occasion of the 53rd death anniversary of Abdul Haq.[7] Anjuman currently operates a library and has released over 600 publications in Urdu on different topics to date. The organization publishes journals and books and supports research and creative work in Urdu linguistics and literature.[3][7]
References
edit- ^'Homage paid to Baba-i-Urdu on his 55th death anniversary', Dawn newspaper, Published 17 August 2016, Retrieved 31 January 2017
- ^abcdefgh'Finding a Home for Urdu: The Anjuman-i Taraqqi-yi Urdu, (1903-1971), Published 31 December 2013, Retrieved 31 January 2017
- ^abcdef"Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu — the movement lives on".Dawn. 3 April 2011. Retrieved6 May 2020.
- ^"Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu — the movement lives on".DAWN.COM. 3 April 2011. Retrieved18 December 2020.
- ^ab"Homepage".Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu (Hind). Retrieved6 May 2020.
- ^"About".Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu Hind.
- ^abcd"After 50 years, Anjuman opens membership to Urdu aficionados". Dawn newspaper. 10 August 2014. Retrieved30 January 2017.