Urdu Day Conference and Mushaira in Dehradun

A Confluence of Love and Culture in Memory of Iqbal

Report: Amaanullah Usmani

Dehradun: On the occasion of the birth anniversary of the poet of the Middle East, Allama Iqbal (may Allah be pleased with him) and the silver jubilee of Uttarakhand, a grand International Urdu Day Conference and Mushaira was organized in Dehradun. The event took place at Dr. Riazul Hasan Siddiqui Aligarh’s residence, “Mashallah Manzil” (Van Vihar Colony, Shimla Bypass).

The program began with the recitation of the Quran.

The program was conducted by Dr. Abdul Rab and Shadab Ali.

The program was presided over by senior poet Nadeem Barni.

FM Channel Director Manish Bhatt attended as the chief guest and expressed his passion for the Urdu language. The presence of veteran poet Zia-ul-Hasan Zia Nehtori added to the glamorous atmosphere of the event.

Social activists Dr. S.A. Ansari, Rao Naseem, Ms. Indrani Pandey of Himachal News, Mrs. Ambika Ruhi, and Syed Uwais Ahmed shared their views on the development of Urdu and strengthening its culture.

In the second session, young poetess Monica Mantasha captivated the audience with her melodies and couplets. Iqbal Azar, Satish Bansal, Dr. Suhaila Ahmed, Inam Ramzi, Iftikhar Sagar (Purqazi), Kavi Arora, and Khurshid Siddiqui also received accolades for their poetry.

Khurshid Siddiqui’s Naatiya added a spiritual touch to the gathering.

A large number of literary figures, intellectuals, social workers, and members of the public attended the event, including Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Dr. Imran Ahmed, Meraj Ahmed, Dr. Shagufta Jahan, Dr. Salman Aligarh, Lieutenant Mohammad Salim, Dr. Jamshed Usmani, Engineer Mushtaq Ahmed Aligarh, and Advocate Syed Haider Ali, among many other respected figures.

The event concluded with the slogan –

“Urdu is our identity, our culture, and a medium of love.”

This evening of Urdu on the land of Dehradun, like Iqbal’s message, lingered for a long time.