By: Syed Zia ur Rahman, YaHind.Com
Hyderabad, September 23 – The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language is fully committed to the training and capacity building of Urdu journalists. These remarks were made by Dr. Md. Shams Eqbal, Director of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, while delivering the welcome address at the inaugural session of the three-day “National Capacity Building Workshop for Urdu Journalists” held at Maulana Azad National Urdu University today.
Dr. Md. Shams Eqbal emphasized that Maulana Azad National Urdu University is a prestigious national institution for the Urdu language, and the Council takes great pride in organizing training programs for journalists in collaboration with this esteemed institution. He stated that Urdu journalists must be equipped with the skills to tackle the challenges of the evolving times, enabling them to progress shoulder-to-shoulder with their counterparts in other languages.
The Director also announced initiatives to further strengthen the collaboration between the National Council and the Urdu University. Earlier, Prof. Mohammad Faryad, Dean and Head of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, welcomed all participants and noted that the department, with the support of the National Council, is organizing this workshop specifically for Urdu journalists in Telangana, particularly in Hyderabad. Renowned experts from across the country have been invited to provide training.
Vice-Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan, remarked that with the emergence of new challenges in the field of journalism, it is imperative to prepare Urdu journalists to face them. This workshop, initiated today with the Council’s support, fulfills that very need. Addressing working journalists and journalism students, the Vice-Chancellor urged them to hone their linguistic skills to ensure successful communication in the field. He stressed that a journalist should only convey authentic and well-researched information to the public, as “the truth in news is the very soul of journalism.”
Guest of Honor Amer Ali Khan, Managing Editor of The Siasat Daily, Hyderabad, congratulated the Urdu University for hosting the training workshop for journalists. He highlighted that such programs are immensely beneficial in enhancing and refining the skills of Urdu journalists. Khan emphasized that it is now the responsibility of Urdu journalists to fully capitalize on these opportunities. He also advised them to leverage government-level employment prospects available to them.
Revolution’s Resident Editor Dr. Yameen Ansari urged journalists to be particularly vigilant about verifying the authenticity of news in the era of fake news. Editor-in-Chief of Bharat News Network, Dr. Sarfaraz Saifi, also addressed the inaugural session. He asserted that Urdu is not the language of any single religion but the shared heritage and cultural language of India. Addressing journalism students, he encouraged them to remain proactive in the field and to infuse themselves with passion.
During the inaugural session of the three-day workshop, the 34th issue of the university’s newsletter “Al-Kalam” was also released. Public Relations Officer and Editor Dr. Mohammad Mustafa Ali Sarwari, while speaking on the occasion, said that the newsletter now features up to 100 pages, including dedicated sections on various topics related to the university beyond just news.
At the conclusion of the program, Prof. Ihtisham Ahmad Khan extended thanks. Following the inaugural session, the first technical session was led by Mr. Ravi Reddy, Resident Editor of The Hindu, who engagingly guided participants on reporting in rural areas. The second session was conducted by Dr. Sarfaraz Saifi, Editor-in-Chief of Bharat News. After tea, the third session was addressed by Dr. Mohammad Mustafa Ali Sarwari on freelance journalism and various income sources. Meanwhile, Dr. Yameen Ansari, Resident Editor of Revolution Delhi, delivered a lecture on the role of Urdu editors in shaping public opinion.
Source: Press Release
