Golden years of DU’s Urdu department

Delhi University Vice chancellor, Deepak Pental felicitating Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit during the golden jubilee celebrations of Urdu Department of Delhi University, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Union Minsters Ghulam Nabi Azad and Haroon Yusuf are also seen. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

Though Urdu is spoken all over the country, the Capital has some of the best Urdu speakers, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said here on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Delhi University’s Department of Urdu, Ms. Dikshit said the State Government was making efforts to develop Urdu and the language was also one of the official languages of the Government, she added.

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Urdu was spoken not only by Muslims but by people of all faiths.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker K. Rahman Khan, Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Haroon Yusuf and Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Kiran Walia were also present.

Former head of Urdu Department Dr. N.M. Kamal said the history of the Department and its role in the development of the Urdu language in the Capital were discussed. The Urdu Department was set up in 1959.