Young take to Urdu, thanks to new tools

Many enthusiasts are turning up at the Telangana Urdu Academy stalls at Numaish

There is some hope for Urdu. Though it is fast becoming an endangered language, the young are taking interest and want to learn it.

Despite being the second official language of Telangana state, Urdumedium schools are fast vanishing from even Hyderabad, which once played a vital role in improvising the language.

But while its academic landscape is shrinking, the interest shown by non-Urdu-speaking people, particularly the youth, is giving hope that the language might be around for longer. This is apparent from the queries visitors raise at the Telangana Urdu Academy stalls during the Numaish at the Nampally exhibition. Many wanted to know how they could learn Urdu without the aid of a tutor or mentor.

The stall didn’t disappoint them. The employees led them to a book, “Teach Yourself Urdu in Two Months”, compiled by Prof. Aziz-ur-Rahman and edited by Khalid Azizi.

The stall also showcases books in Urdu on health and science, diseases, commentaries on poetry by legends, history, thesaurus and dictionaries.

An official at the academy said many come looking for tools that will help them learn the Urdu language. “But we are not in a position to guide them properly, as we are not aware of such tools, which might be available in the market,” he said.

The academy’s president, Mr Mohammed Raheemuddin Ansari, said developing such tools using information technology was the need of the hour.

“In the past, we had a televised programme, Aao Urdu Seekhen. Based on feedback from visitors at the stall we are considering the possibility of developing a cellphone application and online programme for Urdu learners through Telugu, Hindi and English languages.”

Mohammed Sajid of Mumtaz Book Depot said he sells five to six copies of Learn Urdu. “Parents of students from English medium schools are keen to teach their wards Urdu language, as it has the treasure of knowledge of the deen (religion).”

Mr Babu Rao, a teacher, is learning Urdu, and also teaching it to his son and daughter.

Idara-e-Adabiyat-e-Urdu held examinations of Zaban Dani, Urdu Dani and Insha (diction), which was attended by hundreds of candidates belong to different age groups and religions.