The department of Urdu, JU today organized two day international seminar on the topic “Jagan Nath Azad and his comtemporary Poets”

The department of Urdu, University of Jammu today organized two day international seminar on the topic “Jagan Nath Azad and his contemporary Poets” at Prof.Gian Chand Jain Seminar Hall of the department. The thought provoking keynote address was delivered by a well known fiction writer Jnb Ayaz Rasool Nazki, Prof.Manzar Hussain (Ranchi University Jharkhand) presided over the function. Prof.Neelu Rohmetra Dean Research Studies, University of Jammu was the Chief Guest while Allymamod Asuf grace the occasion as Guest of honour.Prof.MohdReyaz Ahmad HOD Urdu,University of Jammu was also in presidium.

Ayaz Rasool Nazki in his keynote address in detail threw light on the role of Jagan Nath Azad in the development of Urdu Language & Literature.

In his presidential address Prof.Manzar Hussain congratulated the department of Urdu for organizing the international seminar on the vital topic. He said that Jagan Nath Azad has served in the Department of Urdu ,University of Jammu for decades & remain as HOD from 1977 to 1983. Azad was born on 5 December 1920 in the small town of Isa Khel in Mianwali District, Punjab(Now in Pakistan). The District became part of Pakistan after the partition of India in 1947. He inherited his love of Urdu literature from his father, Tilok Chand Mehroom – was the close companion of syed Hashim Raza, Syed Moeenuddin Jafri_UL_Chishti, Shabeer Hassan Khan (known as Josh Malihabadi) himself a poet of renown – who introduced him to Urdu poetry via Diwan-e-Ghalib and took him to mushairas in which he participated. The first such event resulted in the young Azad meeting Hafeez Jalandhari for the first time and being presented with a copy of Hindustan Hamara, which he read, cherished and re-read over the years.

In his address Prof.Neelu Rohmetra said that Jagan Nath Azad joined the Government of India's Ministry of Labour as Editor of Employment News in 1948. A few months later he applied for, and secured one of the three posts of Assistant Editor (Urdu) with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting's Publications Division. He was promoted to Information Officer (Urdu) in 1955. Subsequently, he served as IO (U) in the Ministry of Food & Agriculture; the Ministry of Tourism Shipping & Transport, and the Ministry of Works & Housing with a brief return to the Ministry of I & B (1964–65) and as the first Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs for the newly created Border Security Force. On promotion to Deputy Principal Information Officer, he joined the Government of India's Press Information Bureau and served in both the New Delhi & Srinagar offices. He remained in Srinagar on promotion to Director of Public Relations in 1973 and retired from the PIB & the Government Service in 1977.

In his address Dr.Allymohamad Adil said that After retirement from the Government Service in 1977, Azad accepted University of Jammu's offer of Headship of the Department of Urdu and the post of Professor at the University of Jammu. This posting provided him the atmosphere and the opportunity to spread his literary & academic wings. It is here that he produced the translation of Allama Iqbal's Javed Nama and undertook the massive task of writing Allama's biography (Roodad-e-Iqbal) in five volumes. Roodad-e-Iqbal, Volume I was compiled and published by Amin Banjara, a well-known writer, critic, research scholar and a close associate of Azad in 2005 and released by Begum Vimla Azad. Roodad-e-Iqbal, Volume II (646 pages), completed shortly before his death, is also compiled by Amin Banjara in book form and ready for publication. Amin Banjara is also working on Azad's Interviews and his letters. Unfortunately, research material & manuscripts of volumes III – V of Roodad-e-Iqbal were destroyed in the flood of 1988. Azad found it impossible to reconstruct the lost manuscripts. The University honoured him with the award of Deanship of the Faculty of Oriental Learning in 1980 and Emeritus Fellowship in 1984. It also facilitated his literary work with the provision of accommodation and staff till his demise.The DLit degrees awarded by the Universities of Jammu & Kashmir to him and the 10+ books & numerous research articles written about him are testimony to Azad's impact on the literary circles of both India and Pakistan.

Earlier in his welcome address Prof.MohdReyaz Ahmed, HOD Urdu threw light on aims & Objectives of the international seminar and also welcomed the guests and audiences.

Dr.Farhat Shamim, Asstt. Professor of the Urdu department, University of Jammu, conducted the proceedings of the program while vote of thanks was presented by Dr.Abdul Rashid Manhas, Assistant Professor of the department of Urdu, University of Jammu.

An exhibition of books was organized by QasmiKutubKhanaTalabKhatikan Jammu in the department of Urdu,University of Jammu.

Besides students, scholars, faculty members and civil society members also attending the lecture. The lecture was attended by respectable deligates, citizens ,scholars,students others.