Software Assistance – Adding New Dimensions To The Progression Of Urdu Through Internet

Technology comes to aid different aspects of human life in ways quite unprecedented. Ever since the inception of internet, knowledge sharing has observed great ease and convenience. Many softwares have been developed to help increased number of people to be a significant part of knowledge sharing experience in their own indigenous languages.

The role and scope of Urdu language in progression of knowledge through internet had been quite limited due to lack of any significant software that could not only translate and comprehend it, but also do so with increased effects.

Urdu language’s Persian and Arabic origins made it quite difficult to convey the complete essence of its writings due to lack of any worthwhile software that can convey the subtleties of grammar and expression to the users. Arabic script has quite a complicated and diverse set of grammatical conventions that differs greatly from majority of Western languages in which software are developed.

However, devoted efforts of Rohini Srihari have led to the development of software that extends its expertise far beyond simple translations which are confined to literal meanings rather than complete comprehension.

There was always a dire need of a software program that could convey the essence of communication beyond simple translation, and Rohini Srihari’s devoted efforts lay solid foundations towards that. She wants to address the need of complete information about people, places, and things that are being talked about.  

In addition, her software is capable of identifying whether an expression is positive, negative, or neutral. Positive sentiments will be marked with green, while a negative one would be marked by red color, thus depicting the nature of sentiments involved. To surmise, this is an effort, whose complete significance is beyond one’s immediate grasp. Only time will tell how significant it will be for the integration of Urdu language into mainstream of internet information flow.

Muhammad Jameel Khan: Urdu Writer & Critic!

Prof. Dr. Jameel Jalibi or Muhammad Jameel Khan is a famous personality in Urdu literature. This great personality is a noted linguistic, an extra-ordinary critic, a hilarious writer, talented educationist and an out of the world researcher. He has served as the Vice Chancellor and Professor of the Department of Urdu in university of Karachi.

Jalibi was born on June 12 in 1929 in Yosufzai tribe of Aligarh. He got his early education from Aligarh and then he had his college at Meerut.  After the partition, the great personality moved to Pakistan, but he kept his education and literary activities constant. Jalibi continued his studies in Pakistan as well and got high LLB from Sind University. After that he served at income tax department and then moved to Karachi University, where he served till 1987.

He has given the nation many presents in the form of his Urdu books. His books included Tanqeed aur Tajarba, Adab, Culture aur Masa'el, Maasir-e-Adab, Qaumi Zuban, Yak-Jehti Nafaz aur Masa'el, Masnavi Kadam Rao aur Pidam Rao and Diwan-e-Hasan Shauqi.

For his outstanding work the government of Pakistan presented him with two national awards as well. These included Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Hilal-e-Imtiaz. Urdu literature and language has seen many gems and Jalibi is one of them. It is due to these gems of Urdu which has been able to survive over the years and had made its place at international level. Jalibi’s efforts can never be forgotten and the nation would always be thankful to such gems.

Roman Urdu: The Latest Version But Not The Fresh One!

There is much about the Urdu language that the Urdu speakers don’t even know. One of the facts about Urdu is that it can be written in Roman script as well.  Roman Urdu is not new; it was in use during the British Raj as well.  One of the reasons that Urdu was used in the British Raj was the availability and low cost of Roman language printing press and typewriters.

Roman Urdu is gaining its popularity back again, but this time it has hit with a new concept. Now it is being used casually amongst the text message users and Internet users.  The latest version of Roman Urdu is different from the older one. The latest version is developing its own style and its conventions.

Habib R. Sulemani, in one of his news articles, says, "The younger generation of Urdu-speaking people around the world, especially Pakistan, are using Romanian Urdu on the Internet and it has become essential for them, because they use the Internet and English is its language. Typically, in that sense, a person from Islamabad in Pakistan may chat with another in Delhi in India on the Internet only in Roman Urdu. They both speak the same language but would have different scripts. Moreover, the younger generation of those who are from the English medium schools or settled in the west, can speak Urdu but can’t write it in the traditional Arabic script and thus Roman Urdu is a blessing for such a population.”

Though it might seem quite uncomfortable for convention loving people, but in the longer run, it would serve in dissemination of Urdu on a much wider and global scale.

Behzad: another chapter of Urdu comes to an end!

The language of decency, Urdu, has been celebrated yet again. This time the literary forum of celebration took place overseas.  The Majlis Froghe Urdu Arab, Qatar, had organized this forum. The whole forum was dedicated to the noted Pakistani poet Azm Behzad, who died of a heart attack in Karachi on 4^th of March.

Behzad was one of the prominent members of the Majlis Froghe Urdu Adab, who conducted different programs for the improvement and promotion of the language on an international level. He has served the forum for nearly four years.

The popular personalities, in “the tribute to the Behzad”, were poet and scholar Ata ul Haq Qasmi and Syed Fahimuddin Hashmi, Zawwar Hussain Zair, Aziz Nabeel, Ijaz Haider, Shafiq Akhtar and Ashfaq Qalaque. They all saluted the services of Behzad.

Mohammad Atiq, chairman of the board of patrons of the Majlis, paid special tribute to the great poet by recalling his contribution towards the promotion and improvement of Urdu language and literature. Behzad was amongst the gems of Urdu language and poetry whose loss cannot be replaced. Urdu poetry will have hardships in recovering from such loss.

Apart from being one of the leading poets, Behzad was also a great human being. His recitation of poetry is still the hot topic of any Mushaira.  With Behzad another beautiful chapter of Urdu has come to an end. There will be always new faces coming in, but olds can never be replaced, as they say “old is gold”.

Urdu Hindi Through Different Controversies

Language is a source of recognition for all nations. Language is not just about the medium of communication, it depicts the culture and ideology of nations.  Every nation is always over protective to their languages; this makes a language a collective heritage of its speakers.

Urdu is national language of Pakistan and official language in some of the parts in India. In India Urdu Hindi controversy is a big dilemma, time and again people are exploited over the Urdu Hindi disagreement to set political gains.

Nineteen century was more controversial when Hindus raised a movement to practice Hindi as National language in all parts of India. To counter this attack, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan led Urdu movement to defend the subsistence of Urdu language in the subcontinent.

Most of the people have point of view that Urdu Hindi controversy had become the source of separation between Pakistan and India. However, it is not clear which single difference initiated the resolution for a separate nation.

Even until now, despite the declaration of Urdu language in some of parts, Indian Government has failed to ensure the application in real sense

Urdu Hindi controversy has long history but one thing is pretty apparent that Urdu has succeeded in preserving its versatility and unique expression through all years. Its speakers are motivated and are defending their language at different platforms with aim to keep its strong presence and popularity with users.

This controversy is more about the exploitation of subject for the political gains, but it is responsibility of speakers to preserve its beauty even through the tough times.