Urdu society holds ninth monthly poetry session

GULF TIMES

Urdu society holds ninth monthly poetry session
Publish Date: Sunday, 24 April, 2005, at 12:03 AM Doha Time

QATAR’S India Urdu Society has held its ninth monthly mushaira (poetry session) in Doha. The mushaira, sponsored by Rashid Ali, was attended by a number of well-known personalities of Qatar. The Society is affiliated to Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) under the aegis of the Indian embassy.

The mushaira was presided over by Zafar Siddiqi, who teaches process engineering at Qatar Petroleum’s Training Centre. The chief guest was noted scholar, writer and poet Dr Khalilur Rahman Raaz, while Prof Ali Naqi, who teaches at Cornell Medical College, was the guest of honour.

The session started with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Qari Ghayathuddin. Jaleel Nizami, founder president of the society, presented a Na’at. Ateeq Anzar did the initial compering.

In his presidential address, Siddiqi complimented the organisers for their efforts to promote Urdu in Doha. He also offered his help and co-operation to the Society. Dr Raaz lauded the work being done by the Society in Doha, adding that the poetry session provides a great opportunity in learning new aspects about the language. Prof Naqi lauded the role played by the Society in popularising Urdu. He said: “Urdu is one of the world’s most popular languages and is spoken in many countries of the world.”

The poets who presented their works were Dr Raaz, Naseem Kazmi, Rasheed Niaz, Jaleel Nizami, Ateeq Anzar, A R Sadaf, A H Qabil, Dr Shams Madani, Asfandyar Ansari, Jatender Baja, Maqsood Khan and A Nabeel.

Noted singer Abul Khair sang a ghazal of Jigar Muradabadi. Maqsood Khan Maqsood compered the session. The Society presented gifts to all the participating poets. Jaleel Nizami proposed a vote of thanks on behalf of Rashid Ali. A feature of the mushaira was its integration of Urdu and Hindi poets and ghazals and nazms by Indian and Pakistani poets.