New Delhi, August 18: The All India Educational Movement (AIEM) hosted a grand felicitation ceremony at Tasmia Auditorium to honor Professor Shehpar Rasool, the newly appointed Vice-Chairman of Delhi Urdu Academy, along with the members of its newly constituted Governing Council. The event, chaired by Dr. S. Farooq, head of the Himalaya Group and AIEM’s patron, also witnessed the presence of several prominent personalities in the field of Urdu language and literature.
The program commenced with a heartfelt prayer for the late AIEM Secretary, Rashid Agwan, whose sudden demise was deeply mourned. Senior journalist Mansoor Agha delivered the welcome speech, expressing his gratitude to AIEM and the event conveners, Advocate Raees Ahmad and Aslam Ahmad, for organizing this significant gathering.
In his inaugural address, AIEM President Dr. Khwaja M. Shahid congratulated Professor Rasool on his reappointment as Vice-Chairman. He emphasized that the absence of a Governing Council for the past two years had hindered the progress of Urdu in Delhi. With the council now reconstituted, there is renewed hope for the revival of stalled projects aimed at the development of the Urdu language.
Professor Rasool assured the audience of his commitment to advancing Urdu and the Academy’s goals. “Once again, this important responsibility has been entrusted to me. The initiatives we undertake will significantly accelerate the growth of Urdu,” he stated.
Dr. S. Farooq, presiding over the event, extended his best wishes to Professor Rasool and his team. His poetic expressions added a unique charm to the Urdu gathering.
The event also featured addresses by several distinguished guests, including Padma Shri awardee and former Vice-Chancellor of Jodhpur University, Professor Akhtarul Wasey; former NCPUL Director and JNU Professor Dr. Khwaja Ikramuddin; Dr. Shabana Nazir; senior journalist Masoom Muradabadi; and Suhail Anjum.
The program began with a recitation from the Quran by Mohammad Ilyas. AIEM General Secretary Abdul Rashid thanked the attendees, and Advocate Raees Ahmad skillfully conducted the proceedings.
Specially invited to the event were members of the newly appointed Governing Council of the Delhi Urdu Academy, including Professor Manzar Ahmad, former Rajya Sabha Joint Director Dost Mohammad Nabi Khan; former Doordarshan and PIB official Khurshid Akram, interior business professional Firoz Ahmad Siddiqui, calligraphy expert Mohsin ul Haq, and young members Mohammad Hasib and Mohammad Muzaffar. The gathering also saw the participation of several other notable figures such as Professor Abdul Qayyum Ansari, Idris Qureshi, Halima Sadiya, Farooq Siddiqui, and Ejaz Gauri.
