New Delhi: As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, The Wire will be organizing a vibrant two-day Urdu Festival titled ‘Urdu Hai Jiska Naam’ at Jawahar Bhawan in New Delhi on August 1 and 2. The event is set to offer a rich blend of literature, culture, and political discourse, with panels, performances, storytelling, film screening, and a concluding mushaira.
The festival will begin on Friday, August 1 at 4 PM with an inaugural panel on the history and legacy of Urdu. Esteemed speakers include Syeda Saiyidain Hameed (former Chancellor, Maulana Azad National Urdu University), Peggy Mohan (author of Father Tongue, Motherland), and Ather Farouqui (General Secretary, Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu Hind). The panel will be moderated by Faiyaz Ahmad Wajeeh, editor of The Wire Urdu.
The evening will conclude with a tribute performance to classical poet Daagh Dehlvi, combining narration and ghazal, by Shivangini Yaeshu Yuvraj and Ashhar Haque, with accompaniment by Ishaan Sharma on tabla and Tanish Dholpuri on sarangi.
On Saturday, August 2, the program resumes at 11 AM with a discussion on language, writing, ownership and identity, moderated by Mahtab Alam, the festival curator and former executive editor of The Wire Urdu. He will be joined by Rakhshanda Jalil (author and translator) and Suhail Anjum (journalist and writer).
This will be followed by a presentation on Urdu and meme culture by Nasheet Shadani, founder of the popular Instagram page ‘Ishq Urdu’, in conversation with multimedia producer Minal Saeed Khan.
A short film screening of Zabaan, based on a story by K.A. Abbas, will take place at 2 PM.
At 2:30 PM, a crucial discussion will focus on Israel’s ongoing violence in Gaza. Speakers include Arfa Khanum Sherwani (senior editor, The Wire), Vivek Katju (former Secretary, MEA), Zoya Hasan (Professor Emerita, JNU), Sabika Abbas (poet and rights activist), and Siddharth Varadarajan (Founding Editor, The Wire).
Next, a panel on translation in and from Urdu will be moderated by Syed Kashif and feature Arjumand Ara (academic and translator), Rana Safvi (author and historian), and Shubham Mishra (urban planner and translator), discussing the nuances and challenges of translating Urdu literature.
Two events will run in parallel: a storytelling session for children by Ashhar Haque, and an open discussion on the relationship between Hindi and Urdu, led by Meenakshi Tewari, Deputy Editor of The Wire Hindi.
The festival will end with a mushaira featuring renowned poets Farhat Ehsas, Alam Khursheed, Noman Shauque, Aleena Itrat Rizvi, and Moid Rasheedi.
Stalls featuring books, calligraphy, and merchandise — including exclusive Wire collectibles — will be available at the venue. Entry to the festival is free and open to all.
