Syeda Amtul
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — The Urdu Academy Jeddah organized a literary program to promote Urdu language and to mark India’s National Education Day celebrated every year in the memory of the India’s first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad at the Indian Consulate here Friday. Other eminent personalities of the Indian community along with students from various schools were in attendance.
Indian Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai presided as the chief guest at the function. He appreciated the efforts of the academy, and praised the Indian consulate staff and community for their help during the amnesty period.
He said:"This is the first program held in the consulate after 7-8 months as we all were busy in serving our people during the amnesty, helping nearly 40,000 - 50,000.
He added: "The Urdu Academy’s efforts in promoting Urdu language is commendable."
Syed Jamal ullah Qadri, president Urdu Academy, acknowledged the members of the academy and Izhar Urdu toastmaster club for extending their help and support to this literary program. He stressed on the promotion of Urdu language among the new generation.
He also read out a petition of Urdu Academy which, he said, will be presented to the government of Andhra Pradesh to give priority to Urdu language with Telugu language if the Telangana state is separate from Andhra Pradesh. An Azad Souvenir 2013 was also launched on the occasion.
A quiz contest was conducted by Qadri and Mohammed Abbas Khan, and the speech contest was conducted by Minhaj and Ms. Wadia'a. The winners in the quiz competition for boys were Talha Shams Ali Ansari and Usaid Saud Changan from Indian International School Jeddah (IISJ), Abdul Rahman and Hussain Bayazid from Al Wurood International School, and Fahman Mohammad Moizuddin and Mohammad Azam Ali from Shati Al Noor International School.
In the speech contest, the boys who secured the first three spots were Nadeem Fayyaz from Delhi Public School, Afnan Mohammad from Al Wurood International School, and Owais Ali Khan from Shati Al Noor International School.
Among the girls, the winners of the quiz competition were Sadaf Osama Hassan and Sarah Mohammed from Dehli Public School, Yousra Raouf and Shemrin from Dauha Al Uloom International School, and Silmiya Shahbaz and Ayesha Akber Ali from Al Wurood International School.
The first three position holders in the girls' speech contest were Dua'a Habib Majid from IISJ, Sayeda Farheen Fatima from IISJ, and Sayed Asba from Al Wurood International School.
The competitions were judged by Dr. Sayed Ali Mahmood, Dr. Aleem Khan Falaki, Dr. Irshad Ahmed, Dr. Shahida Aziz, and Dr. Anwar Khurshid; Jameel Sayeed was the chief judge. The master of ceremony was Mohammed Faheem.
The program stared with a recitation of a few verses from the Qur'an and a Naat by Ahmed Raza. The vote of thanks was delivered by Saleem Farooqi, general secretary of Urdu Academy.
