In a significant milestone marking the 200th anniversary of Urdu journalism in India, the Exchange for Media honoured 40 accomplished Urdu journalists from various parts of the country. Among the distinguished awardees is Mohammed Mubashiruddin Khurram, a staff reporter of Siasat Daily.
The award ceremony was held at the India International Centre in Delhi on September 30. It was presided over by former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi. The event was presided over by Mr Anurag Batra, the chief executive officer of Exchange for Media.
Distinguished luminaries from the realm of Urdu literature, including Khalid Raza Khan, Khursheed Rabbani, Ruhail Amin, Rakshanda Jalil, Aqeel Ahmed, and many others, added to the significance of the occasion, paying tribute to the rich legacy of Urdu journalism.
During his address, Mr. Anurag Batra emphasised the pivotal role of the Urdu language in both Urdu newspapers and India’s freedom movement, highlighting its unique significance. He expressed concern about attempts to associate Urdu with a specific religion, emphasising that such associations were detrimental to the language’s true essence. Mr. Batra stressed that Urdu is not a foreign language but an essential Indian language that resonates with the hearts of its people. He fondly recalled his parents using and cherishing Urdu, a testament to its deep-rooted Indian heritage.
Former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi, in his address, highlighted that Urdu transcends religious boundaries and should not be confined to any one faith. He congratulated all the journalists who received accolades for their exceptional contributions to the field of Urdu journalism.
Apart from Mubashiruddin Khurram, other notable awardees included Khalil Farhad from BBN Urdu news channel in Hyderabad, Mirza Ghani Baig and Mehtab Alam from Delhi, and Abid Hussain from Kashmir, representing News18.
