SRINAGAR: The Department of Urdu at the University of Kashmir (KU) on Tuesday began a two-day international conference on “Environmental Literature and Criticism in Urdu” at the university’s main campus.
The conference has brought together academicians, researchers, students and literature scholars to discuss environmental themes and critical perspectives in Urdu literature.
Addressing the inaugural session, Vice-Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan said environmental and nature-centric literary research has assumed greater significance in the contemporary era and can help expand the scope of research and critical inquiry in Urdu studies.
Dean Academic Affairs Prof Shariefuddin Pirzada spoke about the relationship between nature, environment and human life as reflected in Urdu literature and stressed the need for sustained academic engagement with environmental criticism.
Delivering the keynote address, former Head of the Department of Urdu at the University of Delhi, Prof Irtiza Karim, highlighted the importance of environmental literature and discussed contemporary environmental challenges and their impact on society.
Head of the Department of Urdu, University of Jammu, Prof Shahab Inayat Ahmad Malik, former Director of the Centre for Distance and Online Education, KU, Prof Shafiqa Parveen, and former Head of the Department of Urdu and Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof Nazir Ahmad Malik, also spoke on the occasion and highlighted various dimensions of environmental literature and its relevance to contemporary academic discourse.
Earlier, Head of the Department of Urdu, KU, Prof Irfan Ahmad, welcomed the participants and underlined the growing significance of environmental and ecological concerns in literary studies.
The conference will continue with technical sessions and academic deliberations on environmental themes and critical approaches in Urdu literature. Dr Mushtaq Haider conducted the proceedings, while Dr Kausar Rasool proposed the vote of thanks.
