Srinagar, Oct 30: A two-day National Seminar on ‘Manuscript Heritage of Kashmir-with special reference to Persian Collections’ started here at University of Kashmir on Tuesday.
The seminar has been organized by Kalakosa Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi in collaboration with Post Graduate Department of Persian, University of Kashmir.
Member Secretary, IGNCA, Prof. Sachchidanad Joshi who was the chief guest on the occasion talked about the unattended wealth of various manuscripts present in the country and the need of capacity building among the youth to extract knowledge from them.
“We have started courses on manuscriptology and young people have shown immense interest in these courses and other such workshops conducted by our organsition,” said Prof Joshi.
Director Iran Culture House, New Delhi, Dr. Ehsanullah Shukrullahi and Former Dean, Delhi University (DU), Prof. Sharief Hussain Qasimi were special guests present on the occasion.
Congratulating the department of Persian for the seminar, Prof. Qasimi said that it was an important theme selected to discuss about.
Prof Qasimi said that the sub -continent had a rich literary legacy “that was brought to ruins under colonial rule”.
“The knowledge coming down from west today is mostly the same knowledge they took away from us during colonialism,” said Prof Qasmi.
The event was presided over by Registrar, University of Kashmir, Prof. Neelofar Khan. Prof. Khan in her presidential remarks welcomed the dignitaries from outside and spoke about the scope and need of research in the field of Persian language.
While sharing her experience on the occasion she said that students in colleges are more and more opting for Persian these days which in itself is a good omen for the promotion of the language.
The welcome address was given by Head Kalakosa Division, IGNCA, Dr. Advatavadini Kaul.
Dr Kaul gave a perspective about the beginning of Persian in Kashmir. She talked about how Persian language thrived in Kashmir under the reign of Sultan Zain-ul-Abideen and during the Mughal Rule.
Chairman Fakhrudin Ali Ahmad Committee, Lucknow, Prof. Arif Ayoubi talked about the need of reformation in the educational policies that would bring the issues of revival of languages and literature in light.
Dean School of Arts, language and literature, Prof Lily Want talked about the confluence of cultures in Kashmir and how Persian outstood all.
“Out of all the cultures that have had an impact of Kashmiri culture only Persian has earned an epithet, Iran-e-Sageer,” said Prof Want.
Head, Department of Persian, Dr. Jahangir Iqbal presented vote of thanks on the occasion.
