Urdu is a major Indian language, spoken and understood throughout the length and breadth of the country. Born out of the Indian soil, Urdu drew cultural inspiration from Sanskrit and the folk traditions of numerous Indian dialects, even while it assimilated the literary styles and vocabularies of Persian, Arabic and English, emerging as a modern language with a magnificent literature and a unique identity. The history of Urdu is indeed a reflection of the various streams of our national history and culture. Urdu has a large body of literature relating to all major faiths – Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism and reform movements like Arya Samaj and Brahmo Samaj. The contribution of Urdu to the development of mystic thought and the anti colonial movement for India’s freedom have been immense.
Urdu Academy
Delhi, which has always been the epicenter for the development of languages, has a special relationship with Urdu language too. Urdu developed as a written language in and around Delhi more than 800 years ago, drawing upon the local dialects present in the region. Tuti e Hind , Amir Khusrau refers to Urdu as "Zaban – e - Dehlawi" and says it has been in this area since times immemorial .This language of the Delhi region was the only Indian language adopted by the Persian speaking Moghals and came to be called ‘Urdu – e – Moalla’ during their time. Ghalib, who is regarded as the greatest Urdu poet of all times, also lived in Delhi and lies buried here. There was a long felt need to have an apex body which could preserve and nurture this rich heritage of Urdu. The Urdu Academy was established by the Government of Delhi to fulfill this need. Ever since its inception, the Academy has been playing a catalytic role in the preservation, promotion and development of Urdu language in Delhi. The Academy has also earned accolades worldwide for good taste and quality of its publications and literary and cultural offerings.