The Syed Ahsan Ali and Syed Maratib Ali School of Education (SOE) invited Dr. Tariq Rahman, Dean, School of Education at Beaconhouse National University (BNU), to conduct an EduSpeak session on ‘Myths about Urdu: An Exercise in Deconstruction, Debunking and Amendment’. Dr. Rahman is also a Professor Emeritus at National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. His research spans over two decades and examines the links between language and politics in Pakistani culture. In 2013, he was conferred with ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’ for his contributions to the field of language research.
Dr. Rahman started the session by sharing how he is introduced as the Dean, School of Education at BNU, however, he is more of a Professor. He then began to elaborate on his work in the field of Urdu language. He also stated that he has explored the role of regional languages in identity formation, creation of indigenous regional language movements, history of British language policies, and the legacy of policies on the choice of medium of instruction.
Moreover, he explained how Urdu was derived from different languages. The highlight of the session was his poetry recital in different languages, in order to trace back roots of Urdu language. He also explained how Urdu evolved through different times and ages.
The Session, attended by SOE students, faculty and the SOE Dean, Dr. Tahir Andrabi, ended on a high note as witnessed during the Q&A session, which was full of insightful exchanges that showed the curiosity and interest of the students in the topic being discussed.
