By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Urdu daily Inquilab was established in 1938 in the thick of the Indian freedom struggle by Abdul Hameed Ansari. Abdul Hameed Ansari was a freedom fighter and that spirit of freedom is still alive in the pages of Inquilab. Shahid Latif is the current editor of Inquilab and keeper of the 70 year old flame.
Though India has attained independence 60 years ago but people still face same kind of problems and difficulties. “The work that Inquilab rendered in its initial days continue to be its mission,” said Shahid Latif talking to TwoCircles.net.
Shahid Latif is a man of humble origin but high aspirations. Son of a grade three Indian Railways employee, his schooling was in Khandesh district of Maharashtra. He arrived in Mumbai in 1975 to do his higher studies. He worked as an accountant though cultivated in family tradition of literature and poetry he ended up in the vibrant Urdu poetry circles of Mumbai.
From accounting to journalism was a long journey for Latif. He had a successful run writing a humour column for Inquilab called ‘namak-paare.’ His second innings in journalism was writing a serious column called “min-o-an” which was widely read and also published weekly on Urdustan.com (an affiliate of TwoCircles.net).
Shahid Latif [TCN photo]
In 2004, he became the editor of Inquilab and had given the newspaper a makeover. Inquilab, unlike other Urdu newspapers stays away from sensational news and emotional language. Though Latif believed the emotional reporting of Urdu newspaper is more reflection on the community that they serve. Muslims are emotional people and therefore newspapers serving them also tend to follow that lead.
Shahid Latif is cautiously optimistic about future of Urdu saying hopeful signs in Maharashtra, Karanataka and elsewhere Urdu schools continue to exist and produce new Urdu readers. Though his publication is aware of a new crop of Muslims who are more comfortable in English, therefore Inquilab launched “Qaum” a supplement in English. “Qaum” will soon be a stand alone publication.
To Urdu newspapers, Shahid Latif’s message is to focus on the real issues of the community such as education, employment, and women’s education.
Link:
http://www.inquilab.com