By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Urdu Times, the only influential daily in Mumbai owned by Muslims, celebrated its 50th year on Sunday, with a great show in the presence of powerful politicians of Maharashtra and cream of the Muslim community in Taj Lands End hotel in Bandra, Mumbai.
Every speaker including the politicians like Central Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, K. Rahman Khan, admired the successful completion of Urdu Times despite extraordinary intricacies faced by newspapers especially of Urdu language.
Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay speaking on Golden Jubilee ceremony of Urdu Times in Mumbai
Sharad Pawar, Union Minister of Agriculture, who himself failed thrice to run newspaper in Marathi appreciated, “ It’s really admirable to see an Urdu daily that too from Mumbai completed its 50 years.”
He also correlated two important incidents –one of the formation of Maharashtra state in 1960 and the other is the launch of Urdu Times and prayed, “I hope that Maharashtra and Urdu Times grow together forever.”
K. Rahman Khan, who also failed to run Urdu daily Salaar from Bangalore, complained about lesser advertisement to Urdu dailies and asked the ministers present there to increase the quota of advertisement.
R-L: Mr Saeed Ahmed (chief editor, Urdu Times), K Rahman Khan (Deputy chairman, Rajya Sabha), Sharad Pawar (Union Minister), Mr Imtiyaz Ahmed (managing editor, Urdu Times), Prithviraj Chavan (chief minister, Maharashtra), Mr Khalid Ahmed (partner), Mr Suhail Ahmed (partner), Mr V R Sharief
He also reminded a promise made by earlier Chief Minister Ashok Chavan to Urdu dailies of Mumbai. He said, “On the complaint of Urdu newspapers that lands were allotted to other newspapers and not to Urdu newspapers, we and our party had promised them land which should be fulfilled.”
Describing challenges before the print media Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan said, “With the influx of electronic media like news channels, internet and smses, print media certainly facing tough competition but there is no alternate to newspapers.”
Mr. Chavan also announced to allot land to Urdu newspapers who were deprived of it till today, in New Mumbai Media city. Looking at the adverse conditions of Urdu newspapers he said, “I will see if Urdu Times or whichever Urdu newspapers have applied for the land and eligible will be allotted land in New Mumbai.”
Mr. Chavan also explained the growing power of media and asked them to refrain from character assassination without any authentic proof. He said, “With great power comes the greater responsibility and media should use their power in the larger interest of the people.”
Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister of Rural Development and former chief minister of Maharashtra, appreciated the role of Urdu in the fight of freedom. He said, “Urdu is not only the language of Muslims but of the nation and its role in freedom struggle can never be ignored.”
On the occasion, Urdu Times awarded several activists, writers and social workers for their performance in their respective fields. The Late Nazir Ahmed Award was given to businessman and philanthropist, Abdul Razzaq Kalsekar, Late Moin Award to Waliullah Sharif, Award for working in Health sector was given to Dr.Abdur Rauf Sumar and Award of excellence to Arif Nasim Khan.