By TCN News,
New Delhi: Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal has called for a new vision and a national strategy in order to preserve the rich cultural heritage of India reflected in the Urdu, Arabic and Persian languages. The minister expressed his views while inaugurating the Annual General Body Meeting of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) here on Monday.
He also underlined the need of protecting and preserving the art forms like Calligraphy, Ghazalas, Islamic architecture and sculpture etc. through developing human resource in these areas.
Union Minister for Human Resource Development and Communications and Information Technology, Kapil Sibal presiding over the XIX meeting of National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, in New Delhi on October 03, 2011. The Minister of State for External Affairs and Human Resource Development, E. Ahamed is also seen. [Photo Courtesy: PIB]
Sibal also mooted the idea that there should be an annual Urdu heritage/literary event, coordinated by NCPUL. This annual event could be held in different parts of the country every year so that a greater number of people can be reached out to.
In order to develop a road map for the promotion of Urdu, Arabic and Persian languages in the 12th Plan, NCPUL was asked by the Ministry of HRD to hold discussions with eminent people and experts and prepare an ‘Approach Paper’ and submit it to the Ministry. Accordingly, three interactive sessions were held with eminent personalities connected with Urdu language, literature and culture which were presided over by K. Rahman Khan, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha on 12th March, 2010, Prof. Shamsur Rehman Faruqi, noted scholar on 2nd August, 2010 and Dr. Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, Member, Planning Commission on 28th December, 2010.
The road map suggests that in order to create a new thrust in the 12th Plan, it is necessary to re-visit the mandate of NCPUL and vest it with powers to register, examine and certify learners upto pre-degree level in language and vocational courses traditionally related to these languages. These courses will be identified under National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework (NVEQF).