By TCN News,
Hyderabad: The Directorate of Distance Education auditorium at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) came alive with a musical ceremony on Friday to launch the university’s tarana (song), which is written by famous writer, poet and Bollywood lyricist Gulzar.
Music for the tarana was composed by another Bollywood stalwart – composer, musician and film maker – Vishal Bhardwaj; while Sukhwinder Singh of Chaiyya Chaiyya fame has provided vocals to the tarana. All three dignitaries were present at the tarana launch ceremony; which was attended, besides staff and students of the university, by a large number of music lovers and dignitaries from the city.
The function started with the recitation of the verses of the Holy Quran, followed by an audio-visual introduction, prepared by the university’s Instructional Media Centre, of all the three guests.
Gulzar, while addressing the gathering, reiterated his connection with and love for Urdu language and the way it has become a part of his identity. He called the tarana an “audio flag” (awaz ka parcham) that shall bind the students of the university in the years to come. He also congratulated the university fraternity on the occasion of the upcoming birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Maulana Azad Birth Anniversary celebrations also started today with the launching of University Tarana.
Vishal Bhardwaj while recounting how the music of the tarana was recomposed after he felt unsatisfied with the original track said that “one should never compromise with one’s mediocrity, even if others are ready to do so.”
Sukhwinder Singh, who received repeated requests from the audience to sing some of his famous songs, instantly connected with the younger audience with his witty one-liners and easy style. In his informal manner he even extracted a promise from the vice chancellor to organise a concert for him in the university in future.
After the formal release of the tarana CD by the guests along with MANUU Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Miyan, Pro-V.C. Dr. Khwaja M. Shahid and Registrar Prof. S.M. Rahmatullah; a Tarana Team, comprising of students from various departments of the university, sang the tarana amid continuous clapping by the enthusiastic audience. Later Sukhwinder Singh also recited lines from the tarana and sang with the tarana team.
The dignitaries also launched the special Azad Edition of the university magazine Al Kalam. After this Gulzar handed over to the vice chancellor a collection of pre-1947 Urdu film magazine Mah-e-Nou, which was given to him by one Sultan Arshad of Pakistan, whom Gulzar described as a “walking encyclopedia” of Bombay cinema. Gulzar also gifted a framed Manuscript of of Tarana to Prof. Mohammed Miyan with his signature at token of attention.
MANUU Vice Chancellor Professor Mohammad Miyan in his presidential address emphasised that to keep Urdu alive it is important to take the language to the masses and the best way to do so is through mass media like cinema. He also encouraged the academic fraternity of the university to explore the connection between literature and media. While underlining Gulzar’s contribution to Urdu language he even suggested someone at the university may write a thesis on Gulzar’s work.
Professor Rahmatullah, Registrar MANUU, gave the vote of thanks that was beautifully peppered with Urdu couplets dedicated to each of the guests on the stage.
Earlier, Gulzar inaugurated Girls Hostel Building named after him, in the University Campus.