Urdu Academy fails to set up stall at Numaish

Nampally: To the utter disappointment of the Urdu lovers, the TS Urdu Academy which sets up its own book stall with variety of books from Deccani literature in 'Numaish' (Nampally Exhibition) each year is yet to set up one, this year.

Traditionally, the Academy is known to have a book stall, but on 80th All India Industrial Exhibition which has witnessed setting up all kinds of stalls even this year is yet to see the light of the day. Generally, the Academy comes up with some rare material and makes available to readers interested in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, history, calligraphy and other categories, mostly covering the rich heritage and culture of the Deccan. The visitors expressed surprise and expressed displeasure for not encountering the important stall on literature. "Given the treatment meted out to the rich language by the successive governments, I doubt that this year, they have any plans to set up the stall," felt Md Mouzam, a resident of Shalibanda.

According to sources, the TS Urdu Academy has been installing its stall from past several years, but this year it was delayed owing to some technical reasons. "The Urdu Academy has not even given any application in exhibition society for installing a stall at Numaish this year, on time. Even if it comes with one in the coming days, its strategic location has been handed over to the other businesses," said sources.

Another reason cited is, this year the Urdu Academy has witnessed the worst financial crunch, as it has only received Rs 5 crore as budget release. Several of the schemes also remained unimplemented owing to the same reason. One of the important issues is there has been no permanent Director & Secretary in Urdu Academy, ever since the bifurcation and TRS government taking charge. However, succumbing to the pressure from different quarters, the State government has appointed Mohd Ghouse, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Government Degree College for Women, Sangareddy as Director & Secretary, who on Thursday took charge.

For past several years, with much hype the Academy's book stall is inaugurated by Ministers, the event which is yet to be witnessed by the Urdu lovers. "It comes as a surprise to me that this year the Numaish is yet to come up with stall," said Mohammed Mushtaq Malik, president of Tahreek Muslim Shabban (TMS).

Reacting over the issue an Academy official said that its Chairman Maulana Mohammed Raheemuddin Ansari had submitted an application in Exhibition Society for a stall on December 31. But they are yet to receive response from the society. "We hope that the new head (Director), who took charge today will take up the matter and pursue so that stall comes at the earliest," he added.