BHU Urdu don, Mufti-e-Banaras named for Urdu Academy award
The Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy named BHU Urdu department head Aftab Ahmad Afaqi as the winner of the Prof Mohammad Hasan Award, late on Wednesday evening. He will receive a citation and Rs 1.5 lakh.
Afaqi, engaged in the preservation of letters by legendary Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib for the last 20 years, thanked the Academy for recognising his work, which will help his mission to apprise people about Ghalib’s emotions and his attachment to Varanasi.
Also, Mufti-e-Banaras Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani has been selected for Dr Sugran Mehandi Award. He will be given a citation and Rs 1 lakh.
Afaqi said, “I want to apprise people of legendary poet Mirza Ghalib’s emotions, his intellect, innovations he made in Urdu ghazals and prose. Ghalib wrote many letters to his friends and acquaintances. Each letter reflects his emotions.” He said that Khatoot-e-Ghalib, a compilation of several letters written by Ghalib, is preserved in the library of BHU’s Urdu department.