The Anjuman-i-Tarakki-i-Urdu was established in 1903 as a wing of the Muhammadan Educational Conference. It later became an independent and highly influential organization for the promotion of Urdu literature and education.
482
Who is known as 'Baba-e-Urdu' and set up the 'Anjuman-i-Tarakki-i-Urdu'?
Maulawi Abdul Haque is affectionately known as 'Baba-e-Urdu' (Father of Urdu). He dedicated his entire life to the promotion and systematization of the Urdu language through the Anjuman.
483
In 1917, which Indian leader declared that Hindi was the only language capable of becoming the national language of India?
Mahatma Gandhi declared in 1917 that Hindi should be the national language of India. Although he later advocated for 'Hindustani' (a blend of Urdu and Hindi), his early support for Hindi intensified the linguistic divide.
484
On October 19, 1900, the Governor debarred Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk from using his official title for what reason?
Governor Anthony MacDonald was so displeased by Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk's leadership of the Urdu Defence Association that he threatened to withdraw his pension and debarred him from using his title to pressure him into stopping the agitation.
485
Which student body played a significant role in protesting against Anthony MacDonald's language policy?
The students of Aligarh College were at the forefront of the agitation against the 1900 Urdu-Hindi circular. Their protests demonstrated the political awakening of the young Muslim generation under the Aligarh Movement.
486
Which country currently holds Urdu as its sole national language?
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. Although it is also widely spoken in India and recognized as an official language in several Indian states, it holds the status of the national language in Pakistan.
487
How many alphabets (letters) are there in the Urdu language?
The Urdu alphabet consists of 37 basic letters. It is based on the Persian script, which itself is an extension of the Arabic script, with additional letters to represent sounds specific to Indo-Aryan languages.
488
Which Urdu daily newspaper was started by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah?
While Quaid-e-Azam is most famous for the English daily 'Dawn', he also started the Urdu daily 'Mansoor' to communicate the Muslim League's message to the Urdu-speaking masses.
489
What was the name of the first Urdu newspaper published in the subcontinent?
The first Urdu newspaper was 'Jam-i-Jahan Numa', which began publication in 1822 in Calcutta. It played an essential role in the early development of Urdu journalism.
490
What was the primary goal of the 'Urdu Defence Society'?
The society was formed to protest the 'MacDonald Circular' of 1900. It aimed to preserve the status of Urdu as the sole official language of the province and argued that Hindi was not yet developed enough for administrative use.
