By MMN,
New Delhi, 14 Nov 2014 : In a bid to reach out vast Urdu-speaking population, the US Embassy in India has formally launched its Urdu website on Wednesday evening in the presence of a galaxy of Urdu writers and journalists. While launching the website US’ Charge d’Affaires Kathleen Stephens said it is a very special day for friendship between the two countries as the US Embassy website launched in Urdu also.
Greeting the guests at the function with “Assalamwalekum,” Ms Stephens lavishly showered praise on Urdu language describing it is as a global language and part of India’s soft power as people are drawn to the beauty of Urdu, its literature, its history and its culture.
“This is a very special day for the United States Embassy. I hope this is also a very special day for the friendship between our two people as we launch.” She added.
Informing about the content of the website, the US’ Charge d’Affaires stated that it is the same version as the English and the Hindi websites…It does include things like ‘How to apply for a visa’ and what the US Embassy is saying about travel in various parts of the world, adding that it also has things like speeches and transcripts when we have officials who are here or speak in the US about something that is of interest to our audiences here in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Urdu activists and founder of Jashan-e Baharan Mushaira, Kamna Prasad said Urdu is symbol of India’s syncretic cultural heritage and exudes love, inclusion and tolerance. She said Urdu is an international language and is being taught in more than 100 universities of the world outside India. Quoting many a couplets from Urdu poetry, she said it is a lingua franca not only in South Asia but in also in Middle East and its expanded its shores to Western world too. She also cited many words that English borrowed from Urdu like saying Urdu is a modern language having power to connect people from across cultures and regions.
Conducting the proceedings, Paul A Loh, Deputy Spokesperson in the US Embassy said it is important for the Embassy to be able to reach out to the entire country in a variety of languages, including Hindi and Urdu as these are very important languages for the US to collaborate with India as an important partner of the 21st century.
National Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities Akhtarul Wasey also spoke on the occasion. The website’s Urdu content is managed and edited by Syed Zafar Hasan.