Urdu, Arabi-Farsi univ got 4 names in 10 yrs
LUCKNOW The Urdu, Arabi-Farsi university was rechristened four times in the last 10 years under the successive regimes in the state.
The institution was established on October 1, 2009 during the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rule.
The state cabinet had on Tuesday approved a proposal to change the name of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University, Lucknow. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath presided over the cabinet meeting that decided to rechristen the university as Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Languages University.
In 2009, the BSP government had named it as Uttar Pradesh Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University. The name was changed to ‘Shri Kanshiramji Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University on April 4, 2011 by the then chief minister Mayawati, according to the university’s official website.
During Samajwadi Party rule in 2012, the university was re-christened as ‘Khwaja Moinuddin Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University.
In November last year, UP governor Anandiben Patel suggested changing the name of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu, Arabi Farsi University. Speaking at the university’s fourth convocation, Patel said by this name (Urdu, Arabi Farsi University) it appears that only three subjects - Urdu, Farsi and Arabi - are taught here. But the university imparts teaching on many other subjects, she had said.
The governor had suggested that the varsity be renamed as Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti University. Vice-chancellor Mahrukh Mirza acted promptly and proposed name change of the university. He suggested it should be renamed as Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University as the institution was not just confined to only three languages.
“The name change will pave way for speedy growth of this 10-year- old university. It will help in better placement of students. We struggled to convince people that the university is not all about Urdu Arbi or Persian languages. We also offer BA, B Com, BCA, B Ed courses among many other professional courses. Soon, we will start LLB and B Sc courses,” Mirza said while thanking governor Anandiben Patel, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma for the name change.
Mirza said, “The name change will encourage people with progressive mind to send their wards to this university to pursue higher studies. In the past, only those students who had no other choice came here.”
According to the university’s website, the objective of the establishment of this University was to promote learning of Urdu, Arabic and Persian Languages.
The university’s first academic session began in August 2013 with Anis Ansari as vice-chancellor.
A retired bureaucrat, Ansari was not amused with the name change of the university. He said: “By dropping Urdu-Arbi-Farsi, the purpose and objective behind setting up of this university has been defeated. before the meeting of the executive council in December I pleaded with present V-C that he should discuss the matter with the stakeholders before a hasty decision.”
THE JOURNEY
2009 BSP government had named it as Uttar Pradesh Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University.
2011The name was changed to ‘Shri Kanshiramji Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University on April 4, 2011 by the then chief minister Mayawati, according to the university’s official website.
2012 During Samajwadi Party rule, the university was re-christened as ‘Khwaja Moinuddin Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University.
2020 The state cabinet approved a proposal to change the name of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Languages University.
