New Delhi: The National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), New Delhi, organized a commemorative lecture on the first martyr journalist, Maulvi Muhammad Baqar, at its headquarters. The lecture was delivered by renowned journalist Masoom Muradabadi, with senior journalist and writer Asad Raza presiding over the event.
In his opening remarks, NCPUL Director Dr. Shams Iqbal emphasized the vital role of journalism in society, stating that journalists are key in raising public awareness. He noted that writers and journalists play a critical role in shaping minds and highlighted the significant contribution of journalism to India’s freedom struggle. He called for more in-depth discussions on the role of journalists and urged universities to conduct research on prominent Urdu journalists. Dr. Iqbal underscored the importance of remembering great journalists like Maulvi Baqir and making their contributions known to the public.
Masoom Muradabadi, in his lecture, reflected on the fact that the first journalist to sacrifice his life for India’s freedom struggle came from the Urdu language— the very language that gave rise to the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live the Revolution). This pioneering journalist and martyr was Maulvi Muhammad Baqar. While many are familiar with Maulana Muhammad Hussain Azad, author of Aab-e-Hayat, few know that his father, Maulvi Muhammad Baqar, was a distinguished journalist who laid down his life during the First War of Independence in 1857. His crime? Publishing impassioned and truthful accounts of the uprising in his weekly newspaper, Delhi Urdu Akhbar.
Muradabadi further explained that during the 1857 revolution, Delhi Urdu Akhbar took a bold stand, with its May 17th issue brimming with revolutionary news and updates.
In his presidential address, Asad Raza praised Maulvi Baqir as a revolutionary with his pen, highlighting his significant role in promoting interfaith and inter-sect unity. He congratulated Dr. Shams Iqbal for organizing the event, calling it a fitting tribute to a great journalist and freedom fighter.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Shama Kauser Yazdani. The audience included students from Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, as well as Council officers and staff, including Dr. Kaleemullah, Intikhab Alam, Shahnawaz Muhammad Khurram, Dr. Masarat, Muhammad Ajmal Saeed, and Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, among others.
