LITERARY NOTES: Dr Gopi Chand Narang's contribution to Urdu literature

The seventh volume of Cambridge University's History of Literary Criticism has termed the period between 1950 to 2000 as the Age of Criticism. Isn't it strange that poetry and fiction has not been considered for the top honour.
What the Cambridge University Volume has said in the global context, is also true in the case of Urdu literature. We have had a great deal of writing on critical theory. Some critics did not like undue attention to 'New' writings, linguistic analysis, structuralism, post - structuralism, deconstruction and post-modernism in our periodicals. However, the inescapable fact remains that Urdu literature, too, has had its share of these global concerns in literature, thanks largely to Dr Gopi Chand Narang, President, Sahitya Akademy, (National Academy of Letters), New Delhi, India's most prestigious literary body.
Dr Gopi Chand Narang has been awarded Padma Bhoshan, India's highest literary award, in 2004, for his outstanding services to Urdu literature. There is no denying the fact that he is also highly regarded in Pakistan. Born in Dukki (Loralai, Balochistan - Pakistan) in 1931, he has a long list of national and international awards. He has scores of books in Urdu, and eleven in English to his credit eg:
1. Anthology of Urdu short Stories for UNESCO.
2. Reading in Literary Urdu prose from the University of Wisconsin Press.
3. Indian Mythology for the National Book Trust of India, 1976.
4. Anthology of Modern Urdu Poetry (1981).
5. Contribution of Writers to Indian Freedom Movement Editor, Urdu section, Indian Writers Union, Palai, (Kerala) 1985.
6. Anthology of Urdu Short Stories, UNESCO.
7. Rajinder Singh Bedi, Selected Short Stories, 1989.
8. Krishan Chander, Selected Short Stories, Balwant Singh Selected Short Stories.
9. Urdu language and Literature: Critical Perspectives, 1991.
10. Encyclopedia of Indian literature (16 volumes) Urdu Editor - Cum Adviser, Sahitya Akademy, 1974-1994.
11. Masterpieces of Indian Literature (in 3 volumes) Editor, Urdu Section, 1997.
Dr Narang has served the cause of Urdu the same way Dr Jagan Nath Azad has done for Iqbal in Urdu. Using English, Hindi and Urdu with equal ease to convince the section of scholars which regarded Urdu as the communal language ie the language of Muslims - he has produced, besides his books on the new critical theory - Structuralism Post-Structuralism and Post-Modernism (Qari Asas Tanquid, Adabi Asloabiat, Sakhsiat, Pas Sakhsiat and Nashriqui Shaeriat (1995) in Urdu, it is his books on Urdu's claim to be an Indian language which deserves our attention all the more.
He has worked very hard on his Trilogy of Urdu's contribution to Indian culture and Freedom Movement. These are National Urdu Council, New Delhi's books:
1. Urdu Masnavian - Hindustani Qisson Se Makhoz (Revised Edition - 2001);
2. Urdu Ghazal aur Hindustani Zehn-o-Tehzib 2002; and
3. Hindustan ki Jang-i-Azadi Aur Urdu Shairi - 2002.
Another great contribution that Dr Narang has made is a work of great scholarly value on Amir Khusrase. Dr Narang's work Amir Khusrau Ka Hindi Kalam is the best work in so far as the establishment of the authenticity of Amir Khusrau's Hindi (Urdu) poetry is concerned. Dr Narang has based his work on German orientalist Sprenger's archives on Hindvi poetry in Berlin library. No one from India or Pakistan took pains in going after Oudhe Rulers Archives preserved in Sprenger's collection.
Dr Gopi Chand Narang is among the short list of the most respected Urdu scholars from India and his work on Mir Anis, Intezar Husain. Iqbal and Mir Taqi Mir make him a very relevant literary scholar to keep Urdu lovers immersed in almost all phases of Urdu literature through his perspectives.
Dr Narang has been a widely acclaimed writer of Urdu in India as is evident from the recent work of Gopi Chand Narang: Taraqaui Pasandi, Jadidyat and Ma Baad-e-Jakidyat (selected essays) edited by Athar Aziz for Adshots Publications, Mumbai, 2004.
A Ph.D thesis has also been produced by Dr Hamid Ali Khan of Bihar University. Dr Manazir Aashiq Harganvi has published a book Gopi Chand Narang Aur Adabi Nazria Saazi. Another book is Shaharyar and Abul Kalam Qasmi's Gopi Chang Narang -- Shakhsiat Aur Adabi Khidmat. If I am asked to single out some books as the quintessence of his services to the language it is his service to Indian secularism through his Trilogy:
1. Urdu Masnavian (based on Hindustani folk tales);
2. Urdu Ghazal Aur Hindustani Zhen-e-Tehzib; and
3. Hindustan Ki Jang-i-Azadi Aur Urdu Shairi which come to the fore.
Dr Gopi Chand Narang has proved beyond any shadow of doubt that it is not only his dissemination of modern critical theory but serving Urdu language from the criticism of the prejudiced minds to prove that Urdu is as Indian as Hindi or any other language.
Athar Aziz's latest book throws ample light on almost every facet an important contribution to our literature. Strangely enough this comes from a son of Balochistan, who had to become an Indian due to partition of the sub-continent in 1947.