MOSCOW (Shahid Ghumman): The 139th birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the Poet of the East, the thinker of Pakistan and a great philosopher, was celebrated in Moscow, the capital of Russia, with a special literary event, in which students of Russia’s leading universities paid tribute to the great poet by presenting his poetry in the Urdu language. The event was held at the Russian State University for the Humanities, where the deep interest of Russian youth in the Urdu language, Pakistani literature and the poetry of Allama Iqbal was evident.
Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia Faisal Niaz Tirmizi attended the event as a special guest, while Allama Iqbal’s grandson Senator Waleed Iqbal and his grandson Mian Iqbal Salahuddin participated online. On this occasion, light was shed on the personality of Allama Iqbal, his intellectual and literary legacy, and the importance of his message in the current world situation.
The most prominent and distinctive aspect of the event was the participation of Russian male and female students studying Urdu language and South Asian literature at various educational institutions in Moscow. The Russian youth presented Allama Iqbal’s poems and selected verses in Urdu, while some students also expressed their views on various aspects of the Poet of the East’s personality, poetry and thoughts.
Apart from the Russian State University for the Humanities, students of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), the Higher School of Economics and Moscow State University participated in the event. Russian youth from these educational institutions demonstrated their abilities in the Urdu language by presenting Allama Iqbal’s poetry, which the audience listened to with special interest.
Addressing the event, Ambassador of Pakistan Faisal Niaz Tirmizi paid tribute to Allama Iqbal’s literary and intellectual services and described the interest of Russian students in the Urdu language and Pakistani literature as encouraging.
The Pakistani ambassador said that it was a matter of pride for him that two important personalities of Allama Iqbal’s family, his grandson Senator Waleed Iqbal and his grandson Mian Iqbal Salahuddin, also participated in this special literary gathering. He described the enthusiastic participation of Russian youth in the event as encouraging for academic and cultural relations between Pakistan and Russia.
According to Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, the most welcome aspect of the event was that the Russian students of Moscow’s leading institutions not only spoke about Allama Iqbal but also presented his poetry in the Urdu language. He attached special importance to the fact that Russian youth, while learning Urdu, are also studying Pakistan’s great literary heritage.
Referring to the contemporary significance of Allama Iqbal’s message, the ambassador of Pakistan said that in the present era his thoughts are once again gaining attention at the global level. The world is taking a new turn, and in such circumstances Iqbal’s philosophy and his poetry are being read and heard around the world from new angles.
He highlighted that Allama Iqbal’s thought is not limited to any one country or region, but his poetry and philosophy are part of academic and intellectual discussions at the global level. The presentation of Iqbal’s poetry in Urdu by Russian students in Moscow also reflects the international significance of his literary heritage.
Senator Waleed Iqbal, the grandson of Allama Iqbal, participated online in the event and spoke about the academic activities underway around the world related to his grandfather’s intellectual and literary legacy. He said that during the past month, seminars and academic sessions on the personality, poetry and philosophy of Allama Iqbal have been held at several universities in various countries.
Waleed Iqbal, referring to discussions on Iqbal’s thought in world educational institutions, highlighted the importance of international interest in his thought. According to him, the programmes held at various universities on Iqbal indicate that his intellectual legacy is still under discussion in academic circles.
Mian Iqbal Salahuddin, the grandson of Allama Iqbal, also participated in the online event. The participation of these two personalities of Allama Iqbal’s family gave special significance to the literary gathering held in Moscow and provided Russian students with a unique academic opportunity related to the intellectual legacy of the Poet of the East.
Through the presentation of Iqbal’s poetry, the Russian students studying the Urdu language showed that the study of Pakistani language and literature in Russian educational institutions is not only continuing, but the young generation is also taking interest in it. The presentation of Iqbal’s poems by Russian youth with Urdu pronunciation remained the central part of this literary gathering.
On this occasion, various themes of Allama Iqbal’s poetry and his intellectual message were also discussed. The speakers highlighted the literary services of the Poet of the East and the importance of his thoughts at the global level.
Ambassador of Pakistan Faisal Niaz Tirmizi thanked the administration of the host university, the teachers, the Pakistani community and the participating Russian students for organising the event. He particularly appreciated the participation of Russian youth in large numbers and their presentation of Iqbal’s poetry in Urdu.
The literary gathering held in Moscow on the occasion of Allama Iqbal’s birth anniversary emerged as a prominent example of educational, literary and cultural relations between Pakistan and Russia. The event highlighted the fact that Allama Iqbal’s poetry and his intellectual legacy are a subject of academic interest outside Pakistan as well, and the youth learning Urdu in Russian universities are becoming directly acquainted with this legacy.
The presentation of Iqbal’s poetry in Urdu by Russian students remained the most important feature of this event, which made the gathering held in memory of the Poet of the East a beautiful symbol of literary and cultural harmony between the peoples of Pakistan and Russia.
About The Author
