Year of Establishment : 1932
History of the department : The Department of Urdu University of Calcutta is one of the Pioneers in imparting Urdu Language and Literature in modern world. It is also a Major language Department of Calcutta University. The main task of the Department is to develop the mind of Urdu students regarding the language, literature and culture. In the Department of Urdu Calcutta University we are focusing on the developments in teaching and research, department-sponsored and collaborative activities. Both our faculty and students have been productive and have made important contributions to the Department. Research undertaken by our faculty and Ph.D students has been featured online, in print, and on television and radio. We have been able to maintain our commitment to the highest standards in Research work. We remain aware of the special role we play in promoting and practicing the human science and Literature. We have organized Seminars and special Lectures for the students. The faculty members of our Department are engaged in high quality Literary Research. Eight (8) books of our faculty members have been published recently. It is also to be noted that Urdu Department has seen the teaching style of the eminent scholars like Jb. Pervez Shahidi (A renowned Urdu Poet of Progressive School) Jb. Zafar Uganwi (A remarkable short story writer) Jb. Mozaffar Hanfi (A many-sided scholar and acclaimed poet) and many more in the past. One of the phenomenal Personalitie who has visited the Department is Jb. Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, the leading Urdu critics and theorists.
Thrust areas in teaching and research of the academic department/ centre :
History of Urdu Literature, Linguistics, Poetics, Classical & Modern Urdu Prose & Poetry, Schools of Criticism.
Major thrust areas of research are Nineteeth and Twenteeth Century Urdu Literature.
Major activities :
The Department of Urdu organizes several National level Seminars on various literary topics. This activity intends to promote high standards in University by way of extending facilities to teachers, researchers and students, by providing a forum for sharing their knowledge, experiences and research findings. The basic objective of these seminars is to bring together academicians and experts from different parts of the country to exchange knowledge and ideas. This will provide an in-depth analysis of subjects and update the knowledge of the participants from academic/research institutions.
The students of Urdu Department take part in various literary and cultural programmes.With the help of students the Department observers International Mother Language Day (IMLD).
Campus : College Street
Address for communication : University of Calcutta, 87/1 College Street, Kolkata-700 073