National MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi inaugurated the Urdu Hindi National Association with popular educationist Nafis Akhtar.
Mr Akhtar said every one’s mother tongue was connected with his or her culture and tradition.
“This is a precious cultural heritage that deserves to be protected and promoted by all. The need for an Association to undertake this responsibility has been pronounced since long. The fact that the two beautiful languages of India and Pakistan are being fostered in a far away country like New Zealand deserves encouragement,” he said.
He said that the Association would strive to promote the two languages among the younger generation in order that they do not become extinct.
He said Hindi and Urdu were sister languages promoting the fraternity of the peoples of India and Pakistan.
Mr Bakshi lauded the initiative and exhorted the new generation of Indians and Pakistanis residing in New Zealand to speak English outside their houses, but converse in their mother tongue inside their houses to protect their cultural and social heritage.
“Language plays an important part in the progress of a community, it history and culture,” he said.
Syed Mujeeb is the General Secretary of the Urdu-Hindi National Association and Correspondent, Siasat News, a popular Urdu newspaper in India. The picture here shows (from left) Roopa Suchdev, Neelam Choudary, Nafis Akhtar, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, M P Syed, Mujeeb Hyderabadi, Shaik Shamsheeruddin and Muhammed Syed Khalied.
