Workshop on issues related to the translation of social sciences and natural sciences from English into Urdu organized by the Centre for Distance Education

ALIGARH, October 26: The inaugural session of the Workshop on issues related to the translation of social sciences and natural sciences from English into Urdu organized by the Centre for Distance Education, Aligarh Muslim University was held in the Conference Hall of Administrative Block. The six-day Workshop is organized in collaboration with National Translation Mission (NTM), which is a part of Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore.

Dr. Md. Rizwan Khan, Director, Centre for Distance Education and Coordinator of the Workshop welcomed the guests and eminent scholars from different fields. He highlighted the significance of the training in translation studies/process/technique at Center for Distance Education (CDE) as it has an elaborate system of translating study materials for the students into Urdu and Hindi. Dr. Khan informed that nearly 50 books have been translated by the CDE and various subjects are yet to be translated. The workshop on translation will help the translators at AMU in specializing and updating their skills. He stressed on the need to organize more such programmes in order to facilitate the nation by providing Urdu experts from more than 100 departments at AMU for translation and other related activities.

The Workshop was inaugurated by Professor S. Z. Chaghtai, an eminent scholar of Physics who has earned a name in the field of languages as well. Prof. Chagtai emphasized the significance of the topic of the Workshop in today’s scenario. He highlighted the fact that involvement of technical terms in the process of translation of scientific texts becomes a big challenge. He suggested that a translator has to deal with these issues linguistically as well as socially and at times the translators need to coin their own terms/words in target language.


The Coordinator of the Workshop from National Translation Mission, CIIL, Mysore addressed the audience and informed elaborately about the activities of CIIL and NTM. The CIIL is an advisory body of the Government of India that helps in formulating policies and planning for the development of Indian languages. National Translation Mission has been working at documenting and researching the issues in translation of Indian languages.


Prof. Akhtar Siddiqui, Chairman, National Commission for Teacher’s Education, New Delhi was present as the Chief Guest of the inaugural session. Prof. Siddiqui took up the issue of quality in translation of English text into Urdu language. Citing various examples he reiterated the need to provide training as well as regular exposure to those who translate the knowledge text from various social sciences and natural sciences. Professor Siddiqui mentioned that a translator must have full knowledge of source language as well as target language besides the knowledge of the discipline which he is working in. He also mentioned that Urdu translators are found wanting in this competence therefore such workshops will motivate the translators to acquire the much needed skills and technique.



Prof. Kunju, Visiting Professor at AMU also addressed on this occasion. Prof. Kunju spoke on the significance of Indian languages as the medium of instruction in Indian schools and colleges. He recalled Sir Syed Ahamd Khan’s visionary approach towards using Urdu as a language of instruction for sciences and social sciences.



Finally, the Chief Guest inaugurated the official website of Center for Distance Education. The session concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. S. K. Ehteshamuddin Ahmad. The session was conducted by Dr. Asiya Chowdhary.

Dr. M. Rizwan Khan said that 50 participants from various departments of science and social science will be participating in the Workshop.