Being Volume VII of the Series International Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature (Vol. I dealing with the literature of Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit & Apabhramsa, 1987, Vols. II, III, IV, V & VI covering Tamil, Assamese, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam respectively), the present work on Urdu offers articles on all important poets, dramatists, fiction writers, essayists and critics and their important works from the beginning of Urdu literature down to the present times. There are writers of Pakistan as well. The entries are arranged alphabetically. Generally articles on Indian writers go with their Christian names, but there are cross references under their surnames. Some important writers go with their pen names. This would enable one to locate the writers easily. This volume has been prepared with active and close assistance of Dr. S.M. Abdullah, former Principal, Oriental College, Lahore and by Dr. Wahab Ashrafi, Professor and Head, Department of Urdu, Ranchi. For non-Urdu readers and for those who want to have a bird’s eye-view of Urdu literature, a Survey has been placed in the beginning of the Volume. The first work of its kind in English about Urdu literature, it should serve the purpose of a handy reference tool and would be useful for the libraries of colleges, universities, institutes, academies and for scholars. It should prove quite useful not only where Urdu is studied but also where there is a comparative study of modern Indian languages. It also serves the purpose of those non-Urdu scholars, who happen to come across names of Urdu writers and their works. Since Urdu is extensively studied in Pakistan, the Encyclopaedia should attract special attention in that country too.
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