First PhD in Urdu Achieved at GU Under Supervision of Prof. Nazma Ansari

Ahmedabad: A significant academic milestone in the field of Urdu studies was achieved at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, when two research scholars successfully completed their PhD under the supervision of Dr. Nazma Ansari, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Urdu at Gujarat Arts and Science College. The achievement is being regarded as the first PhD in Urdu from Gujarat, marking an important development for Urdu language and literary research in the state.
Mohammad Yasin Qureshi presented his doctoral thesis on the personality and literary contribution of noted Urdu writer Nayyar Masood, while Ahmad Hasan focused his research on the intellectual and critical dimensions of eminent scholar and critic Khalil-ur-Rahman Azmi. Both scholars confidently defended their theses during the viva voce and responded to the queries of examiners in a scholarly and composed manner.

The viva voce examination was conducted in the presence of external examiners Dr. Kirti Malani from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, and Dr. Shakeel Ahmad from Seva Sadan Mahavidyalaya, Burhanpur. The examiners appreciated the quality of research and recommended the award of PhD degrees to both candidates. They also described the theses as academically significant and worthy of publication.
Prof. Nutan Kotak, Director of Bhasha Sahitya Bhavan and Head of the Urdu Department, along with faculty members from various disciplines and research scholars, attended the session and congratulated the candidates. During the academic interaction, references were also made to Wali Gujarati, highlighting the historical literary links between Ahmedabad, Burhanpur and Aurangabad.
The viva was held on March 4, 2026, at 11:00 AM. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nazma Ansari highlighted that the scholars, who enrolled in 2018, completed their research despite academic challenges and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. She termed the achievement as a major step toward strengthening Urdu research in Gujarat and opening new avenues for future scholars.