The Department of Urdu, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, is recognized as one of the most prestigious and pioneering departments of Urdu in the sub-continent. This department was established soon after Mohammedan Anglo-Oriented College was accorded the status of the University in December 1921. The performance of the department may simply be judged by the fact that it has produced so many world-renowned scholars. Poets and fiction writers, among them three have been honored by the Indian most prestigious Jnanpith award they are Ali Sardar Jafri, Qurratul Ain Haider, and Shaharyar. The teachers of this department were also honored with Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree they were Prof. Ale Ahmad Suroor and Prof. Qazi Abdul Sattar respectively. The Jnanpith awardee Prof. Shaharyar was also the teacher and Head of this department.
