‘In Lucknow, I Was Surrounded by Urdu’

Nikash Harapanahalli learned Urdu in Lucknow under the Critical Language Scholarship Program. (Photograph courtesy Nikash Harapanahalli)

I am a senior at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. I am currently studying cultural diplomacy and South Asia, meaning that both learning Urdu and the two-month Critical Language Scholarship program in Lucknow were transformative to my academic, personal and cultural edification.

As an Indian American, learning Urdu empowered me with a unique voice and agency to express myself. Urdu’s storied history, diverse literature and unparalleled style made the experience of learning Urdu as an Indian American entirely transformative.

It was such a privilege to learn Urdu at and in association with the University of Lucknow. As an Indian American university student, it was enriching to meet Indian university students and learn more about their collegiate experience. The opportunity to learn Urdu from experts and incredibly kind and patient teachers made me fall in love with the language!

This course taught me more than any book could about the real heart of Urdu: its speakers. The brilliant way our professors would weave poems and idioms into our formal classes inspired me to realize that Urdu was more than just a language; it is a beautiful window into the culture of Lucknow and the people who sustain it.

For my final project, I researched the role of Urdu in articulating freedom during the Indian independence movement. I learned about the incredible contribution of Urdu literature and poetry in resisting colonial rule.

During my time in Lucknow, the language surrounded me everywhere—from Urdu couplets outside my favorite mall to the myriad of Urdu bookstores at every street corner. It was such a blessing to be immersed in Lucknow’s Urdu-speaking culture.

My favorite memory of Lucknow is eating! In meeting the chaiwalas and kabab vendors, I learned more about my Indian brothers and sisters and told them about their Indian American counterparts. The exchange of stories over a meal was one of the most unforgettable aspects of studying in Lucknow; the magic of Awadh is in its people, its stories and without a doubt, in its food!

Nikash Harapanahalli is a student at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C.

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