The Gandhara Hindko Academy has announced the release of the fifth edition of the Hindko-Urdu dictionary. This monumental two-volume dictionary spans an impressive 2,032 pages and encompasses a staggering collection of over 100,000 words and expressions.
This latest edition stands as a worthy continuation of the first lexicon, painstakingly crafted by the late Prof Dr. Elahi Bakhsh Awan, a distinguished linguist hailing from the historic walled city of Peshawar.
Dr. Awan’s profound expertise in linguistics, culminating in his doctoral studies at the University of London, half a century ago, was dedicated to the in-depth exploration of Hindko language phonology.
The inaugural edition of this lexicon was introduced in 2008, a testament to Dr. Elahi Bakhsh Awan’s scholarly contributions during his lifetime. Following his legacy, the Gandhara Hindko Board and Academy collaborated to release subsequent editions in 2017, 2019, 2022, and now, in the year 2023.
The task of revising and expanding the dictionary was skillfully executed by a dedicated team, including Dr. Muhammad Adil, Zeeshan Ghaznavi, Saqib Hussain, Ali Awais Khayal, Muhammad Noman Qayyum, and Bilal Ahmad.
Overseeing this laborious undertaking was Muhammad Ziauddin, a prominent research scholar of Hindko and the General Secretary (GS) of the Gandhara Hindko Board. His wealth of experience in documentation and his role as the head of the executive committee of the Hindko Academy, operating under a public-private partnership since its establishment on April 1, 2015, greatly contributed to the dictionary’s enrichment.
Ziauddin meticulously reviewed previous editions, incorporating additional words and expressions into the latest edition. The team’s dedication was evident throughout every stage, from composition to proofing and finally, printing.
In the development of this edition, the team consulted various other linguistic references, including the Hindko-Urdu dictionary compiled by Sultan Sakoon, Ferozul ul Lughaat by Maulvi Ferozudin, and Sherazul Lughaat by Sheraz Tahir, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded resource.
The Gandhara Hindko Academy remains committed to the continuous enrichment of the Hindko-Urdu dictionary.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2023.
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