Awam () is the

Urdu language Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

word for common people or general public. In the early 20th century, the word was extensively used in the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

to refer to the general population. After Partition, the word remained in use in Pakistan, but within India, several new words derived from

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

replaced it, such as Janata, Log or Lok (see:

Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, also known as the House of the People, is the lower house of Parliament of India which is Bicameralism, bicameral, where the upper house is Rajya Sabha. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by a ...

Gana The word ( ) in Sanskrit and Pali means "flock, troop, multitude, number, tribe, category, series, or class". It can also be used to refer to a "body of attendants" and can refer to "a company, any assemblage or association of men formed for t ...

or Praja. In India however, the word is used by non-Urdu Hindustani speakers, like for the

Hindustani Awam Morcha Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (English: Indian People's Front), abbreviated HAM(S), is an Political parties in India, Indian political party with a presence in Bihar. In Bihar, this party is also a natural Allies of National Democratic Allian ...

. Awami is the adjectival form for Awam. Awam may refer to: * ''Awam'' (newspaper), an Urdu-language daily newspaper based in Karachi, Pakistan. * '' Awam-e-Hind'', an Indian Hindi newspaper in India. * ''Awam'' (film), a Hindi film released in 1987.

See also