Aligarians meet on the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

Guwahati, October19: The Aligarians (Aligs) of Assam under the aegis of Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) (AMU Alumni) had met on 17th of October, 2021 at Hotel Shoolin Grand, to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of the great academician and social activist Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in the year 1875 which went on to grow into Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. He was a pragmatist, social reformer, philosopher, and educationist in the 19th century. He was awarded an honorary LLD, from the University of Edinburgh in 1889.

Since 1994, Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMU Alumni) has been successfully organising Sir Syed Day – the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and had undertaken many social activities in the field of rehabilitation, upliftment of poor, downtrodden and educationally backward sections of the society. It is also to be mentioned that, prior to 1994, since the early 1950s, many Aligs who were the torch bearers of the Association AMUOBA, had taken many such similar social activities.

Many eminent personalities and great scholars of Assam, who were Aligarians(Aligs) had made Assam proud, namely Syeda Anwara Taimur, former Chief Minister of Assam, prominent Assamese novelist, and Poet Nabakanta Barua, Honourable Justice Shafiqul Haque, former Chief Judge of Gauhati High Court. Shri Abdul Muhib Mazumder, Former Law Minister of Assam, and many more.

During the alumni meet programme a book on Sir Syed Ahmad Khan written in Assamese by Abdul Qayyum was released. The attendees offered prayers for the deceased during the pandemic period. The alumni association had many resolutions on upcoming new ideas and challenges ahead. They have also agreed on maintaining and creating a social media Facebook page for updates and information.

Many senior Aligs like Sri Pradip Kumar, former DGP spoke on the occasion praising the teachings and work done by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in the field of Educational empowerment. Farida Sultana Haque, assistant professor of Saraighat College and a senior Alig spoke strongly on equal education for women and the importance of educating a woman for the uplift of society. Ejaz Hazarika, former superintendent of Police and a senior Alig spoke on the occasion and suggested for more fruitful work to be carried out by the Association for the society by following the footsteps of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. 
      Another senior Alumni Dr. Nazrul Haque, Joint Director Technical Education, suggested and stressed the importance of social and cultural activities to be carried more frequently by the Association in collaboration with non-government forums. 

         Smt. Shahnaz Haque, a social worker, and a senior Alig and Ex-General Secretary of the Association spoke on how to make the Alumni Association more relevant in today's times keeping in mind the teachings of Sir Syed. She also suggested introducing scholarships in the name of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for meritorious students who are economically weak and establishing vocational centres for women belonging to the marginalised section of the society to empower them. 
        Khalid Omar, general secretary of the Association briefed on the activities of the Association. Ziaul Qamar, the working president of the association thanked all Aligs for their participation and Jonab Hafiz Rashid Chowdhury, the president of the association described in detail the struggle to establish the Alumni Association in 1994 and how it has come to stand strong at present due to the support and cooperation of the senior Aligs and now with the new generation Aligs joining in and giving a breath of fresh air to the Association.

The meeting was presided over by Hafiz Rashid Choudhury.  Ziaul Qamar, the working President, and Khalid Umar, the General Secretary, AMUOBA were present along with other respected members.