By TwoCircles.net news desk,
Patna: 17th October was quite a different day at Aligarh Muslim University when hundreds of its alumni and prominent personalities from within the country as well as abroad gathered to celebrate the 192nd birth anniversary of its founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
Paying tribute to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the Union Energy Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said: “Sir Syed was fully committed to the well-being of his countrymen and for him, caste, creed and religion had no meaning. If Sir Syed’s ideals of large hearted tolerance and peaceful co-existence are adopted, regional differences will disappear.”
Prof. S. Zahoor Qasim addressing the gathering at Commemoration Meeting on the occasion of Sir Syed Day 2009
Dr. Farooq Abdullah who was invited as chief guest asked AMU students to concentrate on achieving excellence in every walk of life and they should work towards shaping the destiny of India.
On the occasion, AMU Chancellor and former Chief Justice of Supreme Court Justice A. M. Ahmadi awarded the Sir Syed Ahmad Khan International Award-2009 to eminent scientists and researchers and AMU alumni, Prof. Syed Zahoor Qasim and Prof. Obaid Siddiqi for their remarkable contributions in Marine Biology and Molecular Biology respectively.
Union Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah addressing at the Commemoration Meeting of SS Day 2009 at AMU
The winners of the All India Essay Writing Competition on Sir Syed Ahmad Khan were also given prizes by the AMU Pro-chancellor Nawab Rahmatullah Khan Sherwani.
Speaking on the event, the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis said that the University is on resurgent track. He said that the University has been given Rs. 185 crore for various development initiatives during the 11th Plan.
He also announced that AMU is soon to start a residential Civil Services coaching centre at a cost of Rs. 14 crore.
Prof. Obaid Siddiqui addresing the Alumni Meet of S.T.S High School
He informed that the Aligarh Muslim University has the 8th Rank among the Indian universities in terms of research publications. The Government of India has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 9 crore for the promotion of advanced research in the University.
He said that the AMU Controller of Examination is working on the possibility of making online submission of admission forms, online counseling, online admissions, online internal assessment and online University examinations.
The whole day was scheduled to organize different kinds of programs at several halls of the AMU. Apart from the alumni from all over the world the programs were attended by the diplomats of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Libya.