By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Aligarh Muslim University, a premier central university in the eastern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, is all spruced up for the two-day World Summit of AMU Alumni 2008 to be held here at Aligarh on October 18 and 19.
Over 450 AMU alumni from all over the world are converging here to ponder, discuss and debate as how to rejuvenate academically and ensure all round progress of their alma mater. The alumni are coming from United States of America, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Canada, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Africa, Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Mauritius, Nepal and 19 states of India.
The agenda of the summit is: (a) Setting up of an Alumni Foundation as an additional facility in the University with a targeted corpus of Rs. 10 billions; (b) To consider the ways and means to acquaint the younger generation with the role played by prominent alumni in India and abroad; (c) Arranging faculty and student exchange and lectures by alumni between the universities in India and abroad; (d) Supporting academic rejuvenation of AMU through alumni inputs and contributions such as the establishment of satellite labs, joint research proposals in collaborations with alumni and their institutions, re-starting summer schools and provision of financial aids for faculty and students to further advance their academic and research endeavors; (e) Modernization and upgradation of AMU’s physical infrastructure with alumni involvement and (f) Furtherance of Aligarh Movement and spreading the message of Sir Syed in places and areas where it matters most.
Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari will be the chief guest at the inaugural function. T.V. Rajeswar, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, and Syed Sibtey Razi, the Governor of Jharkhand, would be guests of honor and Former Chief Justice of India A.M. Ahmadi, who is the Chancellor of the AMU will grace the occasion. To mark the summit a souvenir will be released by Justice Ahmadi. Prof. Irfan Habib, Professor Emeritus will receive the first copy.
Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis, Vice Chancellor of AMU, and three eminent alumni from USA – Dr. Masood Akhtar, Dr. Hasan Kamal, Dr. Masarrat Ali, Mr. Nadeem A. Tareen (Saudi Arabia) and Mr. Kaukab Hameed (Secretary, AMU Old Boys Association, Aligarh will also address the inaugural session apart from the distinguished dignitaries.
The Summit is divided into four technical sessions and in the first session of symposium on “Role of Alumni to create a new future of AMU” will be held. In the second session 12 Deans of the University would present their vision plan for the development of the university. This will be followed by the third session on “AMU Alumni Endowment fund” which will be presided over by Mrs. Mohsina Kidwai. Prof. Irfan Habib will chair the fourth session on “Academic Rejuvenation of AMU”. The last session will focus on feedback from Alumni. ([email protected])