By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: The First Bi-Amman Memorial Lecture was held today at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. This was to commemorate the 85th death anniversary of the veteran freedom fighter, Bi-Amman (1852-1924), mother of great freedom fighters Ali Brothers.
Bi-Amman was one of the few women Muslim Congress leaders in pre-independence India. She was the mother of famous Ali Brothers. Her son Mohamed Ali was President of Indian National Congress and First Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, founded under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Mohammed Ali was also the Editor of Comrade and Hamdard and the most forceful speaker in the First Round Table Conference at London 1931.
“Although Bi-Amman herself was an illiterate, she worked very hard to create harmony among Hindus and Muslim. She also traveled all over the country to forge the secular spirit. Motilal Nehru, Annie Beasent, Subrhamanya Iyer, Sri Shankaracharaya of Madurai, Sarojini Naidu were her close associates and records of their correspondence on many strategic issues are available in historical records,” said Rakhshanda Jalil, Director, Media & Culture, Jamia Millia.
The First Bi Amman Memorial Lecture was addressed by the Former Indian High Commissioner and veteran journalist, Mr. Kuldeep Nayyar. The Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Mr. Najeeb Jung presided over the program. Prof. Narayani Gupta, well known historian and Venkitesh Ramakrishnan, Deputy Editor, Frontline spoke on the occasion.