By TCN News,
Aligarh: The Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University, organized a National Seminar on ‘Re-interpreting the History of the Delhi Sultanate’. A galaxy of scholars from Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan including those from AMU participated in the seminar.
Addressing the inaugural function, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Brig. (Retd.) S. Ahmad Ali praised the rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. He highlighted several important achievements of this period and praised Balban for his strict administration and Alauddin Khalji for opening the door to royal services for Indian Muslims and non-Muslims, who were included in the governing class.
Brigadier S. Ahmad AMU PVC addressing the Seminar at the Department of History.
Earlier, welcoming the guests, Prof. Tariq Ahmad, Chairman and Coordinator of the CAS, Department of History underlined the importance of the History of the Delhi Sultanate. He termed the period as marvelous and full of achievements as those of the Mughal Empire. He said that whatever features made the Mughals great, were also present in Delhi Sultanate. For example, Akbar thought of terming the emperor’s position as divine, the same was much earlier tried by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban. Similarly, he compared the achievements of Iltutmish’s monetary system, creation of a governing class and making Delhi as a Cultural Centre with that of Akbar’s similar achievements. On Architectural aspect, he made similar remarks comparing the achievements of Iltutmish, Alauddin Khalji and Firoz Tughlaq with that of Akbar and Shahjahan.
Prof. Ali Athar, Convener of the Seminar introduced the theme and pointed out that there was a need of re-interpreting the history of the Delhi Sultanate. He stressed that in view of the traces of new sources of history, there is a need to re-interpret earlier theories or theses propounded by former stalwarts. He pointed out several aspects of History in which studies had to be made with a new perspective.
Prof. Tariq Ahmed, Chairman & Coordinator proposed the Vote of Thanks.
Prof. Anis Ismail, DSW, Professor Shahabuddin Iraqi, former Chairman and Coordinator, CAS, Prof. S.P. Verma, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad Khan. Prof. M. Afzal Khan, Dr. Syed Bashir Hasan and other teachers and students of the Department were present on the occasion.