By TCN News,
Aligarh: “Cowards die times and again but the warriors lay down their lives only once for a noble cause. Tipu Sultan’s life was a testimony to the fact,” said Lt. Gen (Rtd.) Zameer Uddin Shah, Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University while presiding a seminar on ‘Tipu Sultan’s India’ organised by Sir Syed Awareness Forum at Staff Club, AMU, Aligarh.
He said knowledge is the panacea for all ills and this was realised by the Jews who happen to be the most powerful in the world today. Addressing a large gathering of teachers, students and people from the entire district he said that if we have knowledge, firm belief in God then we should not worry at all. Usually illiterate and semi-literate people face bias and discrimination. Learned people hardly become the victims of discrimination. He urged the students not to waste their time and energy and fully focus on acquiring knowledge and by this they will fulfil the dreams of Sir Syed and also contribute in making AMU number one university of India.
R-L: Dr. Shakeel Samdani, Prof. Qasmi, SMA Kazmi, Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah, Prof. Durrani and Prof IA Khan
Chief Guest of the seminar Mr. S.M.A Kazmi, Former Advocate General, U.P. said that Tipu Sultan is the finest symbol of composite culture developed by the Muslim rulers of India and he is the best example of communal harmony and tolerance. Tipu Sultan’s abiding concern for his people is still afresh in the minds as the people of Mysore still visit the grave of the great ruler of India and pay their respect and homage to him. He further said that the contemporary political situation in India has generated a narrative of hatred that draws its sustenance from the distorted notion of the history. In this situation the new generation should be reminded of the contribution of Muslim rulers and in this context the role of Sir Syed Awareness Forum is commendable.” Some damage can be done to the composite culture of India temporarily but no one can wipe it permanently” he concluded.
In his key note address, Prof. Saud Alam Qasmi, Dean, Faculty of Theology and senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board said that the good rulers run their government on the basis of love and justice and that government has no right to rule that cannot ensure justice to its people. Tipu Sultan was the saint of saints and was the abstemious of the highest degree. He was a crusader in the day light and became abstemious in the night.
Vice Chancellor, Mrs. Sabiha Simi Shah and Dr. Shakeel Samdani with the participants.
Director of the seminar and President, Sir Syed Awareness Forum, Dr. Shakeel Samdani said India is greatly indebted to Tipu Sultan who thwarted attempts to perpetuate colonial rule and to pay homage to him on his death anniversary is a sacred national duty which is being hardly adhered to but the Sir Syed Awareness Forum has made it point to remember him . He said that secularism is a fashion nowadays and the leaders talk about secularism but the secularism was truly practiced by the lion of India, Tipu Sultan during his life time. The popularity of Tipu Sultan can be gauged by the fact that after the martyrdom of Tipu Sultan the entire population of Mysore in which the number of non Muslims were 80% requested the British to take the entire wealth but appoint any member of his family as the ruler of Mysore. Dr. Shakeel Samdani said that due to the treachery Mir Sadiq and other ministers he lost the battle. This gives us a lesson that we should be very careful with the hypocrites. He urged the Vice Chancellor to make the Tipu Sultan Strategic Centre fully functional at the earliest
Chairman, Mass Communication, Prof Shafey Kidwai drew parallel between SirSyed and Tipu sultan and said both shared an abiding concern for the emancipation of Indians good tradition. we desperately require their vision of India. Expressing his views about Sir Syed Awareness Forum he said that forum is very much successful in spreading the message of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and for this the members of the forum deserves appreciation.
Memento being presented to VC Sb by Dr. Samdani.
Prof. N.A.K. Durrani, Senior Faculty of Mass Communication who hails from Mysore highlighted many aspects of the personality of Tipu Sultan. According to him Tipu was not only a great warrior but he was a distinguished and complete personality in himself. He not only gave the silk industry a boost but also was the inventor of missile technology. He established indigenous factories for preparing arms and ammunitions and military equipments in his state and with the help of these latest weapons he defeated English army many times.
Ayesha Samdani while presenting her paper said that he was a secular ruler and justice loving person. Miss Mina Mahmood also presented a paper on the views of non-Muslims about Tipu Sultan. Sarah presented Ahadith which was very much appreciated by the audience.
Ayesha presenting her paper. Sitting Dr. Shakeel Samdani, SMA Kazmi, Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah, etc.
Director, ACN Group of Institutions, Dr. Javed Akhtar welcomed the distinguished guests. Miss. Nida Fatima presented citation to Vice Chancellor on behalf of Sir Syed Awareness Forum.
On this occasion the certificates were distributed to students and teachers by Mrs. Sabiha Simi Shah, Prof. I.A. Khan, Dean Faculty of Law, Senior Cardiologist, Prof. M.U. Rabbani, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Prof. Khalid Sherwani, Elected Member, Executive Council, Dr. Jameel Ahmad, Prof Humayun Murad and Er. Fasahat Ali.
The program was conducted by Dr. Sahriq Aquil, Incharge, and University Health Service. Mr. Masoor Ilahi proposed vote of thanks.
The important personalities who attended the seminar were Prof Nafees Ahmad, Prof Sagheer Afrahim, Prof Abdul Aleem, Dr. Manzar Jamal, Dr. Habibul Haq Ansari, Dr. Naseem Ahamd, Dr. Mujeeb Ansari, Dr. Waseem Ali, Dr. Hashmat, Mrs. Anjum Tasneem, Safdar Kazmi Adv, Farhat Usmani Adv, Tauqeer Adv (Allahabad), Prof Zakariya Siddiqui, Jonny Bhai, Secretary, Old Boys Association, Dr. Obaid Iqbal Asim, Dr. Jarrar Rizvi, Abdullah Samdani, Er T.A. Khan, Khalil Chaudhary, Zeeshan Ahmad, APRO, Dr. Obaid Iqbal Asim, Dr. Masood Ahmad, Abdul Latif Khan etc.
The distinguishing feature of the seminar was that the hall was full of its capacity and a large number of people were sitting outside the hall.