By TCN News
Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University organised its Alumni Meet-2015 on October 19, Monday, which was attended by more than 600 alumni from various countries and all over India.
While addressing the Alumni Meet-2015 at the University’s Kennedy Hall Auditorium, the Chief Guest, Jawed Usmani, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and current Chief Information Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh, said that we as alumni were nourished by our Alma Mater and we all owe a debt of gratitude to our Alma Mater.
He added that the alumni harbour a deep sense of affection towards the University that should encourage us to give our time and resources to it.
“The positive experiences we have had and the fond memories of years spent with friends create a strong sense of belonging, connecting us to our Alma Mater long after we have left school. This is what motivates the alumni, whom we endearingly term ‘old boys’ and ‘old girls’, to return year after year,” said Usmani.
He lamented that the alumni can contribute by being inspiring role models and by finding time to visit the University, to connect and interact with students and inspire them to work towards achieving their goals.
An IAS topper of 1978 batch, Usmani also said that the alumni can provide helpful connections in the commercial world for internship, career and business opportunities. “More importantly, alumni can support bright students who are in need. The American universities do this extremely well — they understand that the brightest attract the brightest,” he said.
“Through their endowment funds, they are prepared to subsidise bright students heavily. The bright students are grateful for the help, tend to be successful in life and are in turn willing to contribute to the university. This helps to generate a virtuous cycle,” he said, adding that alumni can also provide corpus funds to build needed infrastructure, create new departments, or set up faculty chairs.
Usmani also said that alumni can fund path-breaking research programmes and new innovative courses, focused on employability. “Sports and cultural activities can be supported by the well settled alumni and new hostels and halls of residence can be built,” he added.
During his address, AMU Alumni, eminent actor Naseeruddin Shah, one of the guests of honour, promised to regularly visit AMU and contribute in training students interested in theatre activities. He urged students in the gathering to resurrect the old glory of theatre in AMU and work hard in achieving the rights aims of theatre activities.
Pointing out that theatre has an important communication purpose, which is a need in today’s world and not only an entertainment value, Shah urged the theatre enthusiasts in AMU to do theatre in the right direction. Thanking his mentors in AMU, Professor Shehnaz Hashmi, Professor Zahida Zaidi, Professor Muneebur Rehman and Professor Asadur Rahman, he said that his mentors and AMU made him learn language, culture and hard work.
AMU Public Relations Officer, Dr Rahat Abrar’s Urdu book, “Muslim University ki Kahani Farzandan-e-Aligarh Ki Zubani,” (Memoirs of Old Boys from 1875 till date) was released during the programme, along with US-based alumnus Dr. Nausha Asrar’s poetry book “Dil Se Dil Tak”.
The Programme was conducted by Dr F S Sheerani and the Dr Asfar Ali Khan, AMU Registrar, proposed the vote of thanks.