Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) today reverberated with festivities as it completed 99 years of its foundation with Vice-Chancellor Prof. Najma Akhtar appealing to students and staff to work towards taking the university to a new height in the centenary year.
The highlight of the three-day celebration is the Annual Convocation tomorrow, when the university enters into its 100th years, where Hon’ble President Shri Ramnath Kovind will be the Chief Guest. Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ will be the Guest of Honour and Manipur Governor and Chancellor of the university Dr Najma Heptulla will preside over the convocation function.
Students clad in their festive best joined the three-day Foundation Day Celebration participating in a number of cultural events and other programmes.
The celebration began with hoisting of JMI flag by the Vice-Chancellor in the forecourt of the Dr. M.A.Ansari Auditorium of the university. She was also presented with a guard of honour by the NCC cadets, most of them girl students. Former JMI Vice Chancellor Syed Shahid Mahdi was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Addressing students and staff in a packed Dr. M. A. Ansari Auditorium, Prof. Akhtar dwelt upon the history of JMI and the role played by it during the freedom struggle and said that in true sense it is a nationalistic institution where teachers are working hard to motivate students to work towards nation building.
She explained Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s role in the establishment of JMI and said that its foundation was based on the spirit of nationalism.
A book written in Hindi titled ‘Jamia Aur Gandhi’ by JMI alumnus and journalist Afroz Alam Sahil was also released on the occasion.
Later talking to the media the Vice Chancellor said that among her priorities is to set up a medical college cum hospital in the university for which she stated that the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has assured her of all assistance in this regard.
In reply to a question she said that the university would soon be opening four new departments—Design & Innovation, Environmental Science, Hospital Management & Elder care(hospice) and Foreign Languages.
One of the significant aspects of the convocation, Prof. Akhtar said is more number of girl medallists among the total of 350.
Prof. Akhtar said that the university has taken steps to expeditiously fill all the vacant teaching posts in the university.
All departments have been asked to contribute by organising programs and other activities to mark centenary year of the university, Prof. Akhtar said.
Emphasising the role of the alumni in the development of the university the Vice-Chancellor said that the university will hold a grand meet of them to seek their cooperation in this regard.
The highlights of the three-day festivities, include Nukkad Natak, stage plays, Business Idea Competition, , the traditional Urdu poetry game of ‘Baitbaazi’ and Tamseeli Mushaira where the students will impersonate other poets in dress and recitation style and put across a dramatized representation of a traditional mushaira.
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