My Favorite Quote of the day

All Life is an Experiment. The more you make the better it becomes.................... Ralph Waldo Emerson



Thursday, December 31, 2009

Aghaaz-10, Film Festival organized by Film Club at the Kennedy Auditorium

University Film Club, G.E.C is pleased to inform you that it's going to inaugurate its annual activities with the showcase of six films of six decades since 1950's in the film festival AGHAAZ-10 from January 1 to January 6, 2010 (everyday) at the Kennedy Auditorium from 3.00 pm(sharp) onwards.

The aim of this film festival is to let the viewers experience the change Bollywood has gone through in its style, appearance and in its approach towards making cinema.

All Students, Teachers and Staff of AMU are cordially invited in the film show. Teachers with families and girls are advised to come before 3 pm and take their respective seat upstairs with the possibility of overcrowding.

Film Club members are instructed to write a 500 words write up on the topic "Bollywood through the decades since 50's" on their observation from the following films.

Schedule:

January 1:Film- Yuva(2004), Dir- Maniratnam Actor- Ajay Devgan, Rani Mukherjee, Abhishek etc. Note- The film tells the stories of three young men from completely different strata of society and one fateful incident on Kolkata's Howrah Bridge which changes their lives forever. The prime objective of the movie was to motivate educated Indian youths to enter politics.

January 2:Film- Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaenge( 1995), Dir- Aditya Chopra, Actor- Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Amresh Puri etc. Note- One of the biggest hit film of bollywood which influenced the concept for NRI market outside and brought a new wave in commercial cinema.

January 3: Film- Masoom (1982) Dir- Shekhar Kapoor, Actor- Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi etc. Note- This directorial debut film was critically acclaimed and braced with the screenplay and dialogues of Gulzaar. The plot was broadly based on "Man, Woman and the Chid" written by popular writer Eric Segal.

January 4: Film- Sholay( 1975)- Dir- Ramesh Sippy, Actor- Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, Hema Malini, Amjad Khan etc. Note- The biggest hit and most popular film even till date in the history of Bollywood.

January 5: Film- Teesri Kasam( 1966) – Dir- Basu Bhattacharya, Actor- Raj Kapoor, Wahida Rahman etc. Note- Teesri Kasam is a 1966 film based on a short story, 'Mare Gaye Gulfam' by Phanishwarnath Renu - a Hindi novelist. Teesri Kasam is an unconventional film that portrays the society of the rural India and simplicity of villagers. The whole film is shot in Araria, Bihar. Raj Kapoor worked on this film for one rupee only, as it was produced by his dear friend Shailendra who was its Lyricist. Nomited at the 1967 Moscow International Film Festival: Grand Prix.

January 6: Film- Barsaat ki Raat(1959)—Dir- P.L.Santoshi, Actor- Bharat Bhoosan, Madhubala etc..Note- A classic film known for its brilliant qawwali compositions rendered by Roshan and songs written by the great Sahir Ludhiyanvi. The film was also scripted by the actor Bharat Bhoosan himself and one of the biggest hit of that decade. Considered one of the last film of iconic actress Madhubala.

Dr. Riaz Ahmad has been conferred upon the Scientist of the Year Award-2009

ALIGARH December 30: Dr. Riaz Ahmad, Lecturer at Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University has been conferred upon the Scientist of the Year Award-2009 by the National Environmental Science Academy, New Delhi. The award carries a Gold Medal and a Plaque as the token of appreciation for the contributions of Dr. Riaz Ahmad in the area of Biochemical and Molecular Genetics.

Dr. Riaz Ahmad was conferred up on this award at the XXII Annual Conference of the National Environmental Science Academy held at the Convention Centre of Hamdard University, New Delhi. The Academy conferred this award on him realizing his important contribution in “asphyxia-related switch over” and “down regulation of ATPase Activity” in several Airbreathing Organ (ABO) possessing freshwater fishes.

Dr. Ahmad is also a recipient of prestigious Young Scientist Project of DST and Dr. D. S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship from UGC. Dr. Ahmad also has a number of research papers to his name published in scientific journals of national and international repute.

Workshop on “Research Methods and Research Paper Writing

ALIGARH, December 31: The Department of Business Administration is organizing a workshop on “Research Methods and Research Paper Writing” from 2nd-7th January 2010 for research scholars of Departments of Business Administration, Commerce, Economics, Psychology and Agricultural Economics & Business Management. The workshop would cover issues related to Identifying and Defining of Research Problems, Developing Research Design, Sampling Fundamentals, Developing Questionnaire, Questionnaire Refinement, Hypothesis Testing - T test, Z test and ANOVA, Factor Analysis, Correlation and Regression, Introduction to SPSS Software, Interpretation of SPSS Outputs, and how to write a Research Paper.

The workshop has received an overwhelming response. The workshop originally plan~d to have an intake of 20 research scholars. However, interest of the AMU Research Scholars is evident from the fact that on the second day of announcement of the workshop (i.e. 21 December 2009), more than 20 research scholars had already registered for the workshop. Thus, on account of demand and keeping in mind the interest of the research scholars, the intake subsequently had to be increased to 40.

Several experts in the area of research methodology viz. Prof Hamida Ahmad, former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, AMU; Prof. Athar Ali Khan, Department of Statistics and Operations Research, AMU, Dr. Parvaiz Talib, Department of Business Administration, Dr. Valeed A Ansari, Department of Business Administration, Dr. Jamal A Farooqui, Department of Business Administration, Dr Romana N. Siddiqui, Department of Psychology, AMU, and Dr. Mohammed Naved Khan, Department of Business Administration, AMU, have very kindly agreed to act as resource persons.

The Inaugural Session of the Workshop will be held on 2nd January 2010 at 9.30AM in the Department of Business Administration, AMU. Prof. A. R.Kidwai has very kindly consented to the Chief Guest.

The Chief Patron of the Workshop is Prof Javaid Akhter, Dean, Faculty of Management Studies & Research, AMU, and Dr. M. Khalid Azam, Chairman, Department of Business Administration, AMU is the Patron. Dr. Mohd Naved Khan, is the Workshop Coordinator while Mr Asif Akhtar is In-charge of the Organizing Committee.

Prof. Qasim donates three lakhs to AMU


L to R- Prof. Absar Mustafa, Mrs. Yasmin Jalal, Finance Officer, Prof. Zahoor Qasim, AMU VC Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis, Prof. Ainul Haq Khan, DSW, Prof. Pervez Mustajab, Controllerand Prof. V. K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar


Prof. Zahoor Qasim donating a cheque for Rs. 3 Lakhs to AMU VC Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis


ALIGARH December 29: Noted scientist Professor Syed Zahoor Qasim today presented a cheque of Rs. Three Lakhs to the AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis for the award of Scholarship and Gold Medal.

Prof. Qasim is an alumnus of this institution. While accepting the donation Prof. Azis said that this is a unique gesture on the part of Prof. Qasim.

The Scholarship and Gold Medal may be awarded from the next academic year to the student who secured highest marks in the final year exam of M. Sc. (Zoology).

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Consultative meeting of the Chairmen of Departments of Studies of all faculties was held

ALIGARH December 26: A consultative meeting of the Chairmen of Departments of Studies of all faculties was held under the chairmanship of the Vice Chacellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis today in the Conference Room of the Administrative Block to discuss submission of new research proposals to University Grants Commission under Special Assistance Programmes (SAP-DRS) and also to review the funds utilization for the year 2009-2010 and also the status of utilization of funds allocatd under XI Plan grants.

Aiming at placing research in Aligarh Muslim University at a higher pedestal, Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis has called for expanding research activities through project funding in the departments of studies.

While emphasizing the need for getting more funds from University Grants Commission under the Special Assistance Programme Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis urged the Chairmen of the Departments of Studies to make special effort for submitting projects under the above scheme of the UGC. He has asked to identify the research areas keeping in view the specific academic strength of the department. The departments should particularly define well the scope of the research project and also supplement it with thorough review of the literature and link it to AMU line of research work and the broad thrust areas of the department, he added.

Prof. Azis said that new research proposals under UGC schemes will be bound to help expansion of individual teachers’ fields of research and also open up new opportunities for involving brilliant students in the research activities and also improve qualitatively the facilities of the departments.

The Vice Chancellor has asked the chairmen of the departments to prepare sound proposals as a priority in consultation with faculty members in 3-4 days’ time and submit the detailed proposal by January 5, 2010 so that the University can forward the same to the UGC. Prof. Azis expressed hope that the departments particularly strong in research development and publications will definitely get financial support from the UGC.

The Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis also reviewed department wise fund utilization and spending during the year 2009-2010. As most of the departments fell short of the utilization and spending target during the current financial year, he asked the chairmen to take special care and to spend the allocated funds as per the budget allocation under various heads especially keeping in mind the needs of the classrooms and academic betterment of the students.

Prof. Pervez Mustajab, OSD (Developoment) and Controller of Examinations, apprised of the status of fund utilization in each faculty and the funds spent on building construction under XI Plan. Mrs. Yasmin Jalal, Finance Officer responded to various queries and clarifications sought by the Chairmen. Prof. V. K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar was also present in the meeting.

The UGC has been providing financial assistance to selected departments of the University under the scheme of Special Assistance Programme. The programme is intended to encourage the pursuit of excellence and team work in advanced teaching and research to accelerate the realization of international standards in specific field.

The University departments that have at least 6 faculty members consisting of one Profesor, two Readers and three Lecturers are eligible to submit proposals to the UGC. The UGC will not accept any proposal which is not prepared as per the guidelines relating to Special Assistance Programme. These guidelines are available on the UGC website www.ugc.ac.in.

The proposals will be examined through the screening committee and only short listed departments will be called for the presentation before the expert committee by UGC. One or two senior faculty members of the department will have to make a PowerPoint presentation in UGC office explaining and justifying the research proposal submitted by the department. The approved proposal will be effective from April 1 of the next financial year.

Prof. Ali Mohammad Naqvi participated in the International Conference on Peaceful Co-Existence of Religions

*ALIGARH December 26:* Prof. Ali Mohammad Naqvi, Chairman Department of Shia
Theology, Aligarh Muslim University participated in the International
Conference on Peaceful Co-Existence of Religions held at Tehran University,
Iran and presented his paper on “Typology of Religions and Religious
Perspectives”.

The Tehran Declaration of Peaceful Co­existence of Religions was endorsed at
the ed of the international conference which advocated that followers of all
Religions should upheld their religious beliefs but work towards Peaceful
Co-Existence of all Religions.

Several academic programmes were held in the Mofid University, Adyan
University and Higher Institute of Research in Qom honouring Prof. Ali
Mohammad Naqvi. Prof. Naqvi’s latest book on the “Development of Indian
Religious Thought” in Persian Language was released at the Tehran
University. A number of Television channels in Iran broadcasted interview of
Prof. Naqvi. Prof. Naqvi said that a general interest in the all round
development and the plurality of religions in India was evident in the
people of Iran.

Dr. Yasir Hasan Siddique received a DEF Prize for Young Scientist-2009

ALIGARH December 26:* Dr. Yasir Hasan Siddique, Lecturer, Department of
Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University has received a DEF Prize for Young
Scientist-2009 from Academy of Environmental Biology, IITR, Lucknow at 29th
Annual Session of The Academy of Environmental Biology for his eminent work
in Environmental Biology & Genetics.

Monday, December 28, 2009

The Executive Council of Aligarh Muslim University

ALIGARH December 22: The Executive Council of Aligarh Muslim University in its emergent meeting held today has decided to give re-emplyment to Prof. Noor Afzal with immediate effect as a special case keeping in view his academic credentials and expertise in Fluid Mechanics on the prescribed terms and conditions till he attains the age of 65 years. The decision of the EC was taken in the light of Statute 29(10)(b) and Clause 26 of Chapter IV of the Ordinances (Executive) of the University. The EC has also examined the recommendation of the Board of Studies of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Further, the Executive Council has resolved to award the degree of D. Lit. (Honoris Causa) to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Chairperson of Indian National Congress Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University and retired Chief Justice of India Justice A. M. Ahmadi and the iconoic artist of global fame Mr. M. F. Husain. The D. Lit. degrees will be given to these distinguished personalities for the outstanding contributions made by them in their respective fields of endeavour. The degree will be conferred in the forthcoming annual convocation of the University.

The meeting was presided by the Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis and attended by 15 members including Prof. A. M. Pathan, Mr. P. A. Inamdar, Prof. Jawaid Akhtar, Prof. Ziauddin Khairuwala, Prof. Saud Alam Qasmi, Prof. M. Z. Khan, prof. M. T. Ahmad, Prof. Maria Bilquis, Prof. Mujahid Beg, Prof. Muzaffar A. Siddiqui, Dr. Asif Ali Khan, Dr. Saud Ali Khan and Prof. Pervez Qamar Rizvi. Among the notable absentees were Prof. Jawaid Alam, Mr. Zafaryab Jeelani, Dr. Hafiz Ilyas, Mr. Jamshed Siddiqui and Mr. Khurshid Ahmad Khan.

Prof. Ainul Haque Khan appointed as the Dean Students’ Welfare

ALIGARH December 25: Prof. Ainul Haque Khan, Department of Botany has been appointed the Dean Students’ Welfare, Aligarh Muslim University.

AMU Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis in exercise of powers vested in him under Section 19(3) of the AMU Act 1920 and on behalf of Executive Council has approved the appointment of Prof. Ainul Haque Khan as Dean Students’ Welfare vice Prof. M. Zubair Khan who was appointed Proctor a few days back. Prof. Khan’s appointment has been made for a period of three years or till he attains the age of superannuation or until further orders with immediate effect in terms of Statute 10(2) of the Statutes of the University.

Earlier Prof. Khan has worked as Acting Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences and Chairman, Department of Botany. Prof. Ainul Haque Khan’s scholarly pursuit has been enormous as more than a hundred scholarly papers have been published in the renowned international and national journals.

Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis has appreciated the role of Prof. M. Zubair Khan as DSW and hoped the University community shall extend all cooperation to Prof. Ainul Haque in his work.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Annual function of Career Counseling Cell of MM Hall

ALIGARH December 22: The Senior Superintendent of Police of Aligarh Mr. Asim Arun delivered a lecture and interacted with the students of Mohsinul Mulk Hall at a programme organized under the aegis of the Career Counseling Cell of the Hall. Prof. Shan Mohammad, an eminent scholar and Director, Sir Syed Academy presided over the function.


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Mr. Asim Arun, SSP, Aligarh mesmerized the audience with his oration. He spoke at length on different matters ranging from general law & order and how to present a human face of police in dealing with Public. Mr. Asim Arun shared his experiences as Police Officer with the students. Interacting with students Mr. Aruin answered all the questions asked by students.

�
Prof. Shan Mohammad in his presidential address enlightened the students about the relevance of Sir Syed's vision and mission. Replying to a question asked by the students Prof. Shan Mohammad elaborated the sacrifices made by Sir Syed and his associates to establish this great seat of learning. He said that today's Aligarh, to some extent, is what Sir Syed visualized more than a hundred year ago. Prof. Shan Mohammad urged the students to refrain from destructive activities and concentrate on their studies to fulfill the expectations of their parents.
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Earlier in his welcome speech Dr. Suhail Sabir, Provost, M.M. Hall highlighted the main idea behind such endeavours. Dr. Suhail emphasized the importance of interaction with luminaries of different field that would help the students aspiring to appear for Civil Services and other competitive examinations. Dr. Sabir informed that such lecture will be held fortnightly.

�
Mr. Shahnawaz while conducting the proceedings, introduced the guests to the audience. Mr. Ghufran Ahmad, Incharge, Career Counseling Cell, M.M. Hall proposed vote of thanks. The programme was attended by the wardens of different hostels of M. M. Hall Er. Rizwanur Rehman Khan, Dr. Abdul Aziz Khan, Dr. Mohammad Shamim, Dr. Md. Yunous Ali Khan, Senior Hall Mr. Tasdique Ahmad, Senior Food Mr. Mohd. Nasib, Secretary, Literary Society, Md. Khursheed, Secretary, Cultural Society and other students.

Annual function of Career Counseling Cell of MM Hall

ALIGARH December 22: The Senior Superintendent of Police of Aligarh Mr. Asim Arun delivered a lecture and interacted with the students of Mohsinul Mulk Hall at a programme organized under the aegis of the Career Counseling Cell of the Hall. Prof. Shan Mohammad, an eminent scholar and Director, Sir Syed Academy presided over the function.


�
Mr. Asim Arun, SSP, Aligarh mesmerized the audience with his oration. He spoke at length on different matters ranging from general law & order and how to present a human face of police in dealing with Public. Mr. Asim Arun shared his experiences as Police Officer with the students. Interacting with students Mr. Aruin answered all the questions asked by students.

�
Prof. Shan Mohammad in his presidential address enlightened the students about the relevance of Sir Syed's vision and mission. Replying to a question asked by the students Prof. Shan Mohammad elaborated the sacrifices made by Sir Syed and his associates to establish this great seat of learning. He said that today's Aligarh, to some extent, is what Sir Syed visualized more than a hundred year ago. Prof. Shan Mohammad urged the students to refrain from destructive activities and concentrate on their studies to fulfill the expectations of their parents.
�
Earlier in his welcome speech Dr. Suhail Sabir, Provost, M.M. Hall highlighted the main idea behind such endeavours. Dr. Suhail emphasized the importance of interaction with luminaries of different field that would help the students aspiring to appear for Civil Services and other competitive examinations. Dr. Sabir informed that such lecture will be held fortnightly.

�
Mr. Shahnawaz while conducting the proceedings, introduced the guests to the audience. Mr. Ghufran Ahmad, Incharge, Career Counseling Cell, M.M. Hall proposed vote of thanks. The programme was attended by the wardens of different hostels of M. M. Hall Er. Rizwanur Rehman Khan, Dr. Abdul Aziz Khan, Dr. Mohammad Shamim, Dr. Md. Yunous Ali Khan, Senior Hall Mr. Tasdique Ahmad, Senior Food Mr. Mohd. Nasib, Secretary, Literary Society, Md. Khursheed, Secretary, Cultural Society and other students.

Prof. M. Zubair Khan has been appointed Proctor of AMU Aligarh

ALIGARH December 23: Prof. M. Zubair Khan, Department of Mathematics, currently Dean, Students’ Welfare has been appointed Proctor of the University vice Prof. Muzaffar A. Siddiqui for a period of two years or until further orders.

AMU Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis in exercise of powers vested in him under Section 19(3) of the AMU Act 1920 and on behalf of the Excecutive Council in terms of Statute 12(1) of the Statutes of the University approved the appointment of Prof. M. Zubair Khan in place of Prof. Muzaffar A. Siddiqui. The Vice Chancellor has appreciated the services rendered by Prof. Muzaffar A. Siddiqui and hoped that the University fraternity shall extend all cooperation to Prof. M. Zubair Khan in maintaining law and order in the campus.

Further, the Vice Chancellor has appointed Dr. Mujibullah Zubairi, Lecturer, Department of Electrical Engineering as Member-in-Charge of Central Automobile Workshop for a period of one year or until further order vice Prof. Arif Hameed.

Muslim members of Parliament meet Manmohan

Muslim members of Parliament met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday to raise issues concerning the community and make out a case for the speedy implementation of various measures announced by the government for minorities.

Led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan, the delegation urged Dr. Singh to implement the report of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities - tabled in Parliament last week - while drawing his attention to the delay in the implementation of the Sachar Committee Report.

Further, the delegation wanted the government to amend the Wakf Act in line with the recommendations made by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Other demands include Haj reforms, reservation for Muslims along the lines of the policy adopted in Karnataka, recognition for the Islamic banking system to encourage the culture of savings within the community, proper monitoring of the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities, constitutional status to the National Minorities Commission, and minority status to Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

Expressing gratitude to the government for creating a separate Minority Affairs Ministry, the delegation pointed out that “unfortunately,” certain departments like Haj and minorities education - related entirely to minorities - are with other ministries.

In the same vein, they demanded a separate Parliamentary standing committee for minority affairs and urged Dr. Singh to suggest this to the presiding officers of the two houses of Parliament.

Prof. Abul kalam Qasmi received Sahitya Academy Award 2009

Poets dominated this year̢۪s Sahitya Akademi award winners with eight books of poetry among 24 categories of literature being chosen for the honours.

The poets honoured with the award are Praduman Singh Jindrahia (Dogri), Kailash Vajpeyi (Hindi), Jess Fernandes (Konkani), Raghu Leishangthem (Manipuri), Vasant Abaji Dahake (Marathi), Phani Mohanty (Oriuya), Damayanti Beshra (Santhali) and Puviarasu (Tamil).

Those who won the awards for their collection of short stories include Vaidehi (Kannada), late Manmohan Jha (Maithili), Samiran Chhetri ‘Priyadarshi’ (Nepali), Major Ratan Jangid (Rajasthani) , Prashasya Mitra Shastri (Sanskrit) and Anand Khemani (Sindhi).

Well-known novelists Dhrubajyoti Bora (Assamese), late Manoranjan Lahary (Bodo), U A Khadar (Malayalam) and Yarlagadda Laxmi Prasad (Telugu) were also honoured with the awards for 2009, Secretary, Sahitya Akademi Agrahara Krishna Murthy, told reporters.

Sri Chaturvedi Badrinath (English), Shirish Panchal (Gujarati), Mashal Sultanpuri (Kashmiri) and Abdul Kalam Qasmi (Urdu) won the awards for their books of criticism.

Sourin Bhattacharya (Bengali) for his book of essays and Atamjit (Punjabi) for his book of plays also got the awards.

CASR Meetings of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Held

ALIGARH December 24: The CASR meetings of Faculty of Arts and Social Scineces were held in the Committee Room of the Administrative Block under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis. The CASR has approved the admission of a total of 149 students to PhD programme and three to M.Phil. programme in the two faculties of the University during the current session.

In case of Department of Economics, Education, Political Science, Islamic Studies, Sociology and Library Science it was noticed that the Boards of Studies did not follow the rule for reserving 1/3 admissions for next academic session while approving the the rank list. Hence CASR referred back the matter to the Boards of Studies of the concerned departments for review. The CASR has authorized the Vice Cahncellor to issue necessary orders after receiving their recommendations after the Board of Studies review.

The number of admissions approved by the CASR in different departments of Arts and Social Sciences faculties during the current session were as follows:

Admision to PhD. and M. Phil.

Faculty of Science & Life Sciences 2009-2010

Sunday, December 20, 2009

AMU :AMI-ALEMBIC Award of 2009

Written by AMU Correspondent

Dr Asadullah Khan, Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University has been awarded with the prestigious AMI-ALEMBIC Award of 2009 by Association of Microbiologist of India for his outstanding contribution in the field of Medical Microbiology. The Award ceremony will be held During G. B. Meeting at National Chemical laboratory, Pune on December 17.

Dr. Asadullah Khan is working on various therapeutic approaches to combat with infections caused by drug-resistant micro-organisms. His research group is actively involved in understanding the molecular mechanism of drug resistance as well as designing new molecules as effective drug candidates. Dr. Khan has also been awarded Young Scientist Award of AMI in 2006 and BOYSCAST Fellowship of DST in 2005. Recently he has published a book on Multi-Drug resistance and has over 60 research articles published in journals of international repute to his credit. He is also a member of editorial board of various international journals of his field.

VC inaugurated a Broadband Seismological Observatory

Written by AMU Correspondent
Saturday, 19 December 2009


AMU Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis today inaugurated a Broadband Seismological Observatory at the Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University set up by the NGRI, Hyderabad to record and monitor the seismic activity in the region. Apart from Aligarh, this kind of observatories have also been set up at Narora, Moradabad, Agra, Dholpur and Gwalior.

The project undertaken by NGRI, Hyderabad with the financial assistance from Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India aims at monitoring the seismic activity in the region covering Indo-Gangetic Plains. The study aims at monitoring the seismicity from Gwalior to Moradabad by setting up Broadband Seismic Stations at approximately 50 km apart at Gwalior, Dholpur, Agra, Aligarh, Narora and Moradabad. The objective of this project is to assess the seismic hazard due to larger earthquakes.

The set up of seismic station consists of a Broadband Seismometer, Recorder and GPS. It is powered up by a 12V Battery in order to run continuously and the battery is charged by both solar modules as well as regulated power supply in order to ensure continuous recording of earthquakes. The received data shall be processed at NGRI, Hyderabad using special softwares. This will help students of the geology to understand and expand their knowledge on seismicity. Besides, the recording and observation of the data will also be beneficial to the scientific community, general public and to the media.

The NGRI scientists demonstrated the utility and purpose of this observatory to the staff and students of Department of Geology. Prof. R. K. Jadav, Director, Bajaj Institute of Management, Mumbai, Dr. Sahdaba Khursheed, Chairman of Department of Geology and Prof. Mahshar Raza also addressed on this occasion

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Traffic awareness camp organised

A seven day traffic awareness camp is being organised from December 12-18, 2009 at Aligarh Muslim University by the National Service Scheme (NSS-AMU Unit). The inaugration of the camp was done by Prof.V.K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar, AMU, Aligarh. Prof. M.M. Ashhar, coordinator, NSS-AMU Unit was also present on the ocassion. A large number of Student volunteers are participating and lots of banners showing traffic related slogans have also been placed at important locations in the campus.

Arshad Husain
Program Officer
NSS- AMU Unit
Aligarh.

Hasrat - Tum Aadmi ho ya Jinn :Shibli Nomani

Five AMU branches in the country soon: MP

BHOPAL: Five branches of Aligarh Muslim University are to be set up in different parts of the country soon, Lok Sabha MP Maulana Asrar-ul-Haque



Qasmi said here.
The prestigious institute will branch out in Murshidabad (West Bengal), Mallapuram (Kerala), Kishanganj (Bihar) and one place each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, Maulana, a member from Kishanganj in Bihar, told PTI.

He said that budgetary funds for the AMUs in West Bengal and Kerala have already been sanctioned while these will be given soon for the branch to be set up at Kishanganj.

The MP said that not much progress had been done on setting the branches of the AMU in both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

He said that the Bihar government had already allotted land for AMU branch to be set up at Kishanganj.

The MP had come here yesterday to take part in the annunal function of the Muslim Education and Career Promotion Society (MECAPS).

He urged the Muslims to pool in their resources to fulfil their dream about education.

"Muslims now know the importance of education and time has come for them to create infra-structural facilities which can help provide good education," the MP said.

Friday, December 18, 2009

AMU Researchers discovered a technique to keep flowers fresh and beautiful

*ALIGARH December 17:* The researchers at the Aligarh Muslim University
(AMU) have discovered a technique to keep flowers fresh and beautiful with
their color and shape intact for over twenty years. The innovative and
cutting edge technological research finding of researchers at the AMU has
ensured the preservation of bouquets and flowers for over 20 years with
their original colour and shape.

The five year long research on "preservation of botanical specimen retaining
the natural colour pigments carried out by Dr. Parveen Kumar, research
scholar under the supervision of Dr. Abdur Raheem K., Reader in Department
of Museology, AMU. The innovation shall not only promote flora industry but
will also benefit customers, natural history museums, agricultural museums,
forest museums and museums of educational institutions that are the
custodian of our natural heritage.

The research finding has already received recognition from Prof. Cheng Sen
Li, Director, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing and Dr. A. A. Ansari,
Joint Director of Botanical Survey of India, Gangtok. The innovative
technique was greatly appreciated during the recently concluded V
International Flora Expo '09 held at Bangluru.

First Professor Muhammad Habib Memorial Lecture.


Prof. B.L. Bhadani, Chairman Dept of History AMU Aligarh welcoming the guests of 1st Prof. Mohammad Habib Memorial Lecture at AMU Aligarh on 14t December 2009



Prof. Satish Chandra, Former Chairman of University Grant Commission of India and former Proctor of AMU Aligarh delivering the 1st Prof. Mohammad Habib Memorial Lecture at AMU Aligarh on 14t December 2009. Prof. Irfan Habib (son of Prof. Mohammad Habib can also be seen in the picture


Mohammad Habib

On 14th December 2009, Department of History, AMU Aligarh organized First Professor Muhammad Habib Memorial Lecture.
. The lecture was delivered by another legend of our time, Prof. Satish Chandra, former Chairman University Grant Commission of India and former Proctor of AMU Aligarh. We all know that Prof. Mohammad Habib was a great historian and Aligarian. A hall of residence in Aligarh Muslim University was established in 1972 and was named after Prof. Mohammad Habib. Here is his brief biography from the pen of his own son and another great historian Prof. Irfan Habib. The article is a courtesy from the website of Dept of History AMU Aligarh.

Mohammad Habib was born in 1895, the second son of Mohammad Naseem, a leading advocate of Lucknow, who had earned enough from his practice to restore the family’s fortunes as taluqdars (land-owners) . He wished his sons to have an English education, and was himself sufficiently liberal to be one of the prominent hosts of the famous Congress session at Lucknow in 1916. After completing his studies at M.A.O. College, Aligarh (precursor to the Aligarh Muslim University), Mohammad Habib went to Oxford in 1916, where he read for Honours in History, a degree he obtained in 1919.

As President of the Oxford Majlis (the Indian students’ organisation) , he invited Mrs Sarojini Naidu and the Irish poet Yeats to address the Majlis: and his nationalist sympathies made him abandon the ICS examination, which then used to be held in London. His impressions of Maulana Mohammad Ali, who paid a visit to England to plead Turkey’s cause, were, however, not favourable. After his Honours at Oxford, Mohammad Habib worked under the famous Professor Margoliouth of Cambridge, to prepare a fresh translation of the famous history of Firishta for the D.Phil degree, but before the work could be completed, he responded to the call for Non-cooperation and returned to India in 1920.

With the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement, Habib felt free to apply for employment at the newly founded Aligarh Muslim University, where he was appointed Reader in 1922 and soon afterwards Professor. It says much for the University authorities’ attitude in such matters in those days that they did not let the fact that the person appointed was an “uncompromising Non-cooperator” (in the words of a hostile Treasurer) influence their judgemnet.

Mohammad Habib’s own loyalty to the National Movement and the Congress was intense. He successfully contested as the unofficial Swaraj Party candidate in the UP Legislative Council elections in 1926. In 1927 he courted and married Sohaila Tyabji, the daughter of Abbas Tyabji, one of Gandhiji’s close associates. He also accompanied Dr M.A. Ansari, the Congress President elect to the Madras session in 1927, and helped draft his address. It was, however, Gandhiji to whom he gave his full allegiance. Gandhiji must have felt it too, for after a meeting with my father at Aligarh in 1929, the Mahatma noted that “by his humility and yet dignified bearing he captured me entirely” (letter of 7 November 1929).

These personal details are relevant to an understanding of the depth of Mohammad Habib’s belief in the composite nature of India’s civilization and his impatience with those who tried to undermine Hindu-Muslim unity. His Mahmud of Ghazni (pub. 1927) was “composed and re-composed”, as he said in a later Preface, when the Lucknow riots of 1924 were “torturing my Eastern soul.” The book was important both as a critical historical study of Mahmud, and as an important early salvo in the nationalist historiography of medieval India.

He summed up his major conclusion in this one sentence:
To later generations Mahmud became the arch fanatic he never was, and in that `incarnation’ he is worshipped by such Mussalmans as have cast off the teachings of Lord Krishna in their devotion to minor gods.

Another important element of Habib’s attitude was a deep sense of sympathy for the poor and the oppressed. He often told me of the stories he had heard from villagers of his father’s estate about the oppressions of the taluqdars, past and present. Along with Mahmud of Ghazni, in which he writes feelingly of how Mahmud plundered, killed and collected captives, he wrote Desecrated Bones, a set of three stories, published in 1925. The first of these, a medieval tale, revolved round the secret murder of an old peasant, Karam Narain, by the local landlord Malik Hizabruddin.

The Desecrated Bones foreshadow Habib’s growing interest in sufism as a possible medieval response to injustice. He was also interested in bringing out cultural and social aspects of medieval history, which were so far untouched in conventional historiography. In 1929 he published Hazrat Amir Khusrau of Delhi, a biography of the famous Indo-Persian poet (d.1325), which also contained a sensitive sketch of the Chishti saint Nizamuddin Auliya. What particularly attracted Mohammad Habib was the latter’s refusal to pay court to the Sultans and their nobles.

The ’Thirties began with Civil Obedience, the strongest challenge yet that the National Movement threw to Britain. Habib had opted for academic life, but his sympathies remained firm. He opened a special account with the Indian-owned Central Bank of India, from which he continuously donated large amounts to the Congress. At the height of the Civil Disobedience Movement he wrote a piece on ‘Medieval History and Modern Politics’, taking issue with Elliot’s preface of 1844 in which he had dismissed Indian critics of British rule as ‘bambastic baboos’ and had spoken of the ‘high destiny’ of the British as rulers of India. Unmindful that the article was appearing in the University’s official Aligarh Magazine (early 1931) Habib commented:

The world is constantly changing; nothing lasts. The ‘bombastic baboos’ will have their swaraj. ‘Our high destiny as rulers of India’!What a vanishing dream!

In 1932 after a visit to Iran he published a long article on the Administrative System of Modern Persia in the Muslim University Journal. He had gone to Iran, he used to say, to show how an independent Asian country could govern itself better than a colonised one. He concealed his disappointment at the reality as he found it behind a detailed description of the institutions as they were supposed to function, and some high words of praise for Reza Shah at the end.

In History his interests were now developing in two directions: studies of early medieval rulers (which included a translation of Amir Khusrau’s history of Alauddin Khalji’s conquests, the Khazainu’l Futuh, published in 1931) and the history of early medieval sufism (on which he gave lectures at Vishwa Bharati, Santiniketan, at Tagore’s invitation in 1935). He came increasingly to the conclusion that though ethically significant the sufis could not really be seen as either missionaries or social reformers. Yet he spent much time in sifting the chaff from the grain in sufic sources.

The ’Forties saw the growing strength of the Muslim League with its slogan of Pakistan. It is now surprising to recall how calm and unaffected my father remained, when confronted by the constant shift of friend after friend into the League camp. His own loyalties to the Congress stood where they were, though his antipathy to Hitler and sympathy with the Soviet Union inclined him to support a moderate approach to the Allied War Effort. I remember a sudden visit by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to our house one late afternoon in 1942, seeking lunch that local Congressmen had forgotten to arrange for him: Nehru firmly chided him for doubting the wisdom of the Congress rejection of the Cripps proposals. Mohammad Habib organised with such Congressmen, as remained out of prison and local Communists, a Citizens Relief Committee to distribute cheap grain in 1943. In the 1946 elections, which had separate Muslim electoral booths, he voted openly as an ‘illiterate’ voter so that everyone should know he had voted for the Congress!

In all these years he, and, under his influence, even such historians at Aligarh as had League sympathies, wrote in the mainstream nationalist tradition. In December 1943 he organised a session of the Indian History Congress at Aligarh (the local League was civilized enough to ban Pakistan slogans for the period!), and planned a series of publications to project a composite (‘Crescent-Lotus’) perception of Indian history. He himself thought it very important as a historian to understand what India was like previous to the Ghorian invasions. In 1941 he published a monograph on Indian Culture and Social Life at the time of the Turkish Invasions, which contained the germs of many ideas on which he was to draw later.

The Partition found him as resolute in his position as before. Presiding over the Indian History Congress session at Bombay in December 1947, he presented an address which bears reading today. Beginning with a tribute to Gandhiji, he went on to commend the Congress High Command in that it “has retained its sanity and balance and has adhered, in spite of increasing difficulties, to its conception of a democratic and secular state.” He looked forward to “one national community”, where religion would only be a private affair. He also warned that “a state-dominated interpretation of history is one of the most effective means of sabotaging democracy.” Finally, came his favourite plea: greater attention from the historians to the lot of the Indian poor, the peasant and the worker — “the struggles of his life, his joys, his sufferings and his hopes.”

Within scarcely a month of his reading this Address, Gandhiji was assassinated. I never saw him more affected by any other event. He had a sleepless night, and he burnt the correspondence that he had had with Gandhiji over a personal matter in the family. If there was one man in whose admiration he would never let one qualification enter, it was “Mahatmaji” — I never heard him refer to him except under this designation.

By this time, he had become deeply interested in Marxism. He had, of course, read Laski and other socialist thinkers; and he had been always an admirer of the Soviet Revolution; but it was when the colonial ban on Marxist literature was lifted in 1943 that he read avidly all the Marxist classics that he could lay his hands on, underlining them heavily as was his wont.

The new influence, reinforced by a visit to China in 1951, which made a deep impression on him, is visible in his long introduction to a reprint from Aligarh of Vol.II of Elliot and Dowson’s History of India as told by its own Historians, published in 1952. Habib was not impressed by the conventional Marxist attachment to slavery and feudalism as successive modes of production. His own knowledge of European History made him disinclined to apply the category of feudalism to medieval India. But he accepted the centrality of classes, class-contradiction s and social revolution in history. His reading of the Marxist archaeologist Gordon Childe drew him to the concept of ‘urban revolution’, which had originally been propounded by Childe for the Bronze Age.

Reading the Introduction one is now struck by the thought that it would, perhaps, have been better for Professor Habib not to apply the language suitable for modern revolutions to the Ghorian conquests, as when he says that “the so-called Ghorian conquest of [North] India was really a revolution of Indian city-labour led by the Ghorian Turks.” It is worth noting, however, that he does modify the import of the sentence by the statement that “to an extent, though only to an extent, in the pursuit of their personal careers, the selfishness of which no one would deny, they [the Ghorian Turks] were also, consciously or subconsciously, subserving the common good.”

There is also the description of these potentates that I cherish: They drank profusely; they prayed and fasted with punctiliousness; they patronised mullahs and dancing-girls with the same indifferent generosity, the latter for this world, and the former for the next….

Marxism did not substantially alter my father’s faith in an undefined monotheism. He never had had any belief in afterlife, and was heavily critical of the inequitous elements in various religious systems, including Islam. He also held that all scriptures could be subjected to rational historical criticism. On the other hand, he was deeply attracted to the New Testament, to the innate monotheism of the Bhagavad Gita, and to the achievements of Prophet Muhammad as a ‘revolutionist.’

The two decades that followed were for Habib years of increasing detachment from the political establishment of Free India, despite his previous loyalties. He did go to Paris twice, first as an alternate delegate to the UN General Assembly at Paris in 1948 and then to a UNESCO meeting at Paris in 1949; but these were not followed by any further official assignments. He never wavered in his admiration for Pandit Nehru and his independent foreign policy; but he was unhappy over the rift with China. He stood as a united Opposition candidate for Vice-President in 1969, when his friend Pundit Sundarlal and the Communist leader EMS Namboodiripad asked him to do so. He stated to the press that he was standing for the election only because he knew he was not going to be elected!

His time all these years, especially after his final retirement from the University in 1958, was spent mainly in academic work. His major object of study was now the Delhi Sultanate, and especially its notable historian and theorist Ziya Barani. He collaborated with Mrs Afsar Khan in a translation of selections from Barani’s massive, unpublished work on statecraft, the Fatawa-i Jahandari. He wrote an insightful introduction, published in 1958 in a journal and then in the form of a book, Political Theory of the Delhi Sultanate. His criticisms of Barani’s ideas are quite severe, for he saw in him a parochial and traditional thinker, who had no sympathy with change. And yet Barani, as the major historian of the Sultanate, with concerns for matters of economic and social history, became so much a centre of attention for Mohammad Habib that he decided to translate the whole of Barani’s Tarikh-i Firozshahi.

This work proceeded along with the editing of The Delhi Sultanate, constituting Vol.5 of the Comprehensive History of India, sponsored by the Indian History Congress, and with Professor K.A. Nizami as the co-editor. Professor Habib contributed the main interpretative chapters and extensively rewrote some of the contributions. The bulky volume was published in 1970 and has gone through several reprintings.

Till practically the day he died, Professor Habib went on working. He had just completed the translation of Barani’s Tarikh and drawn up an extensive list of the terms, places and persons on which he wished to write notes. It has been my ambition, which I have not been able to fulfil, to accomplish the unfinished task.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Muslims need to come up: Hamid Ansari



Muslims need to come up: Hamid Ansari

Patna,(BiharTimes) : Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari said on Saturday that a new identity of Muslims is emerging in India, where they form over 16 crore, that is one-tenth of their global population.

Delivering the Khuda Bakhsh Memorial Lecture On The Status of Indian Muslims in the libarary premises here on Saturday he highlighted the glorious and rich tradition of Islam to which India and Indians have made immense contribution.

On the condition of Muslims in the country he said that though the follow up action of the government on the Sachar Committee report has made some impact it is up to the community to come up and take these opportunities.

He said that though the grievances persist, as is evident from the thrust of testimonies given in the meeting organized recently in New Delhi by a civil society group yet some of the recommendations for corrective actions need to be given a closer look.

He said the grievances of Indian Muslims centered on five core concerns: security, employment and reservation, Urdu, Aligarh Muslim University and Muslim Personal Law.

The Vice President called for the uplift of Muslim women and emphasized the need for their education.


Hamid Ansari, a foreign diplomat who had served as India’s ambassador in several Middle East countries on Saturday addressed for the second time in the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library on the issues related to Muslims or Islam. A decade ago he delivered a lecture on Governance in Islam.

With his lecture came to an end the death centenary functions of the library founder, Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh.

Earlier, governor Devanand Konwar, chief minister Nitish Kumar and library director Imtiaz Ahmad welcomed the Vice President and spoke on the contributions of late Khuda Bakhsh to the society.

Dr. Ebraheem Mohammad Al-Batshan, Cultural Attache, Saudi Arabia, visits Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy


Mr. Abdur Rahman Abbasi ‘Qamar’ (Computer Operator, Shibli Academy)
Azamgarh(14th December, 2009): Dr. Ebraheem Mohammad Al-Batshan, Cultural Attache, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia visited Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy to know about Academy activities, in particular, its collection of manuscripts (Arabic). He was received at Babatpur Airport, Varanasi by Professor Ishtiaq Ahmad Zilli, Director Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy. Though the flight from New Delhi got delayed by one hour, Professor Zilli along with distinguished guest reached in time for the program after Asr Prayer (4 pm) with sufficient time in between for refreshment and lunch.

Dr. Syed Salman Nadvi, son of Maulana Syed Suleman Nadvi R.A., first Secretary of Shibli Academy was to preside over this special function at the Academy but he got held up in Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow and traffic jams. In his place Maulana Taqiuddin Nadvi, member managing committee, Shibli Academy presided who fortunately found time to come to the Academy after a long time.

Life Time Achievement Award-2009 for Prof. Akhtar Haseeb of Dthe Department of Plant Protection

ALIGARH December 16: Prof. Akhtar Haseeb, Chairman, Department of Plant Protection has been conferred the "Life Time Achievement Award-2009" for outstanding contribution in the field of Agriculture Productivity with special reference to Crop Protection on the occasion of National Symposium on Achieving Millennium Development Goals: Problems and Prospects held at Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (UP) jointly organized by Society for Scientific Development in Agriculture and Technology, Jhansi, C. S. Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur and Scientific & Applied Research Centre, Meerut.

Prof. Haseeb presided over two scientific technical sessions and also delivered an Invited talk titled "Plant Parasitic Nematodes- A Limiting Factor to Agricultural Productivity and Their Management through Integrated Approaches".

MoU with Darussalam Institute of Islamic Studies, Indonesia and AMU

ALIGARH December 15: The Aligarh Muslim University today signed a Memorandum of Uniderstanding with Darussalam Institute of Islamic Studies, Indonesia with the objective to collaborate on educational matters for the betterment of two institutions and to arrange long run strategy for Human Resource Development.

A seven member delegation of the Darussalam Institute of Islamic Studies, Idonesia today met the AMU Vice Chancellor Professor P.K. Abdul Azis and other senior officials of the University.

This Indonesian delegation also visited the Departments of Theology, Islamic Studies, Arabic and the University library.

These two Institutes agree to organize Conferences, Seminars and Scientific discussions on various issues including development curriculum on Islamic Studies, Shariah Arabic language and Islamic heritage and bringing the social and human sciences into Islamic perspective.

Both the institutions will hold joint cultural programme of the students and will exchange visiting Professors between the two institutions for agreed period.



(Dr. Rahat Abrar)

Public Relations Officer

Friday, December 11, 2009

Dr. Afzal Anees awarded with the Fellowship of Colo-Rectal Surgery

ALIGARH, December 11: Dr. Afzal Anees, Reader in the Department of Surgery, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, AMU Aligarh has been awarded with the Fellowship of Colo-Rectal Surgery in a Joint Congress of Asian Federation of Colo-proctology and Association of Colo-rectal Surgeons of India held at Goa. He received the award from Mr. Digambar Kamat, Chief Minister of Goa.

Dr Afzal takes keen interest in Coloproctology. He has been instrumental in starting several kind of surgeries at J.N. Medical College Hospital such as low anterior resection in rectal cancer, restorative procto-colectomy with j pouch anal anastomosis, minimal invasive procedure for hemorrhoids and other advance surgeries of colorectal conditions.

Dr. Anis said that the Tertiary Care Centre of J.N. Medical College is recognized by advanced infrastructure and procedures it carries out. Dr. Anis believed that a change in the mindset, hard work and cooperation from allied branches is required to achieve the goal of excellence. He personally appreciated the efforts put in by the AMU Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis for the advancement of medical services at JNMC.





Zeeshan Ahmad

Assistant PRO

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Democracy has been flourishing in the country but no political party pays heed to the concept of internal democracy said Rahul Gandhi at AMU




Aligarh, December 7: “Democracy has been flourishing in the country but no political party pays heed to the concept of internal democracy” and “frequent nomination to the important posts instead of democratic election is the testament of the fact”, said Rahul Gandhi, MP and General Secretary of the Congress while interacting with the students at Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.

Non-democratic structure of the political parties has prevented common man from joining the politics and it has to be changed, he added.

“The destiny of the country is shaped by the youth hence they must fully participate in the political system of the country. Nobody knows how to enter politics as there is no well-defined procedure and path into politics has to be clear and transparent”, Rahul Gandhi added.

Rahul Gandhi said no criminal and fundamentalist must be given opportunity in political parties. Describing AMU as the invaluable intellectual treasure of the country, Mr. Gandhi urged the students not to carried be away by any consideration other than the merit. The example of Dr. Manmohan Singh bears an eloquent testimony to the fact, he added.

Earlier, welcoming Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Professor P.K. Abdul Azis said that the Muslim community and the Aligarh Muslim University are extremely indebted to Pandit Nehru for the unstinted support that he has given to reposition it after India became independent. The Aligarh Muslim University still needs special patronage. The University has a Muslim Character right from its inception but it is truly secular. The recent order from the Allahabad High Court has taken a way the Minority Character of the University. An appeal for restoration of the Minority Character of the University is pending with the Supreme Court. Professor Azis urged Mr. Gandhi to take up the issue of the Minority Character of AMU with the Prime Minister of India and get the Minority Character of AMU restored unequivocally by an amendment to AMU Act of 1981 by the Indian Parliament.

The University has submitted a rupees two thousand crores proposal for establishing five centers across the country and for this massive expansion the Government of India should come forward with clear cut and time bound affirmative programmes to enable the Sachar Committee’s recommendations to become more meaningful, he concluded.

At the end of the interactive meet, Rahul Gandhi answered various questions raised by the students of AMU relating to role of youths in building new India, the issue of reservation for Muslims in educational institutional, minority character for AMU and implementation of Sachar Committee. Earlier, Mr. Rahul Gandhi visited the mazar of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the legendary founder of Aligarh Muslim University. Mr. Gandhi also visited the AMU Staff Club and interacted with the University teacher. Prof. V.K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar, AMU extended a vote of thanks.

(Dr. Rahat Abrar)

Public Relations Officer

Monday, December 7, 2009

Rahul Gandhi Interacts with students.

Rahul Gandhi interacting with students of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh


To see the complete video Click The Rahul Gandhi's AMU Visit section in the Other LInks

Rahul Gandhi's Interview at Kennedy Auditorium

Aligarh :Religion does not matter when it comes to becoming the prime minister and a Muslim can get the top job provided he is the most capable person for it, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in Aligarh on Monday.
"It is not about what religion or community you come from, it is what you bring to the table, what capability you have," he said in an interaction with students of the Aligarh Muslim University.

He was replying to a question that having come a long way after Independence how much more time will it take for India to have its first Muslim prime minister.

"Today, Manmohan Singh is not the Prime Minister of India because he is a Sikh. He is the Prime Minister because he is the most capable person to do the job.

"And let me tell you something that even when you do have a Muslim prime minister, he will be a prime minister because he is the most capable person," 39-year-old Gandhi said.

He told a questioner, "You need to step up and the number of leaders coming out of your community needs to go up. You got today a Sikh prime minister that nobody would have ever imagined in a country of over a billion people that we would have a Sikh prime minister. Sikhs are a very small percentage of this country."

Gandhi said his effort was to involve people from different communities and from different parts of India in the political system.

Exhorting Muslim youths to participate in national politics in a big way, Gandhi said, "Increased participation of Muslim youths is the ideal way to take on problems not only of the Muslim community but the country as a whole."

He said it was unfortunate that today there was hardly any young Muslim leader active in national politics.

Earlier, Gandhi was given a rousing reception on his arrival at the AMU campus. He first drove to the grave of AMU founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan to pay tributes.

The Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association, which also hosted a reception in his honour, described his visit as "historic" and called Gandhi "the modern face of Congress party in India."

Gandhi told the gathering at AMU's Kennedy Auditorium, his political idol was Mahatma Gandhi, whose political method was to find suitable people and then make effective leaders out of them.

He said, "It is my aim that within the next five years there should be at least 25 young Muslims at the centre stage of Muslim politics."

Replying to a question from the audience, Gandhi said the Prime Minister had already instituted a high-powered committee to work out the modalities for implementation of the Sachchar Committee recommendations on the status of Muslims in the country.

Referring to his interactions with different segments and groups, Gandhi said, "My main objective today is to go out and meet the entire spectrum of Indian masses and find out what they are thinking. Unless I do so there is nothing much that I can achieve by remaining in the confines of my own environs."

He said barring criminal elements and religious fundamentalists all other people should participate in the political system if the country has to progress.

"I will come back to AMU very soon to fully understand your sentiments," he said.

Gandhi's visit to AMU is the seventh by a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family since its establishment in 1920.

A capable Muslim can become PM: Rahul Gandhi

Agencies Posted: Dec 07, 2009 at 1310 hrs

Aligarh: Religion does not matter when it comes to becoming the prime minister and a Muslim can get the top job provided he is the most capable person for it, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in Aligarh on Monday.
"It is not about what religion or community you come from, it is what you bring to the table, what capability you have," he said in an interaction with students of the Aligarh Muslim University.

He was replying to a question that having come a long way after Independence how much more time will it take for India to have its first Muslim prime minister.

"Today, Manmohan Singh is not the Prime Minister of India because he is a Sikh. He is the Prime Minister because he is the most capable person to do the job.

"And let me tell you something that even when you do have a Muslim prime minister, he will be a prime minister because he is the most capable person," 39-year-old Gandhi said.

He told a questioner, "You need to step up and the number of leaders coming out of your community needs to go up. You got today a Sikh prime minister that nobody would have ever imagined in a country of over a billion people that we would have a Sikh prime minister. Sikhs are a very small percentage of this country."

Gandhi said his effort was to involve people from different communities and from different parts of India in the political system.

Exhorting Muslim youths to participate in national politics in a big way, Gandhi said, "Increased participation of Muslim youths is the ideal way to take on problems not only of the Muslim community but the country as a whole."

He said it was unfortunate that today there was hardly any young Muslim leader active in national politics.

Earlier, Gandhi was given a rousing reception on his arrival at the AMU campus. He first drove to the grave of AMU founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan to pay tributes.

The Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association, which also hosted a reception in his honour, described his visit as "historic" and called Gandhi "the modern face of Congress party in India."

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Visit of Mr. Rahul Gandhi to AMU

ALIGARH December 5: Rahul Gandhi, M.P. will be visiting Aligarh Muslim University on December 7, 2009 on the invitation of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis.

Mr. Rahul Gandhi will interact with AMU students from various faculties, Halls of residence and University maintained Schools at Kennedy Auditorium on December 7 from 9.15 am. He will pay the floral tribute at 9.00 am at the mazar of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of the University. He will also meet the University teachers at AMU Staff Club.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Aligarh Muslim University is Green again after a tough time: A Letter from Mr. Irfan Khan

Dear Aligs,
Assalam-o-Alaikum


I thank the Vice-Chancellor Prof P. K. Abdul Azis for the sensible step he has taken by reinststating all the suspended students back on the university rolls. It is stated that innocent & meritorious students, in the past few years, have regularly faced acts of discrimination & false and faulty implications from the various offices of AMU, which spoils their academic career for no genuine reason and without proper reviewing of their cases. The recent act of outburst & dissent from the side of the general students after the untimely death of our beloved brother Mr. (Late) Shahnawaz Alam, was the result of such systematic oppression from the side of the AMU administration. The month long agitation by the students of Aligarh Muslim University was not against some individuals only, but against an insensitive system where some become its symbol.

The Vice-Chancellor Prof P. K. Abdul Azis has always been very sensitive & thoroughly concerned about the welfare of the students’ community; but few people from amongst his administrative machinery have always been misguiding him to act in a way, which does not suit his post and caliber. The students never had any personal vengeance against the Vice-Chancellor. It is therefore requested from the authorities, as a need of the hour, to look into such cases impartially and without any sense of prejudice & discrimination, in order to safeguard the careers of the general students in future.

The Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Struggle Committee members on behalf of the entire Students’ Fraternity, from the core of their heart wish to convey heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble & beloved Vice- Chancellor Prof P. K. Abdul Azis for showing his magnanimity in dealing with the agitating students by taking the suspended students back on the rolls of the university. Besides, our thanksgiving would be incomplete without mentioning the name of Prof. Z. U. Khairuwala, who has been so very instrumental in bridging up the huge gap between students and the Vice- Chancellor that existed till a few days ago. Because of his intervention & persuasion, the agitating students called-off their month-long Dharna at Jantar Mantar on November 26, 2009. We would also like to thank Mr. Ali Anwar Ansari, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha for showing his keenest interest in the case. We would also like express our deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Waseem Ali, Faculty of Law, AMU & Dr. Shameem, Dept. of Adult Education for showing their kind concern to get the issue resolved so nicely.

Students faced all the troubles to go against the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, took extreme steps to shake his roots & dislodge him from his chair; but we assure him that if he treats students with love and affection & take bold steps to solve their genuine & legitimate problems time to time, keep an eye on the abuse of power by certain university officials and allow students the democratic space they deserve in a place like Aligarh Muslim University, the entire Students’ Fraternity would stand by him & face all the onslaught against him at the forefront to protect him. Students are indeed emotional; they can be hostile for any simple ill treatment & can be melting at the same time if one showers love, care & affection.

The Hon’ble Registrar has proclaimed that the AMU authorities have taken back the fines imposed on the students during the previous month, and for this great step the AMU administration deserves all the praises for such reconciliatory approach to improve & garner relationship with the students. The idea of putting electric points for Heaters & Irons (Electric Press) in all the residential halls in the recent times by the Hon’ble Vice- Chancellor is a real intelligent decision, which at least allows students to have some refreshment anytime legally from now on and it must be appreciated. In future, we expect such intelligent solutions from him for other problems as well.

The Hon'ble Vice- Chancellor has already pronounced the appointment of a High Level Committee to examine the modalities of operationalising the Lyngdoh Committee Report. The Committee will be asked to submit its report within three months. It is hereby requested from the Vice- Chancellor to make it possible to reduce the time limit from three months to one month, so that everything is put back on the tracks without further loss of time.

Irfan Khan

Secretary & Official Spokesperson
Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Struggle Committee

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Regarding Mr. Tariq Islam

Dear Aligs,

Assalmualaikum,

This rebuttal had been invited quite sometime back on the debate relating to Mr. Tariq Islam's suspension. I didn't respond thinking that their is an inquiry commission which would do their job, but several people have been asking me on this subject on and off and this has been raised at AMU Network too on several occasions, one recent reference is by Dr. Tariq Mahmood (mahmoodtariq008) with the subject "[AMUNetwork] The recent crises at AMU and the involved parties..... ." sent on Friday, November 27, 2009 5:23 PM. So I have decided to share some information on this topic.


BACKGROUND:

1. On 28-Jun-1979, Council for National Academic Awards issued a certificate to Mr. Tariq Islam of The Polytechnic of North London that he has been awarded a degree of Bachelor of Arts with THIRD CLASS HONOURS. (Self Attested by Mr. Tariq Islam)

2. On 03-Jul-1984, Mr. P. G. Holiday, Registrar of The Polytechnic of North London issued a certificate that Mr. Islam got THIRD CLASS HONOURS. (Self Attested by Mr. Tariq Islam)

3. On 16-Feb-2009, Mr. Peter Fisher, Records and Compliance Officer issued a certificate that The Polytechnic of North London has awarded Mr. Tariq Islam a degree of Bachelor of Arts with THIRD CLASS HONOURS. (Self Attested by Mr. Tariq Islam)

4. On 30-Mar-2009, Mr. Peter Fisher responded to query submitted by AMU's registrar on Mr. Tariq Islam's percentage of marks in B.A., to which he informed that Mr. Tariq Islam received THIRD CLASS HONOURS with 46% marks.

5. On 13-Aug-2009, Mr. Peter Fisher responded to the Chairman of Department of Philosophy in which he certified that Mr. Tariq Islam received THIRD CLASS HONOURS with 46% marks and also issued the ceriticate for the same.

Note: Mr. Tariq Islam does not have a Master degree in Philosophy. However, he was granted admission at AMU to M.Phil. and Ph.D.



DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY MR. TARIQ ISLAM FOR B.A.:

1. B.A. degree with THIRD CLASS HONOURS

2. "Mark Sheet":

Photocopy of a document of, The Polytechnic of North London on the pad of Chris Cook, head of the department, department of history, philosophy and european studies, where Mr. Tariq Islam's name, First year five subjects, Second year seven subjects and Third year "no marks given to students" have been recorded.

This document is neither being signed nor the nomenclature of the course on the document has been mentioned. The document also does not contain class, roll number, enrollment number, result (pass or fail), date of issue, session and signature of issuing officer.

Note: As per AMU rules, it does not accept marksheets which does not mention the course/examination name, academic session etc.



EMPLOYMENT FORMS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY MR. TARIQ ISLAM:
.

.

- On 24-NOV-1987, employment form for local selection committee for lecturership in which he recorded 56.8% marks and in the column of division: BLANK.

- On 16-DEC-1988, employment form for local selection committee for lecturership in which he recorded 56.83% marks and in the column of division: BLANK.

- On 25-OCT-1989, employment form for local selection committee for lecturership in which he recorded 56.4% marks and in the column of division: BLANK.

- On 16-AUG-1991, employment form for local selection committee for lecturership in which he recorded 56.8% marks and in the column of division: BLANK.

- On 01-OCT-1998, employment form for general selection committee for lecturership in which he recorded 56.8% marks and in the column of division: SECOND.

- On 22-JAN-2002, assesment form for senior scale lecturer under CAS scheme, in which he recorded 56.8% marks and in the column of division: BLANK.

- On 16-OCT-2003, employment form for general selection committee for the post of professor in which he recorded 56.8% marks and in the column of division: BLANK.

- On 30-OCT-2006, performa of data relating to teachers of the university in which he recorded 56.8% marks and in the column of division: SECOND.

- On 31-DEC-2007, assesment form for promotion as professor under CAS, in which he recorded 56.8% marks and in the column of division: BLANK.



Note:

1. Mr. Tariq Islam never mentioned Third Class Honours in any of the forms submitted by him (Concealment of Fact).

2. Mr. Tariq Islam never mentioned that he obtained 46% marks. (Concealment of Fact)

3. In all places he has mentioned 56.8% instead of 46% marks. (False Information)

4. In at least two forms he has mentioned his division to be second. (False Information)



CLARIFICATIONS SOUGHT BY AMU:

1. On 30-OCT-2006, Chairperson (Dr. Roshan Ara), Department of Philosophy, asked to put his signature on each page of the performa submitted on 30-OCT-2006 but he declined the request.

2. On 01-NOV-2006, Chairperson, Department of Philosophy, requested for copies of certificates/ degrees in support of information provided on perormace on 30-OCT-2006, which he declined.

3. On 02-NOV-2006, Chairperson, escalated the matter to the Registrar as Mr. Tariq Islam declined to provide any supporting documents.

4. On 14-DEC-2006, Registrar (Prof. Faizan Mustafa), sought clarification on this matter, within 15 days.

5. On 31-DEC-2007, Chairman (Mohammad Muqim), sought copies of all degrees and marksheet wrt assesment form for promotion as professor under CAS but he could not submit the required documents.

6. On 18-JAN-2008, Deputy Registrar Selection Committee sought clarification and asked him again to submit the proper marksheet within 15 days, to which he did not comply.

7. On 10-MAR-2008, Deputy Registrar Selection Committee sought clarification again and asked him to submit B.A. marksheet within one month. He could not comply.

8. On 11-FEB-2009, Registrar (Prof. V. K. Abdul Jaleel) asked to furnish information regarding the enrolment/registrat ion number in The Polytechnic of North London within 3 days.



SHOW CAUSE NOTICES:

1. On 28-APR-2008, Chairman, Department of Philosophy, wrote a letter to Mr. Tariq Islam and asked him to comply within 15 days to which he did not.

2. On 27-FEB-2009, Registrar, wrote a letter to Mr. Tariq Islam to explain his position within 2 days failing which necessary action will be taken as per university rules.

In absense of appropriate response from Mr. Tariq Islam, AMU contacted Peter Fisher, Records and Compliance officer, London Metropolitan University (previously The Polytechnic of North London), to which he mentioned the percentage is 46% with THIRD CLASS HONOURS. Below is important text from his letter to understand the context:

"1. The 7 subjects SHOWN under 'SECOND YEAR' were, in fact, each tought over a period of 2 years. Hence, it would have been more accurate (and certainly more helpful!) to have had these subjects listed under the Second AND Third years.

2. The results of resit examinations are shown in terms of the actual marks awarded to the resit papers. However, the regulations show that where resits were taken, the resulting marks were automatically capped at 35%, for the purpose of calculating the final degree classication. (NB: THe first year results did not count towards the final degress classification) .

Hence, the aggregrate mark for the Second and Third year work is 46% (48+61+35+45+ 63+35+35= 322, divided by 7 = 46%). This corresponded to a Third Class degree (falling, as it does, within the range 40-49%)" From the letter of Peter Fisher dated 30-MAR-2009.


CONCLUSION:

All this while, Mr. Tariq Islam's main response has been "why now after so many years?".

I believe enquiry committee is working hard and I have full faith that they will come out with a fair and just report.

Anyways, does it seem to be a conspiracy because of Mr. Tariq Islam's active participation in RTI queries?

OR

Does it seem to be a genuine and correct action taken by the AMU administration?

YOU CHOOSE.

regards,

M. Muqim
Chairman,
Department of Philosophy

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Rahul Gandhi to visit Aligarh Muslim University

Rahul Gandhi to tour Uttar Pradesh :

Lucknow, Dec 2 (IANS): Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is set for a two-day tour of Uttar Pradesh from Dec 7 during which he would try and woo rural youth to join the Congress, party officials said Wednesday.
Gandhi will visit districts in central Uttar Pradesh including Lucknow, Kanpur, Ambedkarnagar and Lakhimpur Kheri and interact with students in schools and colleges.

“Rahul-ji is likely to address a gathering of students in Lucknow Dec 8 and will also meet members of the party’s youth wing,” Meghna Patel, a representative of the Congress youth wing in Lucknow, told reporters here.

The Amethi MP is also likely to visit the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Lucknow University, party officials said.

AMU Revoked the suspension order of eighteen students

ALIGARH December 2: On the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee, the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis has revoked the suspension order of eighteen students with immediate effect with a condition that each student is required to furnish an undertaking in writing duly approved by the Disciplinary Committee to keep good behavior in future and they are warned to be more careful in future.

These students were found guilty of misconduct and indiscipline and were suspended from the rolls of the University on November 4-5, 2009.

The students were involved in disturbing the classes and vitiating the academic functioning of the University leading to its closure. The students whose suspension was revoked on the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee were Mr. Mohd. Ibrahim, Mr. Tanzeel Ahmad, Mr. Mohd. Ahmadullah Beg alias Khurram, Mr. Md. Adil Hossain, Mr. Irfan Khan, Mr. Mohd. Faizan Khan, Mr. Shujatullah, Mr. Malik Ausaf Ahmad, Mr. Syed Mukarram Ali, Mr. Fahim Ahmad Siddiqui, Mr. Hilal Khan, Mr. Md. Shadab, Mr. Seraj Ahmad, Mr. Akhlaque Alam, Mr. Mohd. Javed Kuraishi, Mr. Javid Ali, Mr. Md. Farhan Ashraf and Mr. Sumit Kumar.


(Dr. Rahat Abrar)

Public Relations Officer

Foreign e-Journals Available at AMU

ALIGARH December 2: A reputed subscription agency of foreign e-journals, Infomatics (India) Ltd., Bangalore has made the accessibility to e-journals possible on the IP ranges of the Aligarh Muslim University available through J-Gate Portal. Prof. Shabahat Husain, Librarian-in- Charge, Maulana Azad Library, AMU has said that the University students and teachers may now access the J-Gate facility from anywhere in the campus directly through the URLs www.jgate.in and www.j-gate.informin dia.co.in as no log in ID or password is now needed to access the same.

J-Gate is an electronic gateway to global e-journal literature. Launched in 2001 by Informatics India Limited, Bangalore J-Gate provides seamless access to millions of journal articles offered by 6524 Publishers that are available online. It has a massive database of journal literature, indexed from 20943 e-journals with links to full text at publisher sites. J-Gate also plans to support online subscription to journals, electronic document delivery, archiving and other related services. J-Gate offers two types of products/services, J-Gate Portal and J-Gate Customized Services.

J-Gate is endowed with brilliant features and benefits that are extremely helpful to the students and faculty in their research activities. The J-Gate Portal provides access to 1510 e-only-journals with open access to 6108 online journals and links to 2414092 open access articles.

The J-Gate TOC and Database allows various search options for the user's convenience. The user can choose to search e-journals and free to access articles by Title, Author, Authors' Address/Institution , Keywords, etc.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Aligarh Muslim University Re-opened Today

ALIGARH December 1: The Aligarh Muslim University re-opened today and the classes in the Faculty of Medicine, Unani Medicine, Engineering & Technology, Management, Life Sciences, Bio-technology, Agricultural Sciences and Class XII along with all the University maintained schools from Nursery to Class X were started and the majority of students have reported to assume classes.

The students were received by NSS volunteers at the Railway Station and special conveyance were also provided to reach the hostels.

The Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis directed all the provosts to open the dining halls yesterday itself. The Vice Chancellor also directed building department to provide electric connection fixing heaters and electric press.

Classes for Faculty of Science, Commerce and Law will commence from December 4, 2009 while the classes in the Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences, Theology along with Class XI and Diploma in Engineering will be starting from December 8, 2009.


(Dr. Rahat Abrar)

Public Relations Officer

Please don’t convert AMU into a political battlefield: V-C


16 November 2009 - 10:02pm
VC Addressing a meeting at Press Club of India- New Delhi
To see the video of the media interview visit the link "AMU-VC in a Media Interview after sine die", uder the "Other links" section

To demand resignation of VC, AMU students sitting on dharna in Delhi




To watch the complete video visit the "Other Links" Section.