By: Dr. Mohammad Aleem, Chief News Editor, ICN Group
NEW DELHI: These days, the whole world is hankering for peace and stability so fervently that no any other time in history ever saw it. Not a single region of the world is left which is not affected by any kind of violence and unrest. Of late, the decision of the American President, Donald Trump about shifting the US Embassy to Jerusalem has put the whole Middle East on boil and the rest of the world greatly worried and disturbed. Everybody is feeling threatened that if the third world war looming large and it might take all in its ferocious tentacles.
In such circumstances, we need peace and stability and love of people much more than any other thing. Any such effort either put by any person or an organization is truly commendable.
Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, a central university by an act of Parliament and a world renowned geologist has received a great such honor on 9th December in a glittering function in New Delhi by All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties & Social Justice. The esteemed organization has presented its “Most Eminent Vice Chancellor Award” on the occasion of 7th International Human Rights Awards, 2017 for Promoting Peace, Harmony, Protecting and Promotion of Human Rights in the country on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.
Jamia Millia Islamia has a long history of promoting peace, brotherhood and love in the society. It has a great tradition of serving the nation by inculcating great nationalist and secular feelings not only among its thousands and thousands of students, but in the society at large also. This university was founded by great nationalist leaders and freedom fighters in 1920, before India got freedom from the British imperialists. Among its founders were visionary leaders like Mohammad Ali Jouhar and Shaukat Ali, Abul Kalam Azad and Hakim Ajmal Khan. Mohammad Ali Jouhar served as the first Vice Chancellor of the university.
Dr. Zakir Husain, former President of India took over the university as its vice chancellor in its turbulent times in 1927 and guided it through all the difficulties.
So far, Jamia Millia Islamia has honored many state leaders with the doctorate degrees like late Yasir Arafat and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and many other great scholars, leaders and artists of the world repute. In 2006, the Sultan of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah had paid a visit to the university and donated $30 million for construction of a library. Now, this library is known as Dr. Zakir Husain Central Library.
This university has always been guided by some of the best leaders and scholars of its time as the Chancellor like Hakim Ajmal Khan (1920 – 1927), Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari (1928 – 1936), Abdul Majeed Khwaja (1936 – 1962), Zakir Husain (1963 – 1969), Mohammad Hidayatullah (1969 – 1985),Khurshed Alam Khan (1985 – 1990), S. M. H. Burney (1990 – 1995), Khurshed Alam Khan (1995 – 2001), Fakhruddin T. Khorakiwala (2002 – 2011), Lt. General Mohammad Ahmed Zaki (2012 – 2017) and Najma Heptulla (2017 – Till Date), who is the honorable Governor of Manipur and an eminent nationalist leader and scholar. She has authored many books of importance like India’s Progress in Science and Technology, Indo-West Asian Relations and The World Charter for Nature, Impressions. She has also served earlier to the nation as the Deputy Chairman of Rajaya Sabha and Minister of Minority Affairs.
Many important persons have congratulated to the honorable VC of Jamia on this momentous occasion. Dr. Asif Umar, Assistant Professor Hindi Department, Jamia was the first person who shared this happy news with me. I am greatly indebted to him.
