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Background
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The organizational history
of the Aligarh Muslim University alumni
is quite old. The very first forum of the
old boys was The Brotherhood, founded in
1892.On its basis, the Old Boys' Association
came into being on 5th March 1899. The main
objectives of the Association were formally
declared in 1904. These were: |
Interest in the betterment of the College;
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Close relationship among the old boys,
the College staff and the Trustees; and |
Promotion of moral values among the old
boys. |
In 1913, an important addition
was made to the objectives, and it was; aid to
the families of the old boys. A provident fund
was also established for this purpose.
On 10th April 1914, the Old Boys' Lodge was formally
inaugurated at Aligarh; the foundation stone of
the building had been laid by Nawab Viqarul Mulk
in 1912.
The first Secretary of the Association was Mr.
Bahadur Ali. Among other distinguished earlier
secretaries, the names of Sahibzada Aftab Ahmad
Khan and Maulana Shaukat Ali may be mentioned.
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Introduction
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 Aligarh
Muslim University Old Boys' Association
of Pakistan (AMUOBA) was established in
1949 at Karachi. Duly registered under the
Societies Registration Act of 1860, the
association is a Body engaged in educational
and cultural advancement of the people on
a non-political and no-profit/no-loss basis.
Its setup comprises a President, three Vice-Presidents,
an Honorary General Secretary, a Treasurer,
four Joint Secretaries and a twenty-member
Executive Committee.
AMUOBA has been conspicuously
active since its very inception. Among other
bodies of the Aligarh alumni in various
countries of the world, AMUOBA’s has
a special significance. The students of
the Aligarh University were in the thick
of the struggle for a separate homeland
for the Muslims of the subcontinent. Once
the homeland-Pakistan-was carved out, the
old boys of the University also helped run
the country at every level and in every
field. Thus, AMUOBA represents the fighters
for the cause as well as its beneficiaries.
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Past Achievements |
 Following
Sir Syed's basic mission and abiding by
the spirit of the Aligarh Movement, AMUOBA
has focused attention from the very beginning
on furthering education in the country,
especially that of science and technology.
A significant achievement in this field
has been the establishment of Sir Syed University
of Engineering and Technology (SSUET). Through
sustained and intense effort by the Association,
SSUET came into being on 8th October 1993,
and its Charter formalities were finally
completed by an Act passed by the Sindh
Assembly on 17th September 1995.
The strength of Sir Syed
University of Engineering and Technology
has steadily increased to the present about
4500+ students and some 70 faculty members.
Presently, it is providing degree-course
instruction in Five disciplines, namely,
(1) Computer Engineering, (2) Electronic
Engineering, (3) Biomedical Engineering,
(4) Civil Engineering, and (5) Computer
Science.
Having the distinction
of being the first Technical University
in the country in the private sector, SSUET
itself has maintained a completely self-reliant
and non-political profile. Consistent with
the underlying principles of the Aligarh
Movement, Sir Syed University of Engineering
and Technology lays special emphasis on
quality of education, discipline and the
feeling of brotherhood among the students.
The University has one
sister institutions that very appropriately
complement its coverage and operations.
These institutions is the Aligarh Institute
of Technology .
The AIT offers Diploma level courses
in Computer Science, Electronic Engineering
and Secretarial Technology.
The University has a well-stocked
library. Also, it is equipped with the most
modern laboratory facilities, which are
adjudged as among the best by several prestigious
organizations in the country and abroad.
The University's top Management and AMUOBA
as the University's Sponsors continue to
ensure that the University remains completely
in line with the international standards.Top
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Publications
and Cultural Activities |
For the
past more than two decades, AMUOBA has been publishing
a monthly Urdu magazine entitled Tehzib.
The magazine focuses on literary, social,
cultural and Islamic themes without being
pedantic and heavy. It has been particularly
popular due to its special orientation towards
Aligarh personalities, traditions and reminiscences
that aims at keeping that rare spirit and
brotherhood alive. Through its editorials
particularly, Tehzib also continues to comment
as necessary on matters of common interest,
especially the various ills besetting our
society.
AMUOBA has also published
a number of books on subjects of particular
interest to Aligarians as well as others
interested in Sir Syed, the Aligarh Movement
and the Aligarh University life, traditions
and values, All income from the publication
of such books has been donated to the Association
funds. AMUOBA also co-ordinates very closely
with SSUET in the latter's publication programmes-of
regular and ad hoc bulletins, brochures,
papers and books-and the holding of various
seminars. The Association continues to promote
social contacts and arrange cultural gatherings
in order to sustain and stimulate the Aligarh
fellow feeling. Mushairas on a big scale,
usually with external participation of poets,
are the most popular among such gatherings
and are held by AMUOBA from time to time.
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A Unique Year in Retrospect |
In 1998 Sir Syed ushered both AMUOBA and SSUET into series of activities, unprecedented for them in variety and intensity. The year
1998 being the 100th year of Sir Syed's
demise, it was decided-and announced-to
start right from 17th October 1997, a programme
to befittingly presage and observe the Centenary.
Looking back, the success achieved has been
beyond all expectations. Obviously, it would
not have been achieved without the collective
zeal and effort, fired by the love that
Aligarians have for Sir Syed, and the esteem
in which they hold his legacy.
In collaboration with the
University, the Association started to contribute
and sponsor articles in the Press to create
and enhance awareness about Sir Syed and
the Aligarh Movement. Particularly chosen
for this purpose, were reviews of the lives
and works of Sir Syed's associates and followers
whose death anniversaries happened to fall
between October 1997 and March 1998.
As the programme gathered
momentum, the electronic media joined forces
to review and highlight Sir Syed's life,
his achievements and contributions. This
was done through talk shows, quiz programmes,
interviews and the like. By the time the
Centenary was reached towards the end
of March 1998, interest and expectations
had been heightened to an appreciable degree.
The Centenary week was
the real period of culmination. For the
students in particular, memorial debates
in Urdu and English respectively on an inter-university
basis were held on 18th and 19th March,
besides several sport events, arranged on
the same basis. The participation and the
quality both turned out to be very satisfying.
Essay competitions were also arranged in
Urdu and English for university students
on an all Pakistan basis, and the response
in this respect was also quite encouraging.
For people in general, several Radio and
TV programmes were aired, conspicuous among
them being a long-duration biographical
play on Sir Syed, documentaries on Sir Syed
University of Engineering and Technology,
group discussions, quiz programmes, etc.
However, the core programmes-long-awaited,
intensely organized and immensely successful-were
two: an International Seminar on 21st and
22nd March and the University's first Convocation
on 27th March. The Seminar was well attended-both
in terms of contributors to the selected
themes from within the country and abroad,
id the audience. The papers read and lectures
delivered evinced great interest and were
generally of a high order. The Convocation,
arranged to be held on the actual Centenary
day-27th March-was equally well attended
and well received, specially since it was
the first occasion for the University to
confer degrees on its students.
As part of the Centenary
observance, the super seniors Aligarians
of Pakistan were honoured in a novel way.
Special plaques were prepared and given
to those who had been born before Sir Syed's
100th birthday, i.e. 17th October 1917-and
were privileged to witnessing the 100th
death anniversary as well. In the search
that was launched for such Alig brothers,
it was a very pleasant surprise to "discover"
nearly fifty candidates for this rare honour-although
it is sad to note that several of them have
left us in the meanwhile.
The Centenary programmes
were capped up by the ever-popular cultural
event: grand Mushaira. For the event, several
renowned poets from abroad had also been
invited. The Mushaira provided a whole-night
entertainment and enlightenment. Interest
-id attendance both remained high until
the very end. At times, flashes of the Aligarh-style
lively appreciation were manifest from the
audience.
Overall, the Centenary
programmes in several respects turned out
to be distinctive, almost unique. Some of
the significant features were as follows:
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The programmes were on the whole attended
by perhaps the largest number of dignitaries
ever in Pakistan for a privately arranged
set of functions. |
The President of Pakistan inaugurated
the Seminar. The Prime Minister was the
Chief Guest at the Convocation. |
The Senate Chairman, the Speaker National
Assembly, the Education Minister, the Minister
for Water and Power and the Governor Sindh
attended, as Chief Guests and/or Chairmen
of the different working sessions of the
Seminar. |
Among other dignitaries, the Chief Minister
Sindh spoke at the Inaugural Session of
the Seminar. |
The Speaker Sindh Assembly and the Sindh
Minister of Education were Chief Guests
at the two Inter-university debates. |
For the first time in Pakistan,
due recognition was given at the highest Government
level to the role of Sir Syed and the Aligarh
Movement in the genesis and success of the Pakistan
Movement. " It was he (Sir Syed)," stated
the President of Pakistan in his Inaugural Address,
" who advanced the idea of the Muslims forming
a separate nation, distinct from the Hindus."
Later in the Address, the President declared that
"the Aligarh Movement and the Pakistan Movement
are complementary and inseparable." In a
similar vein, the Prime Minister of Pakistan observed
in his Convocation Address: " I do not exaggerate
when I say that Pakistan Movement symbolized the
flowering of Sir Syed's Movement. It was Sir Syed
Ahmad Khan who foresaw that the salvation of the
Indian Muslims lay in their political awakening."
Encouraging observations were
made regarding the Aligarh old boys about their
role in the struggle for Pakistan and in the subsequent
nation building. "In the struggle for Pakistan,"
to quote from the President's Address, "
the students of the Muslim University, Aligarh,
played an invaluable role. Similarly, when Pakistan
came into being, the major burden of administering
the country and managing its affairs fell mostly
to the lot of Aligarians. As many as five Heads
of State and Prime Ministers of Pakistan have
been Aligarh old boys. The list of those who served
almost every walk of life is long and distinguished."
The Government chose to launch
its new Education Policy on the Centenary day
as a mark of tribute and respect to Sir Syed.
" In deference to what Sir Syed so uniquely
contributed to education," observed the President,
"it is befitting that the Government of Pakistan
will be launching its new education policy on
27th March 1998-the day the Centenary falls."
Also referring to the launching of the new Education
Policy, the Prime Minister said: "This, we
thought, will be the best way to commemorate the
Centenary. It will be a befitting tribute to the
man who brought about a virtual educational revolution
to help Muslims gain distinction and stature in
the sub-continent. We hope that in the actual
implementation of the policy as well, we can keep
aligned to the ideals of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan."
For the first time in Pakistan,
the multi-faceted personality of Sir Syed, his
multidimensional efforts and their impact and
the historical perspective in which this remarkable
man struggled against tremendous odds, were brought
out so cogently and comprehensively to the nation
which owes so much to him.
Several supplements were brought
out by newspapers on their own and several others
were sponsored by AMUOBA and Sir Syed University
of Engineering and Technology themselves. Besides,
two books were published in connection with the
Centenary: one comprising selected writings in
English on Sir Syed and the Aligarh Movement,
and the other consisting of selections from Sir
Syed's own-Urdu-writings. Talks were also held
over the TV about the literature on Sir Syed and
on the literature produced by him. Another book
containing selection of writings in Urdu on Sir
Syed, Sir Syed's associates and the Aligarh Movement
is under preparation. The Seminar papers are also
being organized and edited to be presented in
a volume soon. Several reprints of well-known
books on Sir Syed and related subjects are also
in an advanced stage of publication.
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Contact:
M.R. Kayani Road,Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: (92-21) 510004
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