Aligarh Alumni Association PO Box 1877, Ellicott City MD 21041

410-531-9492

April 2016

NEWS FROM AROUND WASHINGTON AREA
AAA Annual Meeting and the Elections:

The Aligarh Alumni Association, Washington, DC (AAA), held its annual meeting and elections on Sunday, March 27, 2016. Dr. Razi Raziuddin, the outgoing chairperson, Board of Trustees, chaired the session. The retiring president, Ms. Farzana Farooqi, presented her report, providing an overview of the activities organized and conducted by the Association during the previous year.
The members expressed their appreciation for the work and contributions of the outgoing team of office bearers, and extended their best wishes to the incoming team headed by Mr. Masood Farshori, the new president of the Executive Council (EC). The members also lauded the work of the scholarship and investment committees, their chairpersons and many dedicated volunteers who helped make the last year one of the most successful and productive years. The following Executive Councilors were elected to serve during 2017-2018 period. Unlike the EC members, the trustees are inducted into office immediately.
Executive Council
– President-elect
– Secretary-elect
– Treasurer-elect
Dr. Mohammad Akbar
Ms. Nasreen Sikander
Dr. Arati Raziuddin
Board of Trustee 
 – Member       Dr. Rafat Husain
 – Chairman     Dr. Abdullah Abdullah
L to R: Nasreen Khan (Secretary-elect), Arti Raziuddin (Treasurer-elect), Farzana Farooqi (Ex-officio), Syed Amir (Election Officer), Masood Farshori (President), Khurshid Usmani (Treasurer), Mohammad Akbar (President-elect), (Secretary Humera Qadri is not in picture)
Events Planned For 2016-2017:

The AAA has drawn an ambitious agenda and planned a number of educational, cultural, and literary events for the coming year. The calendar of events is still being finalzed and will soon be posted on our website. By early dissemination of the calendar, the AAA hopes to avoid any conflict with the events sponsored by other sister organizations in this area.
Annual AAA Picnic: The annual picnic will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2016 (Memorial Day). President Mr. Masood Farshori promises to make it a memorable occasion, when classical South Asian delicacies, such as Dil-nasheen lassi , Tikke and kabaab, Aligarh waali chai will be served (more details to follow).
Selected News from Aligarh Muslim University
AMU Among the Top Ten Universities of India:

The Indian ranking framework for higher education institutions has released a list of top 100 universities and institutes in Engineering, Management, and Pharmacy. The Indian Institute of Science topped the list, while the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, and Jawaharlal Nehru University were judged second and third, respectively. The AMU secured the tenth position in the ranking order.
Minority status of the AMU:

The issue of whether the existing minority status of the AMU is to survive is still being argued in the Indian Supreme Court. Those who would like to read an opinion piece, the following article related to the minority status of the AMU from Mr. Afzal Usmani, may be of interest.
The VC’s Appointment Challenged: The appointment of Lt.Gen (Retired) Zameer Uddin Shah as VC of AMU was challenged several years ago, based on the regulations of University Grants Commission (UGC), which stipulated that the VC ought to have worked for at least 10 years as a professor in a university. The petition was brought before the High Court by Syed Abrar Ahmed. Attorney Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, contended that the high court had “erroneously refused to quash the appointment of the VC, in contradiction of the mandatory provisions of the UGC Regulation”. However, the AMU lawyers argued that the regulation cited did not apply in the present case. No decision has yet been handed down by the apex court.
Glimpses of a Visit to Aligarh
AMU as Seen by a Former Student

Dr. Abdullah’s Safarnama: Dr. Abdullah has recently returned from an extended visit to Dubai, India and Pakistan and recounts some highlights of his trip in the following section:
The convocations ceremony of the AMU held on February 27, 2016, in which honorary D.Sc. degrees were awarded to Mr. Frank Islam and Dr. Ashok Seth, was a spectacular show. Dr. Seth is a renowned cardiologist and an alumnus of the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College of the AMU. The formal ceremony combined the traditional pageantry with an opportunity to showcase academic achievements. A detachment of horse riders in glittering uniforms drawn from the University’s riding school escorted the horse-drawn carriage carrying the chancellor, His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen Zameer Uddin Shah, Mr. Frank Islam and Dr. Ashok Seth.
In his keynote address, Mr. Islam traced his life’s trajectory starting from his childhood in his native Azamgarh to his progression as a highly successful entrepreneur in the US. The address by Dr. Seth was delivered in an informal, spontaneous style and was much liked. The ceremony concluded on a learned, scholarly discourse by Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.
The convocation ceremony was preceded by other related festivities. On Feb 25, Mr. Frank Islam, his family, and I attended a reception hosted by pro-chancellor, part of the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the School of Businesses. This complex is being built by contributions made by Aligarh Alumni. However, the major contribution of two million dollars was made by Mr. Frank Islam and his wife. The building will be named Frank and Debbie Islam Business Complex. My attendance at the 2016 convocation evoked nostalgia, and brought back memories of the ceremonies of years past, when I was a young student. I was pleased to observe that many noble traditions of my days were preserved at AMU.
Earlier, during a brief visit to Dubai, I attended a ceremony in which a memorandum of understanding was signed by Lt Gen (Ret) Zameeruddin Shah, VC of AMU and Prof Muthana G. Abdul Razzaq, President, American University of Emirate ( AUE). The AMU and AUE pledged cooperation in promoting research in Islamic studies and Islamic financing. The project was initiated by Mr. Frank Islam who sits on the Board of Trustee of AUE. The Aligarh Alumni Association of UAE, led by Mr. Dawood Ozair, Chairman Al Futtuim Group, hosted a reception and Sir Syed Memorial Lecture delivered by the Vice Chancellor.
During my trip to Delhi related to the medical treatment of my brother, I was privileged to be invited to attend some literary gatherings and recite my poetry. I participated in the Shankar-Shaad Mushaira, which dates back to pre-partition days. I was also invited to visit Rekhta Foundation in Greater Noida to record a couple of my poems. One whole floor of the Building is now occupied by the Rekhta foundation.
On a family-related visit to Karachi, Arif Raza who used to be my roommate at Morrison Court at Aligarh, arranged a reception where I met some 25 Aligarh “Old Boys,” including Poet Tariq Sabzwari. Later, Tariq took me to a live TV program, where a Ghazal singer and I hosted an hour program.
I returned home with many happy memories of my trip
Syed Amir (Editor)                                                                                                      Khurshid Usmani (Web)

Masood Farshori (President)                                                                                Abdullah Abdullah (Chairman)

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