AMU organizes Seminar on ‘Contribution of AMU Alumni to Freedom Movement

Aligarh, January 15:

The Freedom Movement moved the masses in their own capacity and litterateurs like Sir Syed Ahmad and poets like Hasrat Mohani with their creative writings spread the message of this movement far and wide, said noted academic Professor Shan Mohammad. He was addressing a seminar full of academics, scholars, students and delegates at the Aligarh Muslim University’s Polytechnic.

Speaking on ‘Contribution of AMU Alumni to Freedom Movement—Journey of the struggle beyond borders’, Prof Shan Mohammad gave example of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan who dared to publish a book under the tile of Asbab Baghawat-e-Hind wherein he squarely blamed the British rulers for the outbreak of 1857 revolt.While talking about how Aligarh Movement played significant role in advancement of modern education on one hand and Freedom movement on the other, eminent journalist, Qurban Ali gave example of his late father, a former AMU student and freedom fighter, Captain Abbas Ali. “My father was 11-years-old, when he participated in a march to protest the hanging of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Captain Abbas’s nationalism and enthusiasm for freedom prospered during his students days in AMU,” said Qurban Ali.

Freedom fighter, journalist, writer and revolutionary, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh received his education at the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College and with this background he shaped into a true revolutionary and a freedom fighter, said Dr S Hussain Haider who was reading a message of Mahendra Pratap’s grandson, Kunwar Charath Pratap Singh in the seminar.Dr S Hussain Haider pointed out that during his student days in Aligarh, Raja Mahendra Pratap use to ask students to follow footsteps of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and join the freedom movement. Meanwhile, talking about Raja Mahendra Pratap’s close associate, fellow freedom fighter and former AMU student A M Khawaja, his grandson, Rajen Habib Khwaja stated that Mahatma Gandhi had once said that A M Khawaja was a true Muslim and Indian at heart. A M Khawaja was deeply committed to the Indian Freedom Movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi said his grandson who added that AMU has produced students like Maulana Hasrat Mohani who spent a big portion of life in jail because of his opposition to the British Raj.

Prof Raizwan Qaiser pointed out that this seminar will bridge the gap of knowledge on role of AMU in achieving country’s Independence but it is also necessary to inform people about achievements of AMU in the modern nation building.Presiding over the seminar, Aligarh Muslim University, Vice Chancellor, Lt General Zameer Uddin Shah (retd) said that AMU is a modern and secular institution of higher learning which has played a big role in India’s freedom movement and the modern nation building. He added that a book on AMU’s contribution to the freedom movement should soon be published.  While the seminar was conducted by Dr S Hussain Haider, the vote of thanks was delivered by Sir Syed Academy’s Director, Prof Tariq Ahmad.

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