AMU celebrates Republic Day with vigour and gaiety

Aligarh : “For all of us, 26th January is the day to pause and ponder over the core values that our constitution propounds. These values – Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity outlined in the preamble of our constitution are sacred to all of us. I would like to go further back into history and inquire why precisely these values guided our nation builders and the answer is obvious – this land and its inhabitants have cherished these ideals from time immemorial and these are perennial principles of our philosophy of life”, said Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor while addressing the gathering at 74th Republic Day celebrations in AMU.

He said, “As we celebrate this day, let us remember that we have much work to do to ensure that our constitutional values are upheld and that every citizen has access to education, healthcare, and a fair chance to succeed. It is our collective responsibility to build a better future for all and to create a more equitable and just society. Let us renew our commitment to building a strong and vibrant nation that is respected and admired by the world.”

The Aligarh Muslim University today celebrated the Republic Day with enthusiasm and gaiety at the Strachey Hall, to mark the anniversary of the day when the Constitution was adopted in 1950.

After a customary parade by NCC cadets and unfurling of the Tricolour, Vice Chancellor, Prof Mansoor remarked that “this day is of great significance in Indian History when the Constitution of India came into effect, replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India. The Indian Constitution, with Dr B. R. Ambedkar as the Chairman of the drafting committee, happens to be the largest written constitution of any sovereign country. It establishes the framework for the Government of India and guarantees certain fundamental rights to its citizens, including the right to equality, freedom of religion, property and constitutional remedies, among others.

“Democracy and secularism are also basic features of our constitution”, he added.

The Vice Chancellor pointed out, “Republic Day is a time for all Indians to come together and celebrate the values and principles that make our country great. It is a time to remember the sacrifices and struggles of our freedom fighters and to reaffirm our commitment to building a better, more prosperous and inclusive nation for all citizens. Our freedom movement was not merely a struggle against a foreign rule. It was also a struggle to rejuvenate our country and transform our society”.

He stated, “I am filled with a deep sense of pride and gratitude for what our country has achieved in various fields. It is a matter of great honour and profound prestige that India has assumed the G-20 Presidency and will host the G-20 Leaders Summit for the first time in this country. India’s G-20 Presidency would be a watershed moment in its history as it seeks to play an important role by finding pragmatic global solutions for the well-being of all, and in doing so, manifest the true spirit of “Vasudeva Kutumbakam” or the “world is one family”.

“The global order is faced with challenges of International financial stability, food sufficiency, climate change and sustainable development and the G-20 presidency will work to promote a universal sense of oneness. Hence the theme, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future”, he added.

Prof Mansoor further said, “The founding fathers of our great Nation had visualised a future with the mutual co-existence of various religions, cultures, languages and ethnicities. The vision of our legendary founder, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan also envisaged the Idea of India: Unity in diversity. Hence the portals of the University have always remained open to all irrespective of caste, creed, region and religion.”

“With the untiring efforts of our faculty and students, we have been successful in making AMU as one of the leading educational institutions in India, known for its high-quality education and research and this is manifested in its accreditation by NAAC, NBA, etc and good rankings by various national and international agencies,” he claimed.

Elaborting on the achievements and future plans of the university, the Vice Chancellor said, “We have opened many new courses and branches in various fields for our students to enhance their employment and placement potential. We are now working with the office of our former Chancellor and spiritual leader of the Bohra Community His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Sahab to establish an Institute of Pharmacy. We have also applied under HEFA to construct separate hostels for research scholars, international students and sports persons as well as enhancement of the infrastructure of various faculties and departments. We are also trying to enhance the seating capacity of Maulana Azad Library and making efforts to maintain and restore our heritage buildings.”

He urged the AMU fraternity to strengthen India’s democracy by remaining united, committed and positive in our attitude. “Let us forge forward confidently to a healthy, strong and self-reliant India”, he added.

AMU students Ms Ayesha Tanveer (B.Com. Final Year) and Mr Syed Faheem Ahmad (B.Tech. First Year) also delivered speeches.

The Vice-Chancellor later distributed prizes to the winners of the Half-Marathons organised by the University Games Committee and Ahmadi School for the Visually Challenged (ASVC). In the Men’s category, Suhail Ansari, Pushpendra Kumar Sharma and Mohammad Qamar Abedeen secured the first, second and third places, while in Women’s category, Nidhi Chaudhary, Subhlata Kumari and Diksha Arya got the first, second and third places, respectively.

In the Republic Day Marathon organized by the ASVC, Kaif Chand, Irshad Ahmad Lone and Arun Kumar won the first, second and third places in the Men’s category and Manju, Taiyyaba and Zahra Batool were placed first, second and third, respectively, under the Women’s category.

AMU Pro Vice Chancellor, Prof Mohammad Gulrez and Registrar, Mr Mohammad Imran (IPS) were also present on the occasion. The flag hoisting ceremony was conducted by the Registrar, Mr Mohammad Imran.

The Vice-Chancellor also flagged off the ‘Eco Fox Run’ aimed at creating awareness about the environment and energy. The event was organised by the University’s Eco Club.

During the function, Prof Mansoor handed over the first prize to 3 UP Girls BN NCC AMU Unit, second prize to 8 UP BN NCC AMU Unit and third prize to 1 UP Engineers Coy NCC AMU.

Earlier in the day, a Prabhat Pheri programme was organised at STS School and Abdullah Hall premises. The university also witnessed celebrations in all offices, faculties, colleges, departments and schools.

The National Flag was also unfurled at the Administrative Block Building, Vice Chancellor’s Lodge, Maulana Azad (MA) Library, Faculty of Arts, all schools and colleges of the University, all offices of the Deans and DSW, all Provost Offices and the Proctor’s Office; while the Administrative Block Building, M A Library, Victoria Gate, University Polytechnic Auditorium, Baab-e-Syed and Arts Faculty building were illuminated in Tricolor.

The Vice Chancellor also visited the University Health Service to meet the indoor patients and to distribute fruits. Tree saplings were planted in Sir Syed Hall as a part of the on-going plantation drive.