Jamia Millia Islamia celebrates 71st Independence Day with fervour and fanfare

New Delhi: School children and university students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) joined by faculty members, teachers and officials of the university today celebrated the 71st Independence Day at a colorful function on campus. The main function was held at the Jamia Senior Secondary School premises where Chief Guest and Vice Chancellor JMI, Prof Talat Ahmad unfurled the tricolor with NCC cadets saluting the flag as the National anthem played.
The school premises wore a festive look with balloons, tricolors and flowers adding to the
ambiance. Highlights of the cultural programme included qawwali and dance performances
by school children as tiny tots from Mushir Fatma Nursery School set the tone by their
beautiful rendition of patriotic songs. Welcoming the guests, Dr Muzaffar Hassan, Principal, Jamia Senior Secondary School said that freedom was the greatest gift while slavery was despicable. He told the children that freedom demands responsibility.
Delivering the Independence Day address, Prof Ahmad observed that India has made
significant progress economically and in the fields of space satellites, communication,
medical sciences and infrastructure since independence but there is scope for improvement, particularly in the field of education, research and innovation. Prof Ahmad said that however for India to attain a leadership position in the fraternity of
nations, we need to push beyond regular research and bring about innovations and out-of-box thinking. He also emphasized on the need to spread education especially in villages and added that universities and schools should focus on imparting quality education rather than education for the sake of it.
Prof Ahmad said that JMI has been working to improve research and teaching standards. The fact that JMI has done well in the MHRD’s National Institutional Ranking Framework
(NIRF) by scoring 6th among Central Universities and 12th position out of nearly 800
universities is a testimony to it. Reminding the children about Jamia Millia Islamia’s rich nationalist past and its contribution to the freedom struggle especially by founding fathers of the university like Dr. Zakir Husain, he said, that “everyone knows that we are nationalists and there is no need to prove it”. He said that JMI has always contributed in the progress of the country right from the freedom
struggle and asked students to carry forward this legacy.
As part of its service to the nation, the university has signed MoUs with the Indian Air force
and Indian Navy which enables their personnel to pursue higher education at JMI. He added that a similar arrangement is in the offing with the Indian Army also.
Among those who attended the function were Registrar Mr. A. P. Siddiqui (IPS), Controller
of Examinations Prof A. A. A. Faizi, Director School, Prof Ilyas Husain, Deans, Heads of
Departments, Directors of Centres, teachers and staff members of Jamia schools.
Mr. Qamar W. Naqvi, well-known personality in the TV news industry in the country,
addressing the students said that there should be freedom of thought and expression and the purpose of education should be to help us distinguish between good and bad for the progress of society.