Sri Lankan student wins ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ speech competition
Aligarh: It is India’s ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’, but a Sri Lankan research scholar in Aligarh Muslim University stood out from the crowd to win the first prize in a speech competition organised by the Faculty of Theology. Mr Azhar engaged the audience with a speech on how ‘cleanliness is important part of religions’. He is pursuing Phd in Sunni Theology.
Quoting religious texts, Mr Azhar deliberated on ritual cleanliness and how purification has been an important part of all faiths. He emphasised Muslim life on individual and social levels.
“Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness, in both physical and spiritual terms,” said Mr Azhar adding that Islam insists on a hygienic life, making it an indispensable fundamental of faith. Ms Lubna Kail (MA student in Sunni Theology) and Ms Arfa (BA student in Shia Theology) won the second and third prizes respectively. Ms Fatima Khan, Mr Bilal Abbas, Ms Ummatul Malik and Ms Amna won the consolation prizes.
The staff and students of Interdisciplinary Department of Remote Sensing and GIS Applications, AMU observed the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ with a cleanliness drive in the department’s premises and nearby areas. The department also organised a quiz competition and an essay writing competition on ‘Innovative Ways for Keeping the Campus Clean’.
Prof Mohd Zahid (Dean, Faculty of Arts) led a cleanliness drive to observe the ‘Pakhwada’ in the Faculty of Arts, in which teachers, students, research scholars and staff members participated to clean the Faculty premises.
AMU Girls School organised various activities to observe the ‘Pakhwada’ fortnight. Ms Amna Malik (Principal) conducted a cleanliness drive, an essay writing competition, a ‘Clean Surrounding Day’ and a slogan writing competition among other things to observe the fortnight.
The Bibi Fatima Hall observed the National drive with the theme, ‘Cleanliness is half the faith’. Prof Ghazala Parveen (Provost) with Dr Farha Firdaus, Dr Sartaj Ali Tyagi, Ms Rayeena Reza and Dr Sadia Hasan conducted cleaning of the Hall premises and a tree plantation drive.
Dr Hashmat Ali Khan (Provost, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Hall) with wardens, staff and resident students of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Hall participated in cleaning the Hall area.
Sir Syed Hall (South) conducted a ‘Cleanest Room Contest’ in which six rooms from different wings of the Hall were awarded. Dr Badrudduja Khan (Provost) also organised a cleanliness drive of the Hall premises.