New Dehli,Jamia Millia Islamia(JMI) organised a number of programs today to celebrate 152nd Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. JMI Registrar Dr Nazim Husain Jafri inaugurated an exhibition on ‘Mahatma Gandhi: Life & Time’ at the Exhibition Hall of Dr Zakir Husain Library of the university.
Rare photographs, personal letters, papers, books and other archival material of Mahatma Gandhi, maintained by the Library are on display in the exhibition to create more awareness and knowledge about his life and time. The exhibition will continue till 9th October,2021.
Students and scholars of the Department of Adult and Continuing Education (DACEE), JMI celebrated ‘Gandhi Jayanti’ by narrating inspiring anecdotes from the life of the Father of the Nation. These anecdotes which were narrated online threw light on Gandhiji’s life journey, his experiments with truth and how this frail yet tall figure managed to showcase to the world how “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
The DACEE, JMI also organised a Talk on ‘Gandhi’s Jamia’ by Prof. Sabiha Anjum Zaidi, Director, Premchand Archives and Literary Centre, JMI as Gandhiji had a deep association with Jamia and loved it dearly.
Prof. Zaidi explained how JMI was created in response to Gandhi’s call for non-cooperation against the British Raj. The Muslim nationalist leaders took lead and on October 29, 1920 and founded JMI in Aligarh,UP.
She further said that when Jamia went through a severe financial crunch and there were talks of closing it down in January 1925, Gandhi responded immediately that he was ready to beg for Jamia to raise funds. Gandhi was a lifelong friend of Jamia and it continues to tread on his ideals and values.
Jamia Schools also organised a number of programs today to commemorate Gandhi Jayanti. ‘Gandhiji Aur Jamia- speech in urdu by students of Jamia Middle School, Speech in English ‘Letter to Bapu: To address the relevance of Gandhi today”, recitation of Hindi Kavita: ‘Bapu ke prati’, Gandhiji’s contribution in promotion of Khadi- Presentation through slides, recitation of Urdu Nazm ‘Gandhiji’ by Jamia Middle School students, ‘ Gandhiji Ke Teen Bandar’- performance by 5 middle school students, Bhajan singing by students, Recitation of poetry in English composed by a student, Geet on Gandhiji’ De Di Hume Azadi..’ were some of the performances by students. Dean Students Welfare (DSW) Prof. Mehtab Alam distributed certificates to students.
Various online activities were conducted by the tiny tots of Mushir Fatma Nursery School, JMI to create awareness among Nursery and KG grade students regarding the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi and his ideology in present day context.
Report, Sadiq Jalal
