[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="17632,17631,17630"] Mir Mohsin Ali Saudi Gazette RIYADH — Indian Rajya Sabha member and film actor Raj Babbar stressed on the necessity to have more administrators to represent Muslim community in IAS, IFS, IRS, IPS etc. and institutions like Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have to play an important role in this regard. He was making an address at the Sir Syed Day celebration in Riyadh, organized by Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) at Riyadh Palace Hotel. He said the presence of Muslim administrative cadres is most needed in the system. "In this way Muslims will get involved in the daunting task of participating in the system because it is bureaucrats, who are the actual lawmakers and are responsible to approve and sign with their mighty pens the directions, instructions and suggestions to the leaders in power and not vice versa," he said. Babbar added that AMU is the only university that has a long chain of its alumni spread in every corner of the world. He was all admiration and praise that AMU is producing intellectuals as well as specialists engineers, doctors, scientists, economists, financial advisers etc. while simultaneously lamenting the fact that AMU has not produced administrative personnel. "It is my concern that more and more administrative alumni ,especially Muslims, should come out of AMU portal." The audience greeted Babbar's suggestion with applause. "Sir Syed was a great visionary and he realized the importance of education quite early, which took the shape of his Aligarh Movement resulting in the creation of Aligarh Muslim University. He was the main architect in establishing AMU not only for Muslims but for all communities. But for this forward-looking policy, the first AMUgraduate would not have had been Ishwari Prasad," Babbar added. Indian Rajya Sabha member Parvez Hashmi, a prominent Aligarian alumni and a renowned social worker, was the guest of honor. Hashmi praised AMUOBA Riyadh for playing a major role in the development of its alma mater. He assured his full support in restoring the minority character of AMU if it comes to parliament from the court, in order to get it passed in the legislature. The function was presided by the most senior Alig in Riyadh, Islam Habib Khan, and a graduate from AMU in 1951. He is presently serving as a consultant at Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. He apprised the audience with some amazing historical facts about AMU monuments and suggested that much is required to be done by the alumni for its alma mater. The program commenced with the recitation of verses from Holy Qur'an by Dr. Ahad Chowdhary, executive member of AMUOBA. Over 600, comprising of mainly AMU alumni and other Indian community members, attended. In his address, Suhail Ahmad, president AMUOBA Riyadh, welcomed the guests and audience. Highlighting the major contributions of the previous nine presidents of AMUOBA Riyadh in chronological order starting from the pioneer president, Dr. Nadeem Tarin (1996) until the immediate preceding president Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Badshah (2015), Suhail thanked all of them for their constructive role and for their presence and guidance in taking AMUOBA to new level of successes and achievement. He informed the audience about the project of building a residential complex at AMU that has been committed by sincere Alig alumni and some dedicated non-Alig fans too. He announced the laying of the foundation stone of Riyadh Hall at the recently held AMU Alumni Meet 2015 at AMU, by the Vice Chancellor Lt. Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah in presence of the former presidents of AMUOBA Riyadh, Dr. Nadeem Tarin, Dr. Misbahul Arfin, and Mohammad. Zaigham Khan and Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Badshah. He requested one and all present in the audience to participate in this noble project by committing for at least one room that will be remembered by the generations to come. AMU is ranked as the second best university in India in the India Today-Nielsen ranking and the sixth best global Indian university by US News, which also ranks it at 69th position among the Best Global Universities for Mathematics. The traditional and famous directory-cum-souvenir "We the Aligs" of AMUOBA Riyadh 2015 was released by the guests. Babbar presented memento to Badshah for his dedicated services to AMUOBA and to the core committee member Dr. Syed Ali for his services to AMUOBA. Dr. Abdur Raheem Khan, an executive member, conducted the program. Dr. Hifzur Rahman, second secretary Embassy of India wasalso present in this occasion. Vice President, Salman Khalid delivered the vote of thanks. After the rendering of heart throbbing University Tarana and National Anthem, the inevitable sumptuous dinner was served. Earlier in the afternoon AMOUBA organized an interactive session and lunch with the Sir Syed Day guests, seniors Aligs and association members at Red Chilli Restaurant.
