AFMI Convention Rewards Best Muslim Students Across India

December 28, 2013

Part 1–AFMI’s convention draws cream of Indian students to Guwahati

By Nurul Islam Laskar

Dignitaries formally releasing the career guidance book by Prof MA Hussain at the AFMI Convention in Guwahati on Sunday.

Over 70 rank holder students from the Muslim community cutting across the country, from Jammu & Kashmir to Kerala and from Gujarat to Nagaland, received their gold, silver and bronze medals at the jam packed AFMI 22nd International Convention on Education & Gala Award Ceremony held at Pragjyoti ITA Centre Auditorium in the city on Saturday. There were an overwhelming number of girl students among the medal winners which signalled the urge for education among Muslim girls of today.

The Convention began with a recitation from the Holy Quran followed by welcome address delivered by the Convention Chairman, Sirajuddin Ajmal. It may be mentioned here that the Convention is being organised and hosted by two of Assam’s front ranking NGOs, Ajmal Foundation & Markazul Ma’arif.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr AR Nakadar (Detroit USA), Founding Trustee of AFMI. As far as education is concerned, he said, “We want to see Assam as the Number One state in India and for achieving this, AFMI will extend all cooperation and support to the Ajmal Group and other like-minded organisation working with the same objectives.”

Dr Ayub Khan (Toronto Canada), President AFMI, gave an overview of AFMI’s various projects meant to benefit the student community of India. He said Assam was a bastion of knowledge in the past and would continue to be so in the future too. His appeal to the students was, “Be innovators, and not imitators.”

AFMI also conferred the Sir Syed Award to Badruddin Ajmal MP & CEO of Ajmal CSR for his outstanding contribution to the cause of education in the North Eastern part of India. Noted Urdu poet MD Nawaz Khan Deobandi was conferred with the Mir Taqi Mir Award for his role in promotion of Urdu poetry beyond the frontiers of India.

Prof PK Abdul Azis, VC University of Science & Technology Meghalaya and former VC of Aligarh Muslim University exhorted the students to serve the country with zest and dedication on completion of their academic pursuits.

The chief guest of the event, Devanand Konwar, Governor of Tripura shared the experiences of his student days with the audience. He said real education is based on values and character and the students should not overlook these in their pursuit for material possessions.
The inaugural session was followed by two academic sessions, one on ‘Motivation as a contributing factor in promoting excellence’ and another on ‘Enhancing learning & Leadership opportunities’ in which experts from India and abroad participated.

The concluding address was made by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal MP who expressed the hope that Mission Education would get a new momentum in the region with the hosting of the two-day AFMI Convention in Guwahati. He urged upon the new generation to preserve old values and develop a mindset to compete so that no one dared to call them ‘beggars for government favours.’

Union Minister for Minority Affairs, K Rahman Khan is expected to be present at the concluding day of the Convention on Sunday.

(The above report is available at: http://muslimmirror.com/eng/afmis-convention-draws-best-of-indian-students-from-across-the-country-to-guwahati/)

Some of the all India topper Muslim students who received medals at the Convention are seen with dignitaries on the dais in Guwahati on Saturday.

Dr Nawaz Khan Deobandi and Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal acknowledging the public ovation after receiving awaards at the AFMI Convention on Saturday

Abdur rahman Ajmal MLA & Badaruddin Ajmal MP with AFMI President Ayub Khan & Founding Trustee Dr AR Nakadar.

Part 2–Union Minister Rahman Khan attends convention on education in Guwahati

By Nurul Islam Laskar

The two-day 22nd international convention on education as part of American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) several initiatives for the cause of education came to an end in Guwahati on Sunday. Speaking as the chief guest on the valedictory day, Dr K Rahman Khan, Union Minister for Minority Affairs said, “My appeal to the Muslims is that don’t always feel neglected and not taken care of. Find out what your own responsibility is and discharge it.” He lauded the initiative of the Ajmal Group in Assam in promoting education in the rural areas and expressed the hope that this would be replicated by others.

Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Minister for Education & Healthcare, was present as the guest of honour. He too emphasised the role of the civil society in creating awareness about the need for promoting education. For the Muslim concentration Dhubri District of Assam, he announced construction of 20 new hospitals and provision of at least 3 teachers in each primary school of the district before the end of the next year.

Dr Sarma formally unveiled a book on career guidance, authored by Prof MA Hussain and published by Ajmal Foundation. The book contains over 3,000 career options for the youth. The Minister presented one book each to the medal winning students who were present at the event.

Another distinguished guest, Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury, Pro Vice Chancellor, Tezpur University, highlighted the peaceful existence of various ethnic groups which was so evident when he was a child. He appealed for bringing back those golden days of Assam back again.

Badruddin Ajmal, MP reminded the participants that that they should understand the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet (s) to realise the high position Islam bestows on the woman.

Earlier in the day, a panel discussion on ‘Muslim education in the North East: Challenges & Opportunities’ was held in which the participants were Dr H Nagamia, Cardiologist (Tampa USA), Dr KM Baharul Islam (IIM Kashipur), Sayeedulla Nongrum, former Minister (Shillong, Meghalaya), Prof Abdul Mannan, Dept of Statistics (Gauhati University) and Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed, former Principal, Karimganj College (Assam). The discussion was moderated by NI Laskar, Executive Editor, Easter Chronicle (Guwahati).

Another panel discussion on ‘Empowering women as key agents of change’ was also held in the backdrop of a packed audience. The discussion moderated by Shazia Kidwai (Dubai) was participated by Husena Poonawala (UK); Padmashri Patricia Mukhim, Chief Editor, The Shillong Times (Meghalaya); Teresa Rehman, Managing Editor, The Thumb Print (Guwahati); Dr Gayatree Goswamee, HoD, Dept of Education (Gauhati University); and Dr Mahfuza Rahman, HoD, Dept of Geography, Cotton College (Guwahati).

At the end of the Convention, Dr AR Nakadar announced that the 23rd National Convention of AFMI will take place at Kozhikode in Kerala in December 2014.

The resolutions adopted at the Guwahati Convention were read out jointly by Dr Ayub Khan and Md Burhan Uddin Qasimi, foremost among the resolutions being “every participant at the Convention would aim at and work for 100% literate India.”

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