AMN

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) celebrated the 75th Independence Day as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Chief Guest of the function JMI Vice Chancellor Prof. Najma Akhtar unfurled the National Flag at the lawns of Dr M.A. Ansari Auditorium of the university where teaching, non-teaching staff and a limited number of students of the Jamia Schools assembled in view of the pandemic. It was followed by singing of the National Anthem by the gathering.

Prof. Mehtab Alam, Dean Students Welfare (DSW) welcomed all the guests inside the Ansari Auditorium where the Vice Chancellor felicitated Prof. Zahid Ashraf, HoD, Department of Biotechnology, JMI with Jamia Award of Research Excellence, initiated for the first time by the university to recognise outstanding research contribution of the teachers. Prof. Ashraf is the recipient of the Visitor’s Award – 2021.

The Vice Chancellor also felicitated 8 young researchers of the university with Jamia Award of Excellence. These young researchers are recipients of the Prime Minister Research Fellowship (PMRF) in the last two years. Out of 8 recipients 7 are girls which speaks of the significant role the university has played in empowering girl students.

The Vice Chancellor also felicitated Kaif Ali, a 4th year student of the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch), who was awarded with the prestigious ‘The Diana Award 2021’ for his Covid – 19 innovation— ‘Covid-19 Innovation Space Era’. He has also received the prestigious E&Y fellowship for the same.

After the felicitation, students of Jamia Schools presented cultural programmes which included performance on patriotic songs, qawwali and speeches.

Prof. Najma Akhtar in her address said the university has gone through very difficult times during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic as it lost several of its staff members but has moved on courageously to attain academic excellence.

The Vice Chancellor added that JMI has its roots in the freedom struggle and is successfully contributing towards nation building.

She spoke about her recent interaction with the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan who assured her of supporting Jamia Millia Islamia to become an important skill training hub in the country.

Prof. Akhtar also spoke about Ministry of Education’s approval for development of physical infrastructure on the campus with the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) support.

The program ended with a vote of thanks proposed by the Registrar JMI Dr. Nazim Husain Al Jafri.