RIYADH — Jamia Millia Islamia is at the vanguard of nanotechnology research in India, according to Professor Mushahid Hussain, former head of Jamia's Nanotechnology Department and currently the vice chancellor of Rohilkhand University. Speaking on the occasion of “A Jamia Campus Across the Sea”, the annual fete of Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association (JMIAA) held in Riyadh recently, Hussain asserted that Jamia was the first university in India to establish a nanotechnology research center. The graduates of this center have helped establish and run nanotechnology research centers in Saudi Arabia, especially the one at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz University. The Jamia has in the past hosted the world conference on nanotechnology. The university has been working closely with India's premier defense research organization (DRDO). Gracing the occasion as the chief guest, Professor Hussain informed the audience that Jamia's prestige is reflected in the fact that six products from Jamia are currently heading six different universities as vice chancellors. Hussain mooted the idea of setting up an educational advisory by the Jamia alumni in the Kingdom to share information about educational institutions and competitive examinations being held in India so that the children of the Indian community may avail of those opportunities. An alumnus of Jamia and currently a lecturer in Oxford's Islamic Studies Department, Dr. Mohammad Talib, in his keynote address, shed light on the values of Jamia Millia Islamia. He said it is the values that define a university. Physical structures and grand buildings can, in the words of Dr. Zakir Hussain, become the “graveyards of institutions”. He congratulated the Jamia alumni for resurrecting the values of Jamia in the form of Jamia Campus Across the Sea. Dr. Talib expressed his delight at the launch of a directory of Jamia alumni working across the length and breadth of the Kingdom. He analyzed articles written by prominent Jamiaites Dr. Najeeb Qasmi, Murshid Kamal, Ghizal Mahdi, Zafar Bari and Khurshid Anwar, discussing the contents of those articles in light of his knowledge and experience. Bouquets were presented on behalf of the association to the guests by former presidents of JMIAA-Riyadh Murshid Kamal and Khursheed Anwar. The guests later travelled to Dammam to inaugurate the Dammam Chapter of Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association. Earlier, the program began with a recitation of the Holy Qur'an with meaning by JMIAA's treasurer Abdul Rahman. The program was ably anchored by Ahsan Nadwi, who interspersed the proceedings with powerful selection of Urdu couplets. Ghizal Mahdi, president of Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association and the initiator of “A Jamia Campus Across the Sea”, welcomed the guests and briefly introduced each of them and their immense contribution to the Jamia. Mahdi's thrust was on the monumental efforts that were made by his team to collect data from different locations in the Kingdom, designing the directory, as well as getting it printed. He said such an arduous task would not have been possible without the help of his colleagues Nisar Khan, Najeeb Qasmi and Abid Aqeel. Mahdi also highlighted another major achievement of the association this year embodied in the scaling up of the speech, drawing and painting competitions that had unprecedented participation from six schools. He thanked the school principals for the immense interest and support in the program. The results of this program were announced and first position holders from each group delivered their speeches once again. The idea was to further boost their confidence and morale. Mahdi also thanked the sponsors of the program, including Joint Secretary Irfanul Haque Nadwi for sponsoring the medals, cups and other gifts distributed to children. Ayaz Siddiqui designed the certificates. It was a historic moment for the Jamia alumni in the Kingdom as the first ever Kingdomwide directory of Jamiaites was released during the program. Speaking on the occasion, the head of the directory committee, Nisar Khan, gave a detailed exposition of the data collection, designing and printing process and the humongous efforts that were exerted in preparing the directory. He informed the audience that the directory includes information of more than 500 Jamiaites living in 24 locations across the Kingdom. He also highlighted that as a result of preparing the directory, Jamiaites across the Kingdom have started connecting with each other and some positive results have emerged wherein the Dammam chapter has been formed while the chapter in Makkah is on the verge of formation. Nisar Khan thanked all those who actively helped him in bringing out the directory such as Ghizal Mahdi, Abid Aqeel, Najeeb Qasmi, Zafar Bari, Dr. Shafatullah Khan, Khursheed Anwar and Rahbar. Abid Aqeel, general-secretary of the association, presented a report on the association's activities, including speech competitions, drawing competitions, Jamia Foundation Day get-together and various welfare activities. Dr. Najeeb Qasmi announced the results of the competitions. Children were given awards and prizes by the chief guest and the guest of honor. Another highlight of the program was the organization of free sugar and blood pressure checkups for people attending the program. Mohammad Ghaysuddin, vice president of the association, proposed the vote of thanks. Aftab Nizami and team sang the Jamia Tarana. Senior Jamiaites Dr. Shafaatullah Khan, Laiq Ahmad Azmi, Syed Ghufran, Anwer Pasha, Naushad Alam, Mohammad Irfan, Shamim Ahmad, Moin Ahmad, Arif Khan, and Neemu Khan were present on the occasion.
