AMU at 100 through the lens of PM’s speech

The year 2020 was historic for the Aligarh Muslim University, one of the oldest and largest educational institutions in India, for two reasons. First, it completed its centenary in December 2020 — it came into existence on December 1, 1920 through a gazette notification and the inaugural ceremony was held on December 17, 1920 in the wake of the Non-Cooperation Movement. Second, to commemorate the centenary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated as the chief guest, a first in 56 years for an incumbent Prime Minister to participate in an AMU programme.

In his speech, the Prime Minister paid glowing tributes to AMU for its contribution to nation-building. By labelling AMU as a “Mini-India”, the Prime Minister portrayed the university as a microcosm of the Indian society and a unique symbol of India’s composite culture where, for centuries, despite many diversities, we are living as a people in unity and oneness. This is what makes our Bharat unique. This is the message from this ancient land to the entire world.

By addressing the constituents of the AMU community as “Proud Aligs”, a folklore expression for AMU alumni, the PM resonated a sense of pride and bonding associated with being a part of the Alig community. Not surprisingly, his speech has been received very positively, including by critics, and endeared itself to AMU fraternity not just in India, but throughout the world.

Equally important was the Prime Minister’s exhortation to the AMU alumni forming the Indian diaspora, to leverage the “soft power dividend” of AMU to further invigorate India’s cultural relations with the Islamic world. With this, the PM recognised and acknowledged the productive role and potential of AMU in fostering better ties with the Islamic states.

Indians form the largest expat population in every Gulf state, with AMU alumni present in large numbers in each one of them. Especially after independence, for dignitaries and heads of states of Islamic states visiting India, AMU was almost invariably a regular on their itinerary. Reciprocating this gesture, AMU conferred D.Litt degrees (Honoris Causa) on many of them.

In the past six-and-a-half years,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his personal imprint in India’s assiduous outreach towards strengthening about 5,000 years’ old civilizational relations with the Gulf countries, relations which have never been rooted on issues of religion, but on trust, mutual respect, commerce, kinship and culture. Resultantly, these efforts have culminated into new benchmarks for the relations in spheres of economy, regional security, and most importantly, strategic. Notably, Saudi Arabia and UAE have proposed to invest substantially in India, totalling up to $170 billion collectively, to augment India’s infrastructure, energy and industrial sectors, with the ball set rolling already in some projects. In a post pandemic economic slowdown, the importance of such concrete outcomes cannot be over-emphasised. With a belligerent China in the neighbourhood, the axis of India-US-Gulf assumes immense strategic significance.

As a mark of gratitude for the Prime Minister’s personal imprint in these efforts, in the past four years, three West Asian countries — Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain — have reciprocated their gratitude to the prime minister by conferring on him their highest civilian awards.

We urge the government to continue to make use of the “soft power dividend” of AMU for making outreach to the Islamic world.

It is also noteworthy that the Prime Minister chose the platform and occasion of AMU to address the Indian Muslim community. The crux of the Prime Minister’s message was upon the emphasis he laid on the coordinates of convergence for realising the promise of a better India — aatmanirbharta, contribution to freedom struggle, girls’ education, soft power, preservation of cultural heritage and equality of opportunity, while de-emphasising divergences, political and ideological.

The contribution and importance of AMU in making the Indian Muslim mind is pre-eminent. Section 5 (2) (c) of the AMU Act, 1920 enjoins upon AMU the responsibility “to promote, especially the educational and cultural advancement of the Muslims of India.” For its historical and contemporary importance, AMU is the pulse of the Indian Muslim community.

While drawing inspiration from the glorious last 100 years, AMU will remain steadfast in its commitment for a better India tomorrow.

The writer is assistant professor in the department of law at the Aligarh Muslim University.

‘WE URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE USE OF THE “SOFT POWER DIVIDEND” OF AMU FOR MAKING OUTREACH TO THE ISLAMIC WORLD’