KALAM INAUGURATES AMES CELEBRATIONS
BY V. M. Khaleelur Rahman
Ambur (Tamil Nadu) President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam inaugurated the Ambur Muslim Educational Society centenary celebrations on September 4 which continued for the next two days. The society runs Mazharul Uloom Higher Secondary School in the town. He delivered a lecture and answered questions posed by students which were highly thought-provoking. The President reminded the students of the Prophet's saying that "A scholar's drop of ink was more sacred than a martyr's drop of blood"
Most of the students of the Mazharul Uloom Higher Secondary School raised their hands, when the President, A.PJ. Abdul Kalam, asked how many of them would like to become doctors, how many of them engineers and how many of them teachers. But only a few raised their hands when he asked how many of them would like to become political leaders. The President raised these questions during an interaction with students, before answering al question from Mohammed Suhail, a XII standard power. Referring to the poor response to his particular question, the President called upon the students to think of becoming political leaders in order to usher in a corruption-free Government.
To a question from Anulekha, another XII standard student, why India should develop nuclear weapons, knowing that they were destructive, Dr. Kalam said that when there were 100 nuclear war-heads in the world in 1950, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru called for nuclear disarmament But since there were 10,000 nuclear war- heads in 1990, including warheads on our borders, India had no other option but to go nuclear. But India is firmly committed to its policy of "no first use" of nuclear weapons, he pointed out.
Earlier in his inaugural address, Dr. Kalam said Prophet Muhammed had pronouncedthat education and acquisition of knowledge was mandatory for both men and women. The Prophet had also stated that a scholar's drop of ink was more sacred than a martyr's drop of blood. Noting that only 50 per cent of the people of Ambur, especially women, were literate, he wanted the students to take a vow to impart literacy to five illiterate persons each, by taking classes for them during their weekends. He also wanted them to plant five trees each.
The President called upon the teachers to play their role in moulding their students into good citizens. "If he or she is a good teacher, he or she becomes a role model for the students," he noted.
TN Governor, Surjit Singh Barnala who presided said that the schools should create an environment that our children could realise their full potential to become bright, thinking, innovative, free and fearless citizens. Educational institutions should ensure discipline in their campuses in order to produce persons of good character. "The values that one upholds are far more precious than mere marks," he noted.
T. Rafeeq Ahmed, chairman, centenary celebrations committee, said that the Madrasa-e-Mazharul Uloom, which was founded in 1905 with 16 students, hanow blossomed into the AMES with six institutions and 6500 students.
At the centenary celebrations, AMES honoured eight personalities:
1.M Mohammed Hashim, an industrialist and social activist of Melvisharam,
2. PS Rajagopal Naidu of Vellore, a prominent Parliamentarian and father of the cooperative movement,
3. C.M. Fazlur Rahman, an eminent educationist of Pernambut,
4. Malayalam Anver, a social activist of Vaniyambadi
5. G. Viswanathan, Chancellor of VIT,
6. Kaka Mohammed Zubair, an educationist of Vaniyambadi
7. K. Joel Nesaraj, Director, Bethesda Hospital, Ambur for services to the poor and
8. C. Krishnan, a renowned merchant and social activist of Ambur
On the third day of the celebration, an educational conference was held for women. Three leading personalities Mrs. Bader Sayeed, MLA, Senior Advocate, Madras High Court and former Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Waqf Board, Mrs. Fathima Muzaffer, President, Islamic Information Centre and Mrs. Naazreen Bhura, Editor, Deccan Chronicle, Chennai edition, presented their papers. More than 6000 girls of different schools and colleges and mothers were present in the Conference. The papers presented by the above three sisters were listened to and appreciated by all. Miss Sania Mariam Meddekar, first year BSc student, compered the programme. As part of the celeberations, Vellore Collector Dharmendra Pratap Yadav inaugurated an educational exhibition. The Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali and the Vaniyambadi MLA, H. Abdul Basith were among guests of the Centenary Celebrations (VM Khaleelur Rahman)
Published in Milli Gazette dated 1-15 October 2006
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