Jamia Millia Islamia turns 100

Jamia Millia Islamia completed its 100 glorious years of courage and power as the university exemplify the idea of India. The University will be buzzing with activities as it is all decked up to host various cultural programmes.

New Delhi:Jamia Millia Islamiais celebrating its 100th year. The university is all decked up to showcase the cultural programmes from morning to evening, a slew of events lined up at various venues following the guidelines of COVID-19 issued by the government.

Jamia Milia Islamia embarked its journey during the independence struggle of the country.

''The university was established with the aim of bringing freedom and quality education. During the Non-Cooperation Movement, Gandhiji had come to the Aligarh Muslim University and addressed the students and emphasized that we need to create an independent Institution. After that, about 300 students and teachers of Aligarh University together laid the foundation of Jamia in Aligarh mosque on 29 October 1920. It was inaugurated by freedom fighter Maulana Mahmud Hasan. In the first batch, 21 students graduated, in which 20 students got BA degree and one student got B.Sc. degree,'' said Sabiha Zaidi, Director of the Archive Department of Jamia Millia Islamia.

Zaidi said that the foundation of Jamia was laid in Aligarh Muslim University. But, on the third day of the beginning of Jamia, the British Government ordered the evacuation of the Old Boys Lodge, after which Jamia's second house became Krishna Ashram. Six rooms and tents were set up for the students to study. Due to the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 and the withdrawal of the Khilafat Movement in 1924, the university faced an economic crisis.

''Jamia shifted to Karol Bagh in 1925, Delhi. In 1935, the foundation of primary school was laid at Jamia Millia Islamia in Okhla. This foundation was laid by Abdul Aziz, the youngest student of the university, and said that Jamia had endured a ton in the uproars when the nation was partitioned in 1947. Books worth millions of rupees were burnt in the fire.'' said Sabiha Zaidi.

Director believes that the students had sacrificed for their country. Jamia's students have always contributed to the battle for independence. Even today, students have the same commitment and dedication towards the country. This is the reason that whenever an illegitimate decision is taken, the students of Jamia are always ahead in raising their voice.

Jamia Milia Islamia provides various courses from nursery to PhD. The institution has 9 distinct faculty, 43 departments and 27 centres for higher study and research. In addition, there are more than 270 courses. Recently, four more new departments have been added in the list of the eminent institution.