Time capsule to mark AMU centenary

The capsule will contain information about Aligarh Muslim University's journey from its establishment in 1877 to becoming a university and beyond. The information will be in both digital and print format and will be concealed 30 ft beneath the ground in a park front of Victoria gate.

Aligarh:Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) will lay a time capsule containing information about its history, achievements and milestones as part of centenary events.

The capsule will contain the information about the varsity's journey from its establishment in 1877 to becoming a university and till 2020. The information will be in both digital and print format and will be concealed 30 ft into the ground in a park front of Victoria gate.

Made entirely of steel, the capsule weights two-ton has been chemically treated to protect it for years.

Information such as students, achievements, vice-chancellors and celebrities who helped the university have been put in the capsule. Besides that books written by AMU founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, which are nearly 100 years old have been included in the capsule. The paper used in this has been kept acid free, which will be safe for about two to three hundred years.

Earlier, Kanpur IIT buried such a time capsule in its institution. At the same time, AMU is the only university in Western UP to bury the time capsule.

Rahat Abrar, AMU Spokesperson said that on January 8, 1877, there was a big ceremony at the establishment of Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College and the inauguration was also attended by Viceroy Lord Lytton and Naresh Shambhu Narayan of Benares.

He said that 143 years ago, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan placed a time capsule in the ground in the presence of Viceroy and King. Adding that the evidence of this is found in the published issue of Aligarh Institute Gazette on 12 January 1877.

The capsules include copper as well as gold and silver coins along with the tales of the struggle to establish a madrasa and college.

When Sir Syed Ahmed Khan came to Aligarh in the year 1864, he saw the condition of Muslims and decided to open an educational institution.