Jamia Journal Independent Student-run News Website of Jamia Millia Islamia (a Central University)
On Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, Vice Chancellor Najeeb Jung unveiled a bust of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar in front of the Vice Chancellor’s office, more formally known as the Khayban-e-Ajmal (Administrative Block).
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar was one of the founders of Jamia Millia
Islamia, who later also became its first vice chancellor.
After the unveiling of the sculpture, Mr. Jung was presented with a “calendar” of Jauhar’s correspondence in the form of a book, by Professor S.M. Azizuddin Husain, a professor in the department of history and an honorary director of Premchand Archives.
Speaking about the book, Prof. Husain said: the Premchand Archives, which is part of the Jamia Archives, has many documents related to the founders of Jamia. And we are in the process of publishing a four volume set of Jauhar’s correspondence. What I have presented to the VC today, is the second volume; two more are yet to be printed.
Oddly enough, however, Mr. Jung had nothing to say on the occasion.
Inscription
The inscription under the sculpture reads:
Maulana Mohammad Ali, the founder of Jamia Millia Islamia, was one of India’s outstanding anti-colonial nationalists. He, along with his brother, Maulana Shaukat Ali and Mahatma Gandhi, let the Khilafat/Non-Cooperation Movement against the British rule, and also served as the president of both the All-India Muslim League and the Indian National Congress. Born in Rampur in 1878, he died in London while addressing the Round Table Conference in 1931. The Maulana is buried in Jerusalem. When he died, Gandhiji said in tribute: “In him I have lost one whom I rejoice to call brother and friend and the Nation has lost a fearless patriot.”
