Part 2
By Mumtaz Alam, Muslim Mirror,
New Delhi, April 16: Thousands of people graduate from Aligarh Muslim University every year, but even in two centuries, AMU has not been replicated anywhere in the country; leave it, over 20 thousand AMU alumni living in Delhi alone have not yet open a university, not even a school, says Mahbubul Hoque, AMU alumnus edupreneur.
Hoque passed out in 2000 from AMU where he did B.Sc. and MCA. In next 10 years he established several educational institutions of repute including a technical university, and several colleges of higher education in his home state Assam and neighboring Meghalaya.
In an exclusive interview with Muslim Mirror, Hoque talks about his ambitious plan for North India too, he laments the self-centred attitude of AMU alumni in general and the fact that despite being over 20 thousand in Delhi alone, AMU alumni have not made a collective effort to open a university in the neighborhood of Delhi.
Excerpts from the interview:
Your plan for North India particularly UP and Bihar?
As per Islamic teaching I have started work from my home — home state, but I have vision for North India also. I am ready to share my experience. I have a vision for North India too. I can’t go and act in person. I am ready to share my experience. Whenever I come to Delhi and meet Aligarians I express sorrow at the fact that over 20 thousands Aligarians are in Delhi, a good number of them at high posts in govt and private institutions, but they could not establish even a school here. They hold so many programs, conferences, hold Sir Syed Dinners, but never think about it. This is not Islamic philosophy. Islamic philosophy demands us to continue the mission, sahaba continued the mission of Prophet. They spread the teachings of prophet, but it is shame that we could not set up a school leave alone a university like AMU in North India. South India has not as many Aligarians as the North India has, yet, in every district of South India, you can find minority run schools, colleges, higher institutions and they are equally contributing in the literacy mission of the state, but in North India the AMU pass-outs did not carry the mission of Sir Syed.
What Aligarians in Delhi can do?
I appeal to Aligarians – we have so many qualified Aligarians, we have earned lot, now at least we should think about setting up an international standard institution in Delhi or its neighborhood. Aligarians should sit and create a team to take forward the mission. We can use technology to create a team, we should decide to set up an institution from school to university, This team can start a university tomorrow. We always blame the government but we should look inward at least once to see what we have done. One can say govt has not done much in rural areas. In Delhi we have over 20 thousand in number . We should contact at least 10 thousand of them with a message that each one of us should contribute just Rs 10 thousand, that will be Rs 10 crore. We can start a university, an international standard school which we can convert in international Sir Syed University in next three four years. We can find many of the Aligarians who would be happily donate Rs 10 lakh rather than 10 thousand. I am ready to offer my service. Though I am in Guwahati, I can come any time for specific assignment, I have talked to some people, there should be some sessions over this idea, some people should come out to give time, seniors and leaders of the community should sit and form a team.
Thousands passing out every year from Aligarh Muslim University, but in several decades there is just one Mahbubul Hoque. Does it mean that AMU itself has some lacking that it is not inculcating vision of Sir Syed in its graduates?
When I interact with students at my institute in Guwahati, Ii ask them not to be worry just about job and employment. If one is capable, he can get not one but 10 jobs. When I passed out in 2000 I had 15 job offers, I did not avail any of the opportunities, today I have given job opportunities to 650 people. I can say that there is no environment at AMU. There is no talk about vision of Sir Syed or we should take the vision ahead. Some people should come out and make a start, Rome was not built in a day.
Why don’t you take initiative for Delhi? It seems shining cars and roads have dimmed the vision of Sir Syed here for the Aligarians.
I am ready to be used any time. My initiatives in Guwahati and Meghalaya are new, my university and colleges are new. Delhi has thousands and thousands of Aligarians, but very few are in North East. I am working alone. I think North Indian states particularly Bihar, UP and Rajasthan should have at least one university inspired by the vision of Sir Syed. My university and ERD Foundation are open for all to use it as platform.
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Part 1: The vision and struggle of a visionary Aligarian
Series concluded