Jamia Millia Islamia begins 105th foundation day celebrations

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) commenced its 105th Foundation Day celebrations with an inaugural ceremony on Wednesday, opened by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju.

The event also marked the return of Jamia’s six-day educational and cultural festival, the Talimi Mela, to the campus after more than a decade, celebrated this year with renewed grandeur.

A key highlight of the day was the release of a special issue of JMI’s newsletter Jauhar, revived in print after eight years, along with the university’s Annual Report.

In his address, Kiren Rijiju paid glowing tributes to the founders of JMI, recalling the contributions of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, MA Ansari, and Muhammad Mujeeb. Praising Jamia’s academic achievements, he said, “JMI is unmatched in its academic rigour and its unique cultural richness and mere dil mein khas jagah hai Jamia ke liye.”

The minister remarked that the university epitomises “unity in diversity” and has been sending out “the most powerful message of unity, nationalism and brotherhood to the entire nation.”

He lauded Jamia’s “unwavering and unblemished spirit of nationalism and patriotism,” assuring full support from the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Noting that the Ansari Auditorium should be expanded, he pledged his ministry’s help in establishing a larger one, and added, “Urdu is the most beautiful language in the world.”

Vice Chancellor prof Mazhar Asif said, “Jamia is not just a university but a thought, a dream, a philosophy, an unsurpassed tradition that is reminiscent of the history of the nation and its freedom struggle.”

Registrar Prof Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi thanked the Minister for his support.