At Quami Hafta, Jamia’s 3 oldest students recall role of university in nation building
The Jamia Teachers Association (JTA) hosted a discussion on Quami Hafta, or National Week, to honour the importance of reawakening the nation to fight for India’s independence. Jamia Millia Islamia, a Karam bhumi of Gandhian Philosophy, used to admire Quami Hafta’s tenacity in the struggle for independence and nation building.
JTA commemorated Quami Hafta or National week (6th April-13th April) marks the significance of awakening of the nation to strive for Independence of India. Jamia Millia Islamia a karambhumi of Gandhian Philosophy use to observe Quami Hafta to strength the freedom struggle for Independence of India.
Jamia recently celebrated its hundredth anniversary, and since then, JTA has been working to resuscitate key traditions remembering Quami Hafta is also an attempt to pay tribute to Jamia’s founders.
On 8/04/2022, an online discussion was held to honour this momentous occasion.
Dr. Mohammad Irfan, secretary of the JTA, extended a warm welcome to the speakers and participants. He set the tone for the conversation with his introductory remarks on the significance of “Quami Hafta”-National Week as observed by Jamia’s forefathers. National Week brought Indians together from all walks of life and classes. It continues to be a defining event for India, a wake-up call, an opportunity to reclaim India’s composite culture, and a reminder of Indian nationalists’ critique of British infringement of democratic rights in independent India.
Prof Arvinder Ansari, a faculty at Jamia, moderated the discussion by introducing the eminent speakers. Three of the speakers were Jamia Millia Islamia’s oldest students. The First speaker Syed Ghulam Haider born in 1937, joined Jamia school initially in 1944 and completed his matriculation in 1952 from Jamia had very closely associated with the history and growth of Jamia Millia Islamia,.
He discussed his student days at Jamia. His experiences and training, the particular significance of “Quami Hafta,” when teachers and students got together to celebrate “Quami Hafta”, delivering service to the community, and practising love, tolerance, and equality. His co-panellist, former Professor Sadiq ur Rehman of Jawaharlal Nehru University, is a renowned literary scholar, a Padam Shree, and most importantly, the son of late freedom fighter Shafiq ur Rehman.
He narrated his experiences of observing “Quami Hafta” at Jamia Millia, during which all teachers and students were assigned essential responsibilities to imbibe the dignity of labour, sacrifice, and renunciation. He described how their teachers would tell them about the freedom struggle, the ordeals, and the sacrifices of leaders every day in the morning assembly, emphasising the need to strengthen the freedom movement and build a nation that is self-sufficient, independent, and democratic, instilling the spirit of composite culture and national integration.
Raza Mehadi, a third speaker, also attended Jamia School and spoke about his experiences and education there. He discussed how pedagogy at Jamia inspired and shaped his life. He recounted how Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi had historically honoured “QaumiHafta” (National Week) till Dr. Zakir Husain and Prof Mujeeb stayed involved with the university. National Week was an opportunity for everyone to work together to clean classrooms, restrooms, latrines, and the communities surrounding Jamia. As a secular understanding of Indian nationhood came to be taken for granted in independent India, National Week faded into obscurity.
Dr. Anil Nauriya, a Supreme Court counsel and Gandhian scholar, also took part in the discussion, stating that the week would be observed in various parts of the country by widespread plying of the charkha and the performance of other types of manual labour. As Gandhi viewed it, it was an opportunity for everyone to reflect, shed hatred, engage in positive activities, spin, promote the sale of Khadi, and possibly even fast together on occasion. It was a call to satyagraha, introspection, and cleansing of one’s own heart and mind.
Dr Syeda Syadain Hameed, a former member of Planning commission, ex-chairperson of National commission for women and prominent social activist chaired the session. She recounted how German appa Gerda Philips made a significant contribution to Jamia’s distinctive traditions and best practises.
Dr Syeda stressed the importance of recognising and acknowledging the contribution of pioneering women of Jamia in nation-building and institution development. She stated that it is critical to keep such traditions alive, and that the road map to resurrecting the “Quami Hafta“ is to take the vision and mission of Jamia founding fathers to the larger society, and that it is essential to translate rich repository of work in Urdu to Hindi, archival resources need to be translated in Hindi and English for a broader reach, highlighting the role of Jamia Millia In National movement and Nation Building.
Prof Arvinder Ansari, the moderator, summarised the discussion by saying that establishing Jamia was a part of the national struggle, that Jamia is still inspired by Gandhian philosophy. Strengthening unity among all religions, promoting pluralistic traditions of India, self-introspection, and service to the nation have all been important values of Jamia, and that events like “Quami Hafta” should be revived and celebrated as they keep reminding us decolonising teaching and learning by doing has been part of Jamia Pedagogy since its inception.
Professor Majid Jamil, President of JTA, offered concluding remarks; he briefed the august gathering that the JTA has been working tirelessly to ensure that institutions live up to the expectations of our founders, who made enormous sacrifices and contributions to the national freedom struggle; the historic character and significance of Jamia in nation-building are cherished; and in commemorating Jamia’s centennial, it organised numerous events and continues to do so. A strong tradition of community service and the common good has been maintained. He also proposed a vote of thanks to all of the eminent panellists, guests, and faculty members who had joined them in commemorating “Quami Hafta.”
