"Eighth Convocation of Jamia Hamdard at Vigyan Bhawan"

New Delhi, May 10, 2008.

The eighth convocation of Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University) was held on 10 May 2008 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. This Caravan of felicitations of award of Degrees to Ph.D, Postgraduates and graduates of different professional courses was given by the AICC president and Chairperson of UPA Govt. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has delivered the convocation address in this NAAC accredited “A” grade university. She passed by the memory lane of Pandit Nehru’s family long association with Hakim Abdul Hamid. She paid a tribute to Padmshree (late) Hakim Abdul Hamid a great thinker, visionary, sage and philanthropist who sacrificed all his wealth and life in promotion of professional education and research amongst the down trodden and educationally backward Indians especially Muslims. She reiterated  that Hakim Abdul Hamid served the society and community by an large and called him as an “ideal of communal harmony and healer of the society especially the weaker section” who made all his efforts to bring the Muslim youth in mainstream education arena. She expressed her indebt ness to be in Jamia Hamdard where her late Husband and Prime Minister of India late Shri Rajiv Gandhi desired to be the “driver of Hakim Abdul Hamid”. She also shown her satisfaction on the multifaceted progress of the university in the area of educational, social research contributions made in the national development in a short span of 17 years. Addressing the gathering she warned the youth of the country that “they are the most genuine asset of the country who need to beware of the force which try to hinder the development of the nation”. She also said that Hamdard has come up as “symbol of private and government partnership as will emerge as an esteemed center of excellence in coming years” she wished renowned scientist Dr. A R Kidwai who is present working as the Governor of Haryana and Dr. Anil Kakodkar an eminent scholar of Nuclear physics and former director of BARC and Chairman to Atomic energy commission was conferred with D.Sc, Honoris Causa in this convocation for their landmark services done in the area of development and research in Science. In this convocation 93 Gold Medals and over 2000 students were awarded the degrees for various courses imparted by the university awardees will include the PhD, MD (Unani), M. Pharma, M. Sc and M.A. The students from abroad hailing from 41 countries and 397 in number were also awarded degrees in the Convocation.

The convocation witnessed large number of august gathering like Mr. Arjun Singh MHRD, Mrs. Sheila Dikshit, CM Delhi, Shri Motilal Vora, former chief justice of Delhi High Court, Shri Sachchar, and many luminaries like Dr. Adnan Siddiqi, Cultural Counsellor of American Embassy, Iranian Ambassador and Dr. Karim Najafi, Iranian Cultural Councellor who had close relation with this institution and Hakim Sahib also glorified the occasion.

In welcome address Dr. Shamim Ahmad the vice-chancellor of the university welcomed  the guest and briefed about different programs and problems faced by the university to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. Dr. Shamim Ahmad also elaborated newer horizons proposed to be launched soon in the university in various recent scientific areas of research like Proteonomics,  Nanomedicine, Genomics and other highly advanced areas of study. 

Mr. Arjun Singh promised that MHRD and UGC will extend all and every kind of  cooperation in future also as it has been doing in past. In his address Mr. Arjun Singh also said that “Jamia Hamdard is a different seat of learning; indigenous than empirical, scientific than indigenous”. He also reiterated that “the novel and innovative practice adopted in Jamia Hamdard where interdisciplinary approach of amalgamation of traditional and rational science is appreciable as well need of hour” Addressing the awardees of degrees he said “set your own bench mark and be the messenger of hope, peace and charity”. And finally the convocation was declared closed by the chancellor, Mr. Syed Hamid.