The Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Northern California (AMUAANC) celebrated Sir Syed Day with a sold-out event held on Saturday at the India Community Center in Milpitas, located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The vision of Sir Syed (1817-1898) is very much alive in this annual program, which also includes an Aligarh Education Endowment Fund (AEEF) fundraiser. This gathering brings together regional AMU alumni (known as Aligs) and their friends from all over Northern California and remains an eagerly anticipated affair. Sir Syed Day consists of two segments: the formal opening with introductions and speeches, including the keynote address and the AEEF fundraising, followed by a closing Urdu Mushaira (poetry recital), which always adds a special touch to the evening.
Sir Syed was born in Delhi, British India, on October 17, 1817, and died in Aligarh in 1898. He was buried in the mosque compound within his crowning achievement, what we know today as Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). While AMU may not be a major tourist attraction compared to other landmarks in India, in this writer’s humble opinion, it holds greater significance. Though not as visually stunning as some historical sites, it represents something far more vital. Without Sir Syed, many members of India’s Muslim community, who were facing difficult times, would have had little chance to access modern scientific education. The event at ICC honored this legacy, as it should be, for Sir Syed's efforts were crucial in empowering India’s Muslim community through education.
The evening began with dinner and much socializing. Shahla Khan served as the program emcee and did a fantastic job coordinating the first segment. She invited young (Hafiz) Mohammad Zaid Khan to begin the formalities with a Quranic recitation, which he performed beautifully, followed by an English translation of the verses. Shahla then provided a rundown of the evening's schedule and invited AMUAANC's current President, Aftab Umar, to present his welcoming remarks.
Aftab Umar greeted everyone and expressed his honor in serving as the President of the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Northern California. He warmly welcomed everyone to this much-anticipated annual event in the Bay Area. "It is truly heartening to see so many of you here this evening," he said. "Your continued support has been the backbone of this organization." Umar specifically thanked the sponsors who made this event possible year after year, including Drs. Kamil and Talat Hasan, Mr. and Mrs. Zaheer Kajani, Mr. and Mrs. Syed Sarwat, Mr. Jamal Qureishi, Infoglen Technologies, and Amana Mutual Funds Trust. Aftab also spoke about Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's vision and how the fundraising efforts of the event align with his legacy, which remains as relevant today as it was during his lifetime. The mission of the AMU Alumni Association and its partner, AEEF, is to provide educational opportunities to those in need, which is only possible with the support of the community. In Sir Syed’s own words, “Ignorance is the cause of poverty,” he noted. In closing, Aftab Umar paid tribute to Suhail Farrukh, a pillar of the organization, who passed away earlier this year.
Next was the Aligarh Education Endowment Fund Update, presented by Shaheer Khan. As mentioned earlier, education remains the focus of Sir Syed Day, just as Sir Syed would have wanted. Shaheer Bhai provided many details on the AEEF and its activities over the past 14 years, all of which are too numerous to highlight in this article. He did mention that the organization had disbursed around 1.3 million dollars since its inception, and with many success stories from the diaspora and AMU alumni, this figure could be vastly improved. He also noted that all work done by AEEF is on a volunteer basis, meaning there are no salary overheads. He praised the community’s continued generosity, with donations continuing even during the COVID pandemic years.
The AEEF’s focus includes scholarships for economically disadvantaged students, the Hamara School Building Project, and food support for students and their families. The projected expenses for the 2024-2025 academic session (approximately $400,000) were also detailed. A short video highlighting AEEF's work was shown before the fundraising segment began, followed by an inspiring video from comedian Hasan Minhaj. Hasan, whose parents (Najme and Seema Minhaj) are both AMU alumni, made a heartfelt pitch for AEEF, encouraging the community to be generous. It was a proud moment for his parents, who were present in the audience. Hasan emphasized that education is the foundation for future success.
The last speaker was Mr. Chittireddy Sripal, Consul (Pol & Tech) from the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, who filled in on short notice for Consul General Dr. K. Srikar Reddy. Sripal did a commendable job during his keynote address. He thanked the AMU Alumni Association for its warm welcome and praised the organization for the transformative work it is doing at the community level in India. He discussed the history of modern India, where the emphasis is often on the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat movements, but also highlighted the importance of revisiting the 1857 Revolt and Sir Syed's analysis of its causes. Sir Syed’s emphasis on modernization through education rather than confrontation was a novel approach at the time. Sripal also discussed the positive role AMU continues to play in preparing people for the future, which was well received by the audience.
Sir Syed Day would not be complete without the singing of “Tarana-e-Aligarh” (the AMU Anthem), written by poet Majaz in 1933 and composed by Khan Ishtiaq Mohammad in 1955. The alumni who sang along in front of the stage demonstrated both their enthusiasm and deep connection to their alma mater. Many in the audience also joined in, creating an inspiring atmosphere.
This report cannot fully capture the second segment of Sir Syed Day: the Mushaira (Urdu poetry recital). The Urdu poetry recital was led by Senior Poet Abbas Tabish, both as President and Conductor. Coincidentally, World Urdu Day is also celebrated on November 9, and this was reflected in the event’s timing. The Urdu language today transcends South Asian borders, thanks in part to social media, but its creative core remains in India and Pakistan. Many of the poets at this event had migrated to the West, where some are also working as doctors, engineers, and IT professionals.
The poets who presented their work included Dr. Aifra Ahmad (Bay Area), Dr. Yasin Aatir (Fresno), Ahmar Shehwaar (Bay Area), and international guest poets: Ahmed Salman (Pakistan), Shakeel Azmi (India), Nusrat Mehdi (India), and Abbas Tabish (Pakistan). The depth of their poetry left the audience inspired, and their words conveyed more philosophical meaning in just two lines than this entire article could express.