Inception of Jamia

Conception

Under the colonial British rule, two dominant trends joined hands and contributed towards the birth of Jamia. One was the anti-colonial Islamic activism and the other was the pro-independence aspiration of the politically radical section of western educated Indian Muslim intelligentsia. In the political climate of 1920, the two trends gravitated together with Mahatma Gandhi as a catalyst. The idea was to project Indian muslims as nationalist and anti British. The anti-colonial activism signified by the Khilafat and the pro-independence aspirations symbolized by the Non-Cooperation Movement of the Indian National Congress helped to harness creative energies and the subsequent making of Jamia Millia Islamia.
Responding to Gandhiji’s call to boycott all educational institutions supported or run by the colonial regime, a group of nationalist teachers and students quit Aligarh Muslim University, protesting against its pro-British inclinations. The freedom fighter and Muslim theologian, Maulana Mahmud Hasan, laid the foundation stone of Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh on Friday, October 29, 1920, during the meeting of the Foundation Committee of Jamia Millia Islamia.On November 22, 1920, Hakim Ajmal Khan was elected the first chancellor of Jamia. Mohamed Ali Jauhar became Jamia’s first Vice Chancellor.

Crisis

Born out of political crisis and as a political affront to the British, it seemed for a while, Jamia would not survive the heat of the intense political struggle for the independence of India. It participated in the Bardoli resolution and sent volunteers across the country to motivate people to fight for the freedom of the country. The colonial British government soon imprisoned many of its teachers and students. In 1922, Gandhiji called off the non-cooperation movement. Even as its teachers and students were being released, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk declared the end of the Khilafat in 1924.Suddenly Jamia saw itself in a great crisis. Some thought it had achieved its mission, as others believed that the institution had lost its raison d’etre with the end of the non-cooperation and the Khilafat movements. Even the little financial assistance, that the Khilafat had been giving it, also dried up. As even prominent people started deserting it, Jamia’s total collapse virtually became an imminent possibility

Jamia Moves to Delhi

As the crisis loomed large, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari and Abdul Majeed Khwaja — the first trio—supported by Gandhiji shifted Jamia from Aligarh to Karol Bagh, in New Delhi in 1925. Although Gandhi’s contacts helped to secure financial help for Jamia, the risk of helping a Congress-backed institution under the British Raj dissuaded many willing benefactors. Orthodox Muslims also viewed Jamia as a threat to Aligarh Muslim University, the ‘Muslim Oxford’. During those difficult days, it was Hakim Ajmal Khan who met most of Jamia’s expenses from his own pocket. Dr. M.A. Ansari and Abdul Majeed Khwaja toured India and abroad, explaining the importance of Jamia and collecting funds for this noble enterprise. Their collective intervention did avert a collapse that was almost certain.

Resurgence

The Second TrioIn 1925, after long deliberation, a group of three friends studying in Germany—Dr. Zakir Hussain, Dr. Abid Husain and Dr. Mohammad Mujeeb — decided to serve Jamia. In 1928 when Hakim Ajmal Khan passed away it was the beginning of the second financial crisis, as it was Hakim Sahib himself who had been meeting most of Jamia’s financial needs. The leadership of Jamia then moved into the hands of Dr. Zakir Husain, who became its Vice Chancellor in 1928.To resolve Jamia of its financial problems, a group of young Jamia teachers, led by Dr. Zakir Hussain, took a pledge to serve Jamia for the next twenty years on a salary not more than Rs. 150. This group was called the Life Members of Jamia. (This was repeated in 1942 when a second group of Jamia teachers took a similar pledge).Jamia’s department of Printing and Publications was trifurcated in 1928 with the newly established Jamia Press at Darya Ganj, Urdu Academy, and Maktaba Jamia under the charge of Prof. Mohammad Mujeeb, Dr. Abid Husain and Mr. Hamid Ali respectively.

Shifting to the New Campus

On March 1, 1935, the foundation stone for a school building was laid at Okhla, then a non-descript village in the southern outskirts of Delhi. In 1936, all institutions of Jamia, except Jamia Press, the Maktaba and the library, were shifted to the new campus. The basic emphasis of Jamia was on evolving innovative education methods. This led to the establishment of a teacher’s college (Ustadon ka Madrasa) in 1938. In 1936, Dr. M.A. Ansari died. On June 4, 1939, Jamia Millia Islamia was registered as a society.The fame of Jamia as an innovative education movement spread and dignitaries from foreign countries began visiting Jamia. Husein Raouf Bey (1933), Dr. Behadjet Wahbi of Cairo (1934), and Ms. Halide Edib of Turkey (1936) were some of them. Foreigners, impressed by Jamia, began working in Jamia. A German lady Ms. Gerda Philipsborn (popularly nicknamed in Jamia as Aapa Jaan) served Jamia for many years and is buried in Jamia. In 1939, Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi (1872-1944), a theologian and freedom fighter, came to stay in Jamia on the invitation of Dr. Zakir Husain. He started a school of Islamic Studies in Jamia, called Baitul Hikmal, propagating the ideology of Shah Waliullah.In 1946, during Jamia’s silver jubilee celebration, one could see the crisis that India had to face in the following year: Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and Liaquat Ali Khan were on one side of Dr. Zakir Husain, the vice chancellor, on the dias; Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Asaf Ali and Sir Rajagopalachari were on the other side.

Independence and After

The riots following partition that shook the northern India did affect Jamia, but not its campus. Gandhiji observed that its campus remained “an oasis of peace in the Sahara” of communal violence. Maktaba Jamia alone lost books worth seven lakhs in arson.After the attainment of Independence, Jamia continued to grow as an academic institution with a difference. Many foreign dignitaries made it a point to visit Jamia Millia Islamia during their visits to New Delhi. Among those who visited Jamia include Marshal Tito (1954), king Zahir Shah of Afghanistan (1955), crown prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, king Reza Shah Pehlavi of Iran (1956) and prince Mukarram Jah (1960).In 1962, the University Grants Commission declared the Jamia a ‘Deemed to be University’. Soon thereafter, the School of Social Work was established in 1967. In 1971, Jamia started the Zakir Husain Institute of Islamic Studies, to honour Dr. Zakir Husain, who had died in 1969. BE course in Civil Engineering commenced in 1978; in 1981, the faculties of Humanities and Languages, Natural Sciences, Social Science, and the State Resource Centre were founded. In 1983, it started the Mass Communication Research Centre and the Centre for Coaching and Career Planning. In 1985, it established the Faculty of Engineering & Technology and the University Computer Centre. Academic Staff College and the Academy of Third World Studies followed in 1987 and 1988.

Jamia Millia Today

Jamia Millia Islamia is historically counted as among the most important nationalist institutions in India today. There is probably no other Indian institution which had to survive so much political opposition in its making without diluting its patriotic goals. Even the degrees awarded by Jamia were not considered valid in the time of the British. It was probably in recognition to this that despite being comparatively small in size, and having fewer than 10,000 students on its rolls, Jamia was accorded the status of a central university by a special act of the parliament in December 1988.Today Jamia has a beautifully laid out, albeit small, campus, and is flourishing with members of all communities amongst its staff and students. It still remains a favorite of visiting foreign dignitaries and in particular Muslim head of states. In early 2006 the king of Saudi Arabia paid a historic visit to the university and donated a record $30 million for construction of a library.[2] Its scenic cricket ground (popularly known as the Bhopal Ground for some reason) has hosted a number of Ranji Trophy matches and a women's cricket test match. Many sports personalities who have represented India have been associated with Jamia. Virender Sehwag, a member of the current Indian cricket team, is also an alumni of the university. Another notable alumni is Barkha Dutt.

Besides its seven faculties, the Jamia has a number of centres of learning and research, like Mass Communication Research Centre (MCRC), Academy of Third World Studies (ATWS) etc. The Jamia offers various undergraduate and postgraduate information and technology courses. Apart from this, the Jamia has a campus wide network which connects a large number of its departments and offices.

Jamia Revisited

An exhibition of photographs that portrays Jamia Millia Islamia’s past and present. It brings alive the institution’s contribution to the freedom struggle and to education



The exhibition of photographs, historical documents and archival materials in the India International Centre (Annexe) tracing the history of Jamia Millia Islamia embodies the dynamic ethos of the institution.

The first section of the exhibition was dedicated to the radical context which forms the backdrop to the early years of Jamia. It reflects the ambience of the national resistance movement waged in the country against the British system of education. The Indian National Congress and the All-India Khilafat Committee gave the proposal to boycott all State-administered schools and colleges and the result was the significant break of Maulana Mohd. Ali from the Aligarh Muslim University. Consequently as captured in black and white is evident the pride with which was laid the first foundation stone of Jamia on an auspicious Friday, 29th October 1920 by Shaikhul Hind (Maulana Mehmud Hasan). The active involvement of Mahatma Gandhi and his visionary zeal provided the spiritual core needed to build an institution with aid only from the people. Poet Iqbal’s decline of Gandhiji’s invitation to be the Vice Chancellor of the institution made Maulana Mohd. Ali the VC and Hakim Ajmal Khan became the first Chancellor. The founders were Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari (1880-1936), Shaikhul Hind Maulana Mehmud Hasan (1851-1920), Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (1888-1958), Abdul Majeed Khwaja (1885-1962), Maulan Mohd. Ali Jauhar (1878-1931), Hakim Ajmal Khan (1863-1927) and Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948). The institution was conceived by its founders as a seat of learning facilitating cross-cultural intellectual exchanges, the bedrock of a vibrant education system. In fact, Acharya P. C. Ray referred to Jamia as the “Islamic pithasthan” on the occasion of the second annual convocation ceremony at Aligarh on 7 February 1923. The reprint of his lecture titled “Islamic Culture and National Education” published by the Jamia Millia Press at Aligarh in 1924 was there on display.

The second section of the exhibition was devoted to the years of Jamia in Karol Bagh. The caption “Tamil-O-Taraqqui” given to a part of this section reflects the kind of emphasis that was given to comprehensive school education. Today the Jamia School between Karol Bagh and Bara Hindu Rao functions as Shafiq Memorial School. Hakim Ajmal Khan was succeeded by Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari as Amir-i-Jamia in 1927 and Maulana Mohd. Ali by Abdul Majid Khwaja as Shaikhul Jamia. This was a period of great financial stress for Jamia. Dr. Ansari tried to tide over the difficulties by forming the Ajmal Khan Fund and collecting contributions. But his plan was not very successful and in 1927, the Jamia Foundation Committee was forced to vote for the closure of the institution as there hardly seemed a way out. Only Gandhiji refused to abide and said “The Jamia has to run. If you are worried about its finances, I will go about with a begging bowl” to seek contributions rather than see the closure. He managed to get a donation of Rs. 50,000/- from the Birla Fund at this critical time which helped in tiding over the immediate crisis. A photograph documenting the simple personal possessions of Mahatma Gandhi symbolically indicates his untiring dedication to the cause of upliftment of the people and thereby to education–both moral and intellectual.

The central section of the display was a photo narrative reflecting the ethos of the growing institution. The beautiful explanation of the significance of the emblem of Jamia by Zakhir Husain still enthralls the onlooker:

‘The star’s lit up with the Grace of God,
The Holy Book with the Word of the Lord;
The palms are cool in star’s shade,
The moon’s lap has turned a glade;
Thus Wisdom finds a glorious Arcade.’

It was written for a children’s magazine–Payam-I-Talim. It is a conceptual rendering of the Jamia emblem with the motto–“Illammal Insaana Maalam Yalam” meaning “Taught man that which he knew not” from the Holy Quran. The handwritten magazines with colourful illustrations by the student’s of Jamia, a sculpture made by Prof. M. Mujeeb (1948-1973), former V.C. of the institution, personal belongings like the “lota” (small vessel), tray, globe, table cloth, robe for special occasions from Maulana Mohd. Ali’s family collection, Jigar Muradabadi’s diaries, his beautifully decorated betel box, “batua” (purse), letter to Rashid Nomani dated 21st October 1939, the chairs of Prof. M. Mujeeb and Zakhir Husain were part of the exhibition.

The concluding section of the exhibition focused on the pivotal role of Jamia Millia Islamia in furthering the intellectual tradition of the nation and the cause of both school and university education. The social and intellectual commitment of the staff and students of the institution in its early days bears the imprint of the times. In fact the first contribution to Gandhiji’s Swaraj Fund was made by the students and teachers of Jamia. Gandhiji’s son Dev Das was a member of the Jamia faculty and his grandson Rasik Lal, a student. C.F. Andrews, J. B. Kripalani, Greda Philipsborn, were members of the illustrious faculty. Greda Philipsborn was a Jew who had fled from Germany during the days of the World War. She was received personally by Zakhir Husain and appointed on New Year’s Day 1933 as part of the Jamia faculty. She died as a Muslim leaving behind a legacy of humanitarianism that is indeed the essence of all religious teachings. An entire sub-section is dedicated to “Nehru at Jamia.” Also on display were the epistolary communications between Mohd. Ali and Nehru, Ansari Papers from Liyaqat Ali to M. A. Ansari, 2nd August 1925, Asif Ali Papers from C. Rajgopalachari to Asif Ali 1934, Shaukat Ali Papers from Shaukat Ali to Annie Basant, 6th October 1917. The books on display were Inside India by Prof. Halide Edib (Dept. of Eng. Lit., Instambul Univ., Turkey) and A Nationalist Conscience: M. A. Ansari, the Congress and the Raj by Prof. Mushirul Hasan. Photographs of M.A. Jinnah, Liyaqat Ali, Sir Abdul Qadir, C. Gopalachari and Zakhir Husain with the Nawab of Nawab of Bhopal tell a story of their own. Numerous messages and greetings send to Jamia by Sarojini Naidu, Pt. Nehru in his capacity as Minister, External Affairs, Padmaja Naidu, G. B. Pant, Halide Edib, Tejbahadur Sapru, Pir Isahi Baksh and several others were on display.

The growth of Jamia Millia Islamia from an institution functioning from tents to the fabulous structure hosting multiple disciplines catering to the education of children and youth is quite inspiring. The 210 acre land, 10,400 students, 614 academic staff, 997 non-teaching staff and an annual budget of Rs. 2359.84 lakhs speaks of a narrative that is yet to be told.