"Understanding Higher Education and its current Predicament"

Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture held at MANUU

Hyderabad: 

"Some focus education as a concept or idea and others focus it as a system. As a concept, education carries ideals and values and as system it carries the weight of history and social condition", said Padma Shri Prof. Krishna Kumar, former Director, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) today at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU). He was delivering the Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture on the topic "Understanding Higher Education and its current Predicament". Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan, Vice Chancellor, MANUU presided over the lecture.

Talking about Maulana Azad, Prof. Kumar said he is one of those figures of the Indian freedom struggle who gave us a vision which no human being could have realized within a lifetime, it's a universal vision for humanity and not just change as we normally talk about in the context of great leaders. Today if we were to not just lament the loss of contemplative space that university system provide it we must exercise our right to review anything with freedom, that is real legacy of Maulana Azad, the legacy of freedom, it is not just freedom as a struggle against foreign rule it's also legacy of exercise of freedom in our life, he added.

"Like any other values, Freedom also requires practice, If you don't practice freedom you lose it, that is perhaps the best way to remember Maulana Abul Kalam Azad " opined Prof. Kumar.

Prof. Ainul Hasan in his presidential remarks while narrating the first story of panchtantra said it is very difficult to make friends and it is possible in higher education and university systems where you come across a number of people belonging to different walks of life, where you understand each other. It is crystal clear that higher education is important for every individual as it shapes your persona and education.

Prof. Ishtiaque Ahmed, Registrar delivered the welcome address and Prof. Shugufta Shaheen, OSD 1 introduced the guest speaker whereas Prof Siddiqui Mohd Mahmood, OSD2 convened the programme. Prof. Syed Alim Ashraf Jaisi, Chairperson, Azad Day Celebrations proposed vote of thanks.

Earlier, Mr. Mohammed Rasheeduddin, Bureau Chief, the Siasat Urdu Daily and Mr. Wajeed Ullah Khan, Senior Journalist, UNI were felicitated with shawl, certificate and were presented the “Sitara-e-Sahafat” Award for 2024, in appreciation of their valuable contributions to journalism. Further, books of Prof. S. M. Azizuddin Husain and Prof. Imtiaz Hasnain were also released on the occasion.

Later, Azad Day celebrations which started on November 07 concluded with food fest and mushaira programmes.