Indian expats urged to invest in education

An Indian educator has urged expatriates in the KIngdom, particularly businesspeople, to invest in education that will produce people who can help develop India's economy.
Professor Habib-ur-Rehman, the former vice-chancellor of Agra University and the dean of the faculty of commerce and management at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), made the appeal at an installation ceremony of the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) in Riyadh yesterday.
“There is a need to improve the quality of education in the country,” he said. Indians need to have quality education on par with developed nations, he said.
He urged the Indian community, especially philanthropists and businesspeople, to ensure the country has top education combined with moral values as currently provided by the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University.
“Education is a must but not at the cost of our rich culture and heritage,” he said. “It is essential to sharpen the skills of students keeping in view international standards but we must ensure that the young generation respects our rich cultural heritage as well.”
He urged young people to explore their world and develop skills to become innovators so that the country emerges as a developed nation.
He said young people have a variety of options currently because of the many private universities in India. He said many parents have approached him and said they want their children to have good education and to be cultured.
“Sir Syed has done a marvelous job, but AMU alone cannot fulfill the aspirations of the growing population. Therefore, I urge you to come forward and take the lead,” he said.
Rehman is currently chairman of the governing council of the institute of information management and technology at Aligarh and president of the Aligarh management association.
He also held various posts while at AMU including coordinator of the general education center at Kennedy House. Among other posts, he has held the position of coordinator at the Institute of Company Secretaries of India; coordinator at the Institute of Cost Accountants of India; and head of the department of economics and management at the University of Sokoto, Nigeria. He was also the nominee of the president of India on the management board of Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.
AMUOBA has elected a new managing committee led by Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Badshah, an assistant professor at the college of nursing at King Saud University.
Badshah was unanimously elected as the president of the new core committee. Mohammad Nasim Akhtar and Taqiuddin Mir were elected as vice president and general secretary respectively.