RIYADH: The Riyadh chapter of the Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association (JMIAA) held a panel discussion on the approach of the historic university’s founders toward the all-round development of its graduates.

In the process of the transformation of Jamia from a humble beginning to a leading central university, the question was whether the focus on values and all-round development envisaged by the university’s founding fathers had been diluted. This important question was discussed in an atmosphere of informality.

The panelists included JMIAA (Riyadh) President Ghizal Mahdi, prominent Indian community representative Dr. Shafaatullah Khan, prominent Jamia alumni Zafar Bari, Salman Azmi, Ghufran Ahmad and Laique Ahmad.

Mahdi, who moderated the session, said that Jamia, being a product of the Indian freedom struggle, had set out to inculcate values of freedom, integrity, empathy and excellence.

“Jamia was the first institution in India to apply the three-language formula, wherein the school education was to be imparted through mother tongue, and in addition Hindi and English were taught for better national and international communication,” he said.

He proposed that a syllabus — encapsulating the history and culture of Jamia, with emphasis on the values it stood for — be developed and made compulsory at all levels of education in Jamia.

Dr. Shafaatullah Khan stressed the need for instilling values. Zafar Bari said education should transform the student community.

Ghufran Ahmad said those pursuing professional courses, such as engineering, miss the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the values and culture of Jamia.

Salman Azmi, who graduated from Jamia’s school in the 1970s, recalled that the focus was on the all-round development of students.

Haroon Quasmi wanted Islamic values like honesty, integrity, justice and moral values to be inculcated.

Ghizal Mahdi introduced 26 new Jamiaites who recently arrived in Riyadh and joined the alumni association. Senior scholar Najeeb Qasmi, a senior Jamiaite, presented the association’s Eid gifts to children.