The staff associations of the Jamia Millia Islamia on Friday felicitated Vice-Chancellor Najma Akhtar for being conferred the Padma Shri. She was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India, by President Ramnath Kovind at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 21.
"I am overwhelmed by the honour and love that I have received here through the grand and inspiring felicitations on the occasion of my Padma award. I am very proud to have been among you as colleague. I feel beholden to every member of the JTA, though I know I can't repay the due I owe," the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) Vice-Chancellor said at the event.
The felicitation was organised by the Jamia Teachers' Association (JTA), Jamia Administrative Staff Association (JASA) and SRK Staff Association. Ms Akhtar also said, "I still remember the day I joined the university when I was welcomed with open arms that gave me courage to do work effectively for the betterment of the university. I always received necessary support from the non-teaching staff of the university which is really praiseworthy."
Syed Shahid Mahdi, a former Vice-Chancellor of the university, presided over the function which was also attended by JMI Registrar Nazim Husain Al Jafri and faculty members. JTA secretary Irfan Qureshi said Akhtar is among the three who played key roles in the progress of the institution since its inception. The other two are freedom fighter Abadi Bano Begum and Gerda Philisborn, a German national who played a pioneering role in laying a strong foundation for the varsity, he said.
