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Poetic sessions, games, book release enliven AMU women alumni meet
Poetic session replete with ghazals featuring poet Azhar Iqbal, games, the release of a book on mental health among many other exciting things marked the reunion of the five-year old Aligarh Muslim University Women’s Alumni Foundation at a city hotel in Lucknow on Saturday
Poetic session replete with ghazals featuring poet Azhar Iqbal, games, the release of a book on mental health among many other exciting things marked the reunion of the five-year old Aligarh Muslim University Women’s Alumni Foundation at a city hotel in Lucknow on Saturday.
The event was themed ‘Women and Power: Transforming Communities by Enhancing Women’s Wellness’.
Poet Iqbal, who is also a scriptwriter, anchor and founder of Harfkaar Foundation, which supports theatre, poetry, dastangoi and arts, stole the show with his poetry. He drew much applause from the audience with verses ranging from romance and politics. “It almost feels like he was performing for a crowd of college girls,” remarked someone from the audience which included alumni including ones from the AMU’s 1973 batch.
The event also witnessed a soft launch for a book on mental health titled ‘Humans of NurtureLife’ written by one of the alumni, Farah Sarosh, the founder of non-profit NurtureLife, one that is aimed at providing solutions for mental health issues. The book was launched by Dr. Hari Om (IAS).
The foundation has also undertaken a scholarship program for underprivileged girls since the last two years. It includes taking care of their fees, books and study materials, all funded by this alumni foundation. The foundation also runs a mentorship program with alumni members.
“The alumni foundation was started five years ago because up until then there were only boys’ groups. Girls used to attend but they were not comfortable,” said Iram Raza, founder of AMU Women’s Alumni Foundation. “Now we have ex-AMU women from varied fields signing up with the alumni foundation, be it space scientists, doctors, bureaucrats, entrepreneurs. You name it and we have them,” she said.
The day ended with all former students collectively singing the AMU anthem.
