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Old identity cards of LU: Past floods the present
LUCKNOW: Ask any past pupil of Lucknow University about his or her prized possession and pat comes the answer: mark sheets and degrees. But there are a few for whom
LUCKNOW: Ask any past pupil of Lucknow University about his or her prized possession and pat comes the answer: mark sheets and degrees. But there are a few for whom the identity cards and library cards of student life are no less than a treasure.
Prof Mohd Muzammil, former vice chancellor of Agra University and Rohilkhand University, Bareilly still has his MA Part I identity card (1972-73) with Prof Baljit Singh’s stamp signature on card as dean, arts. Singh was also HoD economics. Muzammil has his PhD identity card and Tagore Library card as well.
On the 93rd Foundation Day celebrations on November 25, 2013, Prof Mohd Muzammil, the then VC of Dr BR Ambedkar University Agra, walked into the portals of Lucknow University (his alma mater) carrying with him identity cards of his MA Economics and PhD days. He proudly produced his ID cards when he entered the Malviya Hall to attend the function organised by the Alumni Society of the Lucknow University.
Over the years, he has preserved all documents that declare him as a student of LU.
Recalling old days, he said, “On July 5, 1972 I entered the LU campus with my father for admission in a postgraduate class. I wanted admission in MA geography which was my favourite subject in BA (Gorakhpur University, Ganpat Sahai Degree College in Sultanpur), but I was told that geography was not taught.”
“I was wondering what type of university it was where no geography was taught! My second preference was English, but I was told that it had very limited scope. Instead I was advised to opt for for MA in economics, This is how I landed up in the economics department which became part of my life,” he said.
Career counsellor Amrita Dass, who is proud to be an alumna of the university from where she completed her MA (western history) in 1978 and received two gold medals, has preserved old identity cards with black and white passport size photographs that keep reminding her of her student days.
“Our well furnished classroom was referred to as an ‘academic cloister’. The classes were very interesting and my classmates of about 50 students were a great group to be with. I also enjoyed the time spent in the well equipped Tagore Library and the ‘chai pe charcha’ in the canteen over the special brew of tea and samosas,” she said.
“As the university is just 1.5 kms from my residence, I enjoyed walking to it. The campus was a safe place and none of us faced any problems. Unfortunately, owing to some disturbances on the campus in 1978-79, I did not have the privilege of participating in the convocation. I was awarded a PhD in 1984 for my thesis, ‘Anglo Russian Rivalry and its Impact on British India (1835 to 1885)’. While pursuing my research under Prof GS Mishra, head of the department and pro VC, I was selected for the Indian Council of Historic Research’s prestigious Fellowship and also pursued part of my doctoral research at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. Thus the Lucknow University became my launch pad for international recognition,” she said.
