Aligarh: The History Study Circle of the Women’s College (WCHSC), Aligarh Muslim University organised a lecture by Prof. Irfan Habib, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, AMU on “Idea of India: Past and Present”.
Prof. Habib explored the historical evolution of the idea of Hindustan, tracing its geographical and cultural roots through diverse historical sources. He highlighted the role of Persian in cultivating a broader sense of India and spoke about religious inclusivity and cultural diversity during the early modern period.
Prof. Habib spoke about the contributions of our nation builders, especially Gandhi Ji and Pandit Nehru, towards construction of the idea of a plural and cosmopolitan Hindustan.
Prof. Shireen Moosvi, former Chairperson, Department of History, AMU presided over the session and shared her experience as an alumna of Women’s College. She highlighted the need to maintain objectivity while studying or writing history.
Earlier, welcoming the guest speakers, Prof. Masud Anwar Alavi, Principal, Women’s College highlighted the significance of such talks for enriching the knowledge of both the students as well as the faculty. Prof. Alavi also felicitated the guests with mementos.
Ms. Zunaira Habib Alvi, President, WCHSC introduced the History Study Circle and the team which has been formed in October 2024 as a collective initiative of the teachers and students of the History Section of the Women’s College. It has been formed with the objective to promote dialogue and discussion and to create awareness about our past and the recent historiographical trends.
She said the Study Circle has recently organised an interactive session with Prof. Usha Sanyal (Wingate University, North Carolina, USA) on ‘Women’s Education: During and after Pandemic’ and a tour to the historical monuments of Mehrauli and Tughlaqabad.
The various committees of the Study Circle, including Heritage Walk and Tourism, Book Discussion and Lecture organisation, Social Media and Personal Relations, Student Mobilisation and Film Screening and the Magazine Committee are respectively headed by Nausheen Naqui, Shazia Asmat, Tuba Ahmad, Muntaha Mirza, Sarah Samdani and Mehar Ahmad.
Ms. Zoya Umar, Vice president, WCHSC introduced the speaker and Ms. Zainab Faiza Islam, Secretary, extended a vote of thanks.
The teachers of the History Section Prof. Shadab Bano, Dr. Arshia Shafqat, Dr. Farah Saif Abidin, Dr. Shivangini Tandon, Dr. Lucky Khan and Dr. Mohd. Zafar Minhaj appreciated commended the efforts of the students and wished them success in their future endeavours.
