Azad Souvenir – 2011 Release : L-R: Mohammed Faheem, Riaz Ahmed, Khalid Husain, Shaikh Ibrahim, Jamal Qadri (President), Faiz A. Kidwai (Consul General), Dr. Karimuddin, Aslam Afghani, M. A. Salam (Treasurer) and Salim Farooqui Secretary General,

Function held at the Consulate General of India on Friday 25 November, 2011. Started sharp at 6:30 pm.

Chief Guest : H.E. Consul General of India Faiz A. Kidwai Guest of Honor : Dr. M. S. Karimuddin (Recipient of Pravasi Bharat Samman award for 2010)

Master of Ceremony: Jameel Sayeed (English) and Mohammad Faheem (Urdu)

Recitation of Holy Quran : Hafiz Qari Noor Mohamad : Naat written by Maulana Azad presented by Master Faizan Nizam Ali Khan

Release of Azad Souvenir – 2011 by Consul General.

Welcome Address (Jamal Qadri – President Urdu Academy Jeddah) : Warm welcome to the Consul General. The Academy took the first move in 2001 by celebrating Maualna Azad’s birthday as National Education Day. The idea was given by Mir Ayoob Ali Khan, (the then Deputy Managing Editor of Saudi Gazette, Saudi Arabia) and supported by Late Muslehuddin Saadi of Hyderabad and Late Aleem Siddiqui of Lucknow. Since 2001, the Academy has been conducting the Education Day every year where a resolution was passed and sent to the Govt. of India requesting for declaring the birthday of Maulana Azad as National Education Day. Kuldip Nayar, Rajdeep Sardesai, Sagarika Ghosh, Zafar Agha, Qurban Ali and other prominent personalities were invited in the functions, who also supported the idea. On June 1, 2006, Arjun Singh (Minister of HRD) was invited by Urdu Academy Jeddah where a resolution was submitted to him. Mr. Singh promised to do the needful and accordingly, his ministry declared in the year 2008.

Speech (Dr. Karimuddin – Recipient of Pravasi Bharat Divas award - 2010) : Congratulated to Urdu Academy for a well-organized prog. Loves Urdu language and wish to join Urdu Academy to speak this sweet language fluently.

Speech (CG) : Pleased to learn about the tremendous activities rendered by Urdu Academy. Requested the audience for a round of applause for the successful representation by Urdu Academy Jeddah to the Govt. of India for declaring the birthday of Maulana Azad as National Education Day.

About Azad : Asked the audience to search and inform him about the locality and house in Makkah where Maulana Azad was born, as he has received a letter from India in this regard. Maulana Azad’s clean personality could be understood by the fact that despite remaining as Education Minister for 11 years, he left no assets when he died. Only a Fiat car used by him was left over and that too was taken by him on bank loan. The bank wanted to take it back after his death as there was some amount pending for settlement. However, a fan of Maulana Azad paid out the required amount and settled the bank loan. It is amazing that after independence not a single person could be identified as Maulana Azad, Maulana Hasrat Mohani. Regrettably, the maulanas have been segregated.

About the students’ performances : Wonderful speeches were delivered on the given topics. He was amazed on the confidence of young students while standing to deliver the speeches in such a big gathering.

Schools participated : IISJ (Boys), IISJ (Girls), DPS (Boys), DPS (Girls), Warood (Boys) Dawha ul Uloom (Girls), Novel School (Boys).

English speech contest : Judges : Mrs. Sheeba Askari (Lecturer Eng.), Mrs. Huma Khan (Lecturer English) and Mrs. Sara Ali (Lecturer – King A. A. University) - Jameel Sayeed was Chief Judge and his assistants were Hamed Farooq and Qutubuddin.

Ø Kiran Rana Prakash (DPS) - Awarded First Prize (Cash award SR 1,000) with Shield and certificate.

Ø Saad Naseem (DPS) – Awarded Second prize (Shield & Certificate)

Ø Najla Alavi (IISJ) – Awarded Third prize (Shield & Certificate)

Urdu speech contest : Judges : Dr. Syed Ali (King A. A. University), Wazir Akhtar (King A. A. University) and Mubashir Husain Farooqui (Educationist) – Jameel Sayeed was Chief Judge and his assistants were Hamed Farooq and Qutubuddin.

Ø Syeda Asima Yumna (IISJ) - Awarded First Prize (Cash award SR 1,000) with Shield and certificate.

Ø Nada Mir Ali (DPS) – Awarded Second prize (Shield & Certificate)

Ø Mirza Abdullah Baig (IISJ) – Awarded Third prize (Shield & Certificate)

Azad Quiz : Very attractive set up was designed by young Qutubuddin Qadri (BE – IT) with help-lines of 50-50, Ask a Friend & Audience poll, which made the contest very interesting. There were total 4 rounds and each team consisting of 2 students were asked 2 questions in each round. The Scorer, Muddassir Farooq was updating the score on a separate screen.

Ø DPS School (Girls) team won the Quiz - Awarded First Prize (Cash award SR 1,000) with Shield and certificate.

Ø IISJ (Boys Awarded Second prize (Shield & Certificate)

Ø DPS (Boys) Awarded Third prize (Shield & Certificate)