UAE: Alumni of top Indian university to split Founder's Day event, despite unity last year

After last year's unified Sir Syed Day celebration brought hope for a cohesive gathering, UAE-based alumni of India's Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) are once again divided, with two separate programmes planned this year. These events, which honour the birth of AMU’s founder, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, will take place on October 19 and October 26, rekindling the long-standing divide that has plagued the alumni community.

For years, AMU alumni in the UAE, known as Aligs, were split into two camps, each organising their own Sir Syed Day events. While , this year marks a return to separate celebrations.

With approximately 5,000 AMU alumni residing in the UAE, and twice that number across the GCC, the split highlights concerns about factionalism in what is traditionally a time for solidarity. Globally, AMU alumni come together on October 17 to commemorate Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817–1898), a 19th-century visionary and educationist. However, the UAE will see the annual Sir Syed Day dinner split between two different events, once again raising questions about alumni unity.

Mohammad Haroon Akmal, representing The Proud Aligs AMU Alumni organising committee behind the October 19 event at Hotel Holiday International in Sharjah, downplayed any notion of division. He emphasised that their mission remains united, despite the multiple events.

"Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was a legend whose vision transcends time and borders. Our objective is to celebrate his legacy, and if there are more celebrations, then it's even better—the more, the merrier. We are all working towards the same goal: honouring the man who changed the course of education for generations of Muslims in India and beyond," said Akmal.

Imad Malik, CEO of Sharaf Exchange and a former AMU student, echoed the enduring importance of Sir Syed’s contributions. "In over 200 years, no one has come remotely close to Sir Syed's vision, and frankly, we need more Sir Syeds to transform the education of our community in India. His university has impacted countless lives, including many of us in the UAE who now hold respected positions," Malik said.

The October 19 event will include DS Chauhan, a senior administrative officer in the Indian government, and Rizwan Sajan, founder of the Danube Group, as guests of honour. The evening will feature a skit by AMU Drama Club alumni and stand-up comedy by Rehman Khan.

The October 26 event at Coral Beach Resort in Sharjah will be organised by SM Qutub Rehman from the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni, UAE, and will host Dr Naima Khatoon, vice chancellor of AMU, as a guest of honour.

Rehman supported the idea of two events, citing the large number of alumni in the UAE. "Considering how many Aligs we have here, two events are good. Even in Aligarh, they don’t do a centralised event. If anyone is caught up at one event, they can attend the other and vice versa," Rehman explained.

However, many long-time alumni feel that the Founder's Day should always have been observed under one banner. "Hosting two events only caused divisions and ran counter to the very principles of unity and brotherhood that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan stood for," said one alumni member who preferred to remain anonymous. He noted that he has stayed away from previous events to avoid being associated with any particular group.

Syed Ahmad Taqvi Bin Syed Muhammad Muttaqi, more commonly known as Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, is regarded as the pioneer of modern education for Indian Muslims. In 1875, he founded a school that later became the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University. Located in Aligarh, India, AMU now has around 30,000 students, continuing to impact lives globally, including those of its many alumni in the UAE.