Human Welfare Foundation felicitated 750 meritorious Muslim students of Uttar Pradesh, who scored 60% and above marks in their board examination for the academic session 2008-09 in an award giving function held at Hari Lawn, Lucknow on November 8. Academic Excellence Award – 2009 U.P. is an initiative of Human Welfare Foundation, New Delhi, and P M Foundation, Kerala. These “Awards for Academic Excellence – 2009 (UP)” are meant to encourage the students to continue performing better in future. It is to motivate the minority students for performing excellently in their academic studies. It is to be noted that the Higher Secondary Examination Results of the Muslim community in the state has been on the poor side during the recent years. The awardees were given cash prizes and citations, where as the schools were also ranked according to their performances in the last three academic sessions. A total of 10 schools were felicitated on this occasion and were given mementos and citation.
Chairman, Minority Commission of Uttar Pradesh S. M. A. Kazmi graced the occasion as Chief Guest and congratulated the awardees for their achievement. Addressing the students and their parents, Prof. K.A.Siddiq Hassan, General Secretary of HWF and the architect of vision 2016 programme said, “It is the day of success” and emphasised the role of education in the development of our country. Therefore, we are making every effort to improve the quality of life of the neglected sections of this society through the Vision 2016 programme, he said.
The programme started with the inaugural speech by Justice K. A. Abdul Gafoor, Chairman, P.M. Foundation, Kerala. He said the PM Foundation started this project in Kerala 23 years back with just 100 students, which has now come at 836 students securing more than 90% marks in the 23rd Award Distribution Programme and “we expect the same here in Uttar Pradesh also”. The function was presided over by the foundation’s Vice president, Mr. Muhammad Jafar. He congratulated the awardees and said that this award will be a milestone in their life and urged them to perform better and better, so as to compete with this extremely competitive world. A number of other dignitaries such as UP State Information Commissioner, Mr. Virendar Kumar Saxena, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangimahli, Naib Imam, Idgah Lucknow, Mr. N. M. Sharfuddin, Trustee, P M Foundation, Mr. C. P. Kunju Muhammad, Trustee, P M Foundation, Mr. Manzoor Ahmed, Ex-IPS and former Vice-Chancellor, Agra University and Trustee HWF, and Maulana Waliullah Saeedi Falahi, President Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, UP East, addressed the awardees and their parents. Mr. Muhammad Ahmad, Chairman Uttar Pradesh Falah-e-Aam Society and Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Uttar Pradesh (West) welcomed the distinguished guests, awardees and their parents. This programme was organised in association with P M Foundation, U P Falah-e-Aam Society and Students Islamic Organisation of India.