india

Updated: Sep 03, 2019 13:17 IST

Another golden chapter has been added to the history of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) with Arif Mohammad Khan’s appointment as the governor of Kerala. Vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor has congratulated Khan who is an alumnus of the university.

“Arif Mohammad Khan was elected honorary secretary of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union (AMUSU) in 1971-72. A good orator and student leader, he rose to become the president of AMUSU because of his popularity,” recalled Rahat Abrar, director of Urdu Academy (AMU) who too was a student of this varsity in the 1970s and a junior of Arif Mohd Khan.

“There was an AMU Amendment Act in 1972. Finding its provisions against the minority character of the university, Arif Mohammad Khan, then president of AMUSU, opposed it tooth and nail,” stated Abrar.

“Khan kept in touch with his alma mater AMU as he was from Bulandshahr. He was named member of the prestigious AMU Court in the eighties. He did his graduation from AMU and pursued post graduation in political science,” informed Rahat Abrar.

“Reshma, wife of Arif Mohammad Khan, too was a law graduate from AMU and was an effective voice from the Women’s College of AMU. She got married to Khan in 1977,” he stated.

In the past also, AMU has given governors to independent India and undivided India. The list of luminaries includes Dr Zakir Hussain - governor of Bihar; Mohd Shafi Qureshi – governor of Bihar, WB and MP; Prof S Noorul Hasan – governor for West Bengal, MP and UP; Mohd Usman Arif – governor of UP; Babu Parmananda – governor of Haryana and AR Kidwai – governor of Bihar, West Bengal and Haryana, informed Rahat Abrar.