(Pervez Bari): Master Faiz-ul-Hasan of local Red Rose School was the cynosure of all eyes as he emerged MECAPS (Muslim Education & Career Promotion Society) Quiz Contest 2015 champion held here at Gandhi Bhavan.
Amidst thunderous applause from the assemblage Master Faiz-ul-Hasan received a cash award of Rs.5000/- along with a glittering trophy and certificate from DRM Western Railway Rajeev Choudhary, who was the chief guest of the function. Arif R. Khan, former Business Manager NOVARTIS India Limited presided over the function. Others who graced the dais included Prof. Zaki-ur-Rahman, Anwar Jafri, Dr. Wasim Akhtar, Syed Arshad Ali (MECAPS vice president)
Baby Safoora Fatima of Holy Family School and Master Zaid Ahmad of Sharda Vidya Mandir were declared the first and second runner-up respectively of the Quiz Contest. Accordingly they received cash awards of Rs.4000/- & Rs.3000/- along with glittering trophies and certificates. Aamir Mahboob was the Quiz Master who conducted the proceedings of the contest with aplomb. He also fielded questions to the audience at short intervals wherein young and old competed with enthusiasm to answer and pick up spot prizes.
It may be mentioned here that 10 top students were shortlisted from 175 Muslim students studying in 8th to 12th class, who appeared in the written test of the preliminary round of Quiz Competition.
Meanwhile, about 100 meritorious Muslim students who had excelled in various board examinations of 2014 were also honoured on the occasion with presentation of awards and mementos to them.
The MECAPS Quiz contest is an annual affair to generate interest amongst the students on participating in competitions and inculcate the importance of general knowledge and current world affairs.
DRM Rajeev Choudhary lauded the efforts of MECAPS in inculcating awareness about the importance of education among the Muslim community. He appreciated bedecking Muslim children with the jewel of knowledge and making Muslims at large a literate community to negate the common perception about it. He also hailed MECAPS for holding Career counselling camps as after passing out the XIIth Std. examination many students are at sea where to go or what future holds for them.
He advised MECAPS to continue with their endeavour of awarding scholarships to the needy in all circumstances. It is a big investment for future generations irrespective of how meagre the scholarship amount may be.
Arif Khan in his presidential address exhorted students to work on the four Ds which are Desire, Devotion, Determination and Dedication to achieve their set goal or target in life. He advised students that apart from their curriculum they should gain knowledge from surfing net along with from print and electronic media. This would go a long way to help them in improving their quality and a big asset for them to face competitions in life which have become the order of the day in today’s competitive world.
Mr. Khan recalled during the Middle Ages known as Islamic Golden Age (8th century to the 15th or 16th century), Islamic scholars made significant advances in mathematics, medicine, astronomy, engineering and many other fields. These Islamic scholars were Ibn Ishaq al-Kindi (801–873); ibn al-Haytham (965–1040); ibn al-Nafis (1213–1288); al-Battani (850–922); al-Zarqali (1028–1087); Abbas ibn Firnas (810–887); al-Zahrawi (936–1013); al-Idrisi (1100–1166); al-Khwarizmi (ca. 8th–9th centuries); al-Razi (ca. 854–925/935); al-Farabi (ca. 870–950); Avicenna (908–946); Omar Khayyam (1048–1131); Jabir ibn Hayyan (ca. 8th – 9th centuries); Jamshid al-Kashi (ca. 1380-1429); Ibn Sahl (ca. 940–1000) etc. They made the contributions in the advancement of knowledge by the traditional Islamic institutions of learning (Madrasahs, Maktab, Halqa & Dar-ul-Aloom) are enormous, which have been summed up in the Encyclopaedia Britannica: “The madrasahs generally offered instruction in both the religious sciences and other branches of knowledge. A critical analysis reveals that most of Muslim scientists and scholars of medieval period were also eminent scholars of Islam and theology.
He said that the above mentioned scientists have proved that if one strives with hard labour and sincerity then one can achieve everything in life. If there is willingness then attitudinal change can take place and revolution can come in one’s life for the betterment of one’s own life and the community at large, Khan opined.
Earlier, Dr. Zafar Hasan alias Khalid, general secretary of MECAPS, threw light on the activities of the organisation. He said MECAPS has been active in the field of education for the last 30 years to promote. Scholastic excellence and competence through healthy and fair competitions and providing a platform for inter-action amongst students from schools. It has been engaged in activities such as providing Merit-cum-Means Scholarships to the students 9th to 12th standards; Higher studies support to 5 students every year; Career Guidance; talent search, conducting Student of the Year title examination etc.
Dr. Zafar felt that Muslim community has somewhat started to give to some extent priority to education after coming to know the government’s scheme of minority scholarship. The awareness drive about these scholarships was launched by MECAPS which has been appreciated at the national level. He appealed the audience to help MECAPS financially so that it can uplift more Muslim families from the quagmire of illiteracy and poverty which are very much inter-related.
Sagheer Baidaar, president of MECAPS, while welcoming the guests said that the organization would be completing 30 years of its existence in September this year which would be celebrated in a fitting manner. He said that in last three decades MECAPS has played some role to change the mindset of Muslims after Independence which was buried a fathom deep in the defeatist mentality. He said that every challenge can be overcome with willpower and hard work.
“Hum Kuch Had Tak Kamyaab Hue Hain. Hamaari Koshish Jaari Rahegi. Hum Haar Nahin Manenge Aur Apna Huq Lene ki Jadd-o-Jahad Mein Lage Rahenge”, Sagheer said with a firm resolve.
Meanwhile, DRM Rajeev Chowdhary was felicitated on the occasion by Sagheer Baidaar on behalf of MECAPS by presenting him a shawl and a memento.
At the outset Hafiz Abdul Bari recited verses from the Holy Qur’an. Syed Fareeduddin conducted the prize distribution programme of the function. The vote of thanks was proposed by Syed Arshad Ali, vice president of MECAPS. (pervezbari@eth.net)