2 weeks Ago By NEWS WIRE
KARACHI - A series of colourful events were held at Madinat al-Hikmah on Tuesday morning during which faculty members, staff and students of Hamdard University, Hamdard Intermediate College, Hamdard Public School, and Hamdard Village School commemorated and celebrated conferment of the coveted Hilal-e-Imtiaz upon Madam Sadia Rashid by the government of Pakistan. Madam Sadia, the president of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan and chancellor of Hamdard University, was decorated with the second highest civil award by President Asif Ali Zardari during an investiture ceremony held in Islamabad on March 23. She was given the award in recognition of her services and contributions in the fields of education and healthcare.
A smartly dressed contingent of students and guards carrying the national flag and the university colours welcomed Madam Sadia Rashid when her car reached the main gate of Madinat al Hikmah. Her vehicle was then led to one of the grassy grounds of the university by a cavalcade of dozens of motorbikes. Hundreds of students stood in formation in her honour on the grassy field as Vice Chancellor of Hamdard University Prof Dr Syed Shabib-ul-Hasan, Registrar Kaleem A.
Ghias, deans of faculties, heads of departments, and principals of two schools and a college greeted her. The national anthem was played as the chancellor alighted from her vehicle. After a brief ceremony at which national songs were played and brief tributes paid to the madam chancellor, she was driven to the main auditorium at Bait al-Hikmah.
Here again hundreds of students lined the spacious halls who clapped wholeheartedly in her honour and presented dozens of bouquets to her. Madam Sadia Rashid was thus led to her seat in the auditorium with grace and dignity. In her speech, Prof Malahat Sherwani, the director of Bait al-Hikmah Library, explained why Madam Sadia is seen widely as someone who should be respected and emulated.
Selected students from the two schools of the Hamdard group, intermediate college and the Hamdard University then made speeches in which they described her personality and her contributions. They said her demeanour and mannerisms exuded grace and poise from the very beginning. But her grit and determination shone through when she was confronted with the task of taking forward Hakim Mohammad Said’s legacy in the wake of his martyrdom.
A hallmark of her character, they said, was that she lives by the very principles she seeks to propagate. “If only some of the people around us manage to walk in her footsteps the situation which we find ourselves in will change for the better,” said one of the speakers. Madam Sadia has had a legacy of excellence for which all the institutions falling under the umbrella of Hamdard group are proud, they said.
Each student and each staff member looks up to her, just as they did to her father. A documentary prepared by a university student, entitled “Transforming lives through education and humanity”, was also screened on the occasion. The event concluded with a beautiful rendition of “Dua-e-Said.
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