Hyderabad: By ignoring the demand to restore original logo of Osmania University, the authorities concerned have enraged Dalit and Muslim students of the varsity. Now that the preparations of centenary celebration on grand scale are in full swing, students’ fraternity has to say that celebrating university’s centenary while ignoring the legacy of Urdu will be sheer injustice to one of the oldest universities of India. Students’ fraternity will not remain silent on this.
Dalit Bahujan Student Association (DBSA), OU and Dalit-Minority Student Association visited Vice Chancellor of the university and submitted a memorandum putting certain demands including restoration of original logo. Later Dalit-Minority Student Association Vice President Mazharuddin and other leaders said the original logo had golden words depicting importance of education which have been removed gradually. Urdu inscription was completely dropped off from the logo. They questioned how the centenary celebration of Osmania University can be complete without legacy of Urdu.
The student fraternity warned to intensify campaign if their demands are not met. They also demanded to put up original logo and picture of Mir Osman Ali Khan on the website of the university.
It must be noted that the Osmania University, one of the oldest universities in India, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
It must be recalled that the original logo of Osmania University contained on the top Nizam turra (crown) of Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam and the founder of Osmania University. The crown was surrounded by wandering beams of lights and the words “Noorun Ala Noor” (Light upon Light) were printed in Arabic depicting the phrase knowledge is light. And above it was Arabic inscription of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) words which states: “I am the city of Knowledge and Ali is its gate”. The center of the emblem had the Urdu letter “Ain” depicting the first letter of the name of Nizam Osman Ali Khan. On both sides and on the lower portion of the emblem the words “Jamia Osmania” in Urdu and Osmania University in English were inscribed. However the legacy of Urdu was removed step by step from Osmania University. Only Urdu letter ‘Ain’ was left. The present emblem contains inscriptions in Telugu and also in Hindi.
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