Source: https://www.awazthevoice.in/education-news/anjuman-e-islam-was-the-first-indian-institution-to-offer-mid-day-meal-to-students-25276.html
Long before India became the first country to introduce mid-day
meals to children in government schools to supplement their nutritional
needs and to encourage poor families to send their children to school,
Anjuman-e-Islam, a Muslim institution had started the scheme in Mumbai.
Ajmunan-e-Islam ursu school was established some 150 years ago. It was
the brainchild of a group of progressive Muslim intellectuals of Mumbai.
The initiative for this was taken by Badruddin Tyabji, the first Indian
barrister of the Bombay High Court, Qamaruddin Tyabji, the third
president of the Indian National Congress, his elder brother and lawyer
Nakhuda Mohammad, Ali Roge, businessman and social activist, Ghulam
Mohammad Munshi, The school came up at Babula Tank near Umarkhadi in the
then Bombay province and started as a small place.
In 1893, 'Anjuman-e-Islam' was shifted to a building opposite Victoria
Terminals (presently 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus') from where
it continues to operate.
At that time many facilities were provided to the students coming to
study in 'Anjuman'. The facilities included a mid-day meal comprising
boiled eggs, bread, and bananas.
It was established a year before the establishment of 'Aligarh Muslim
University' (AMU) in Aligarh by Sir Syed Ahmed with the sole motive of
providing modern education to Muslims.
'Anjuman' school initially 'only admitted boys and it was much later
that it opened the doors to girl students. In 1936, a separate school
for girls was also started by the name 'Saif Tayyabji Girls High School'
on Bellasis Road.
This school, which started on 21 February 1874 with three teachers and
120 students, has now transformed into 97 institutions. Today more than
1.1 lakh students are studying right from nursery classes to PhD – are
enrolled in its educational institutions. Interestingly, 70 percent of
students enrolled are the first ones from their families to receive
education.
Anjuman-e-Islam played a major role in India's freedom struggle. Many
people including Moinuddin Harris and Mustafa Fakih of 'Anjuman' were
sentenced to imprisonment during the freedom struggle. Many policy
meetings for the freedom struggle were held on its premises.
'Anjuman' has a long history in nation-building.
Today the main administrative office of the organization is located at
the same place where the seed of 'Anjuman' was sown. Five colleges – two
catering colleges, a business-management college, a home science
college, and a law college – have been established on the institute's
three-acre campus. In addition, there is a polytechnic, a junior college
for women, and two schools in both English and Urdu medium.
The campus also has a large library and a research center.
Sir Karimbhoy Ibrahim, Haji Yusuf Haji Ismail Sobani, Justice A. M.
Qazi, Justice Faiz B. Tayyabji, Sardar Sir Suleman Kulsoom Mitha,
Hussain B. Tayyabji, Usman Sobani, Mohammad Haji Ahmed, A. I. Maskati,
Hadi C. Tayyabji, Saif F. B. Tayyabji, Akbar A. Pirbhoy, A. K. Hafeez,
A. R. Persons like Antulay, Moinuddin Harris, Dr. M. Ishaq Jamkhanwala,
Sami Khatib made special efforts. Presently Dr. Zaheer Kazi is its
President.
`Anjuman' has two main objectives, first - 'to provide quality
education at minimum cost' and second - 'to prevent any student from
being deprived of education due to lack of funds'
More than 50 percent of the students in 'Anjuman' come from
economically weaker sections. Anjuman has created a 'Special Zakat Fund'
to enable these students to complete their education. The economically
weaker students are given a 50 to 100 percent discount in education
fees.
The Anjuman is inspired by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s message that
'Education given from the heart can bring revolution in the society',
the organization has been doing this work. The 'Anjuman' has more than
40 percent girls on roll.
Today the institution offers courses like Engineering, Medicine,
Architecture, Pharmacy, Hospitality, Catering and Hotel Management, Law,
Business Administration, Home Science, and Teacher’s Training.
Some, 3000 employees work in the Anjuman institutions. In the year
2000, `Anjuman' was awarded the 'Best Educational and Social Institution
in Maharashtra' by the State government. Recently the institution has
been awarded the ‘Sir Syed Award of Excellence’ of AMU, Aligarh
University.
The alumni of `Anjuman' are today working in high positions in various
fields like business, technology, arts, sports, media, medical science,
and politics in many countries. Former Chairman of Fortune Company and
Indian Oil Corporation, M.A. Pathan, former Chief Minister of
Maharashtra A. R. Antulay, famous actor Dilip Kumar, Ismail Merchant of
`Merchant of Merchant Ivory Productions', former Deputy Editor of
`Illustrated Weekly' Fatima Zakaria, former editor of `Mumbai Mirror'
and `Sunday Times' Farida Naik and famous cricketer Salim Durrani.
Celebrities have been alumni of 'Anjuman'.
Dr. Zaheer Kazi, current president of 'Anjuman', says, "We are
constructing a state-of-the-art building in the Sabu Siddiqui College
campus in Byculla. There will be an incubation center as well as
post-graduation and PhD courses taught there. "Besides, there will also
be an integrated center."
Apart from this, a health education campus will be built in
Kalyan-Bhiwandi or Panchgani, in which MBBS courses, Dental College,
College of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Homeopathy will be started.
Pharmacy, law college, degree college, and high school for girls will be
started in the Solapur campus. Also, land acquisition for catering,
pharmacy, and high school-cum-college in Panaji, Goa is in the final
stages.
He said, “'Anjuman-e-Islam' has partnered with MIT University in
Cambridge, England, and its five Faculties of Engineering, Master of
Business Administration (MBA), Pharmacy and Elementary Education. In
addition, 'The Kalsekar School of Pharmacy' (Panvel), and The Maryland
School of Pharmacy', Baltimore, (Washington DC) have been approached for
collaboration with Anjuman-e-Islam. Philadelphia's 'Temple University'
asked 'A. of Anjuman-e-Islam' for cooperation. R. Antulay College of Law
has also been contacted."
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