Dr. Abdul Qadeer of Shaheen Group conferred Sir Syed National Excellence Award 2025
Aligarh: The Sir Syed National Excellence Award 2025 was conferred upon Dr. Abdul Qadeer, Chairman of the Shaheen Group of Institutions, Bidar, during the Sir Syed Day Commemorative Ceremony held at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on October 17, 2025. The award recognises his transformative contributions to education and his work in empowering marginalized communities through inclusive learning initiatives.
The citation, read out during the ceremony, described Dr. Abdul Qadeer as “an eminent educationist, visionary reformer, and philanthropist whose work has transformed education in Bidar and inspired learners across India.”
It noted that Dr. Qadeer began his career as an engineer with a Japanese firm before returning to his hometown of Bidar, driven by a deep sense of social responsibility. He went on to establish the Allama Iqbal Education Society, which later evolved into the Shaheen Group of Institutions. What began with just 18 students has now grown into one of India’s most respected educational networks, enabling Bidar to “reclaim its historic reputation as a centre of learning, echoing the legacy of the Bahmani period,” the citation stated.
The university commended Dr. Qadeer for “harmonizing religious and modern education”, thereby expanding opportunities for students of traditional backgrounds to pursue mainstream academics. His vision, the citation observed, is “resonant with the ideals of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan”, founder of AMU, who championed modern education for Indian Muslims in the 19th century.
In recognition of his efforts, the citation highlighted Dr. Qadeer’s receipt of the Kannada Rajyotsava Award and acknowledged his “exceptional commitment to inclusive education, empowerment of the marginalized, and the enduring pursuit of knowledge for societal progress.”
Founded in 1989, the Shaheen Group of Institutions currently educates more than 20,000 students with a faculty strength of over 500, spread across 13 states in India. The group runs schools, pre-university and degree colleges, and provides coaching for NEET, JEE, and UPSC examinations, along with specialized programmes like Hifz-ul-Quran Plus and Madrasa Plus that blend religious and modern learning.
The Sir Syed Excellence Awards, instituted by Aligarh Muslim University, carry cash prizes of ₹2,00,000 (international) and ₹1,00,000 (national) and are presented annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in fields such as Sir Syed Studies, South Asian Studies, Urdu Literature, Medieval History, Social Reform, Communal Harmony, Journalism, and Interfaith Dialogue.
This year’s recipients were chosen by a distinguished jury chaired by Prof. Azarmi Dukht Safavi, with Prof. Anisur Rehman, Prof. A.R. Kidwai, Prof. Imtiaz Hasnain, and Prof. Shafey Kidwai as members. The selection was approved by AMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Naima Khatoon.
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Women's quota bill would have ensured defeat of democracy, Constitution: Aaditya Thackeray
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday said that the passage of the women's quota bill would have ensured a "total defeat of democracy", alleging that the legislation, linked with a delimitation exercise, was a political tool designed to reduce the voice of states.
Thackeray, in a post on X, claimed that the Bill would have amended the Constitution for the political means of the ruling regime to increase seats, reduce the voice of many states and enable the gerrymandering of constituencies to ensure unfair victories.
"The very amendment that would have ensured the total defeat of democracy and the Constitution in India stands rejected by the unity of the Opposition MPs," he wrote.
The legislation should have been called "Delimitation to ensure unfair victory Bill", the former minister said, adding that there was a genuine need to enable 33 per cent reservation for women in the current number of seats.
"Now, it is up to the government to ensure that it is implemented in the 543 seats of the Lok Sabha for the 2029 elections and all elections across India, if that is the real intent of the government," he wrote.
A Constitution Amendment Bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats was defeated on Friday in the Lower House.
While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
According to the Constitution Amendment Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to a maximum of 850 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
