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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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
