Aligarh : Mohd. Shams Uddoha Khan, an undergraduate student of the Department of English and Member, University Debating and Literary Club, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) made a presentation on “Prof. Shad Bano Ahmad: The Iron Lady of Aligarh Muslim University”, at Itihasa Saptaha 3.0, Rewriting Her-story, a seven-day online international conference on the “Chronicle of Women in the Context of the Indian Subcontinent”, organised by The History Enthusiasts, Dharwad, Karnataka.
In his presentation, Khan said Prof. Shad Bano Ahmad, a retired professor of Sociology and an able administrator, who now lives in Canada and, served as AMU Proctor during 1996 – 1999. She was the first woman to hold this position. She also officiated as the Vice-Chancellor for a brief period (October 1996 – November 1996).
Prof Ahmad holds the honour of serving the university in different capacities as the first to the concerned office. She was the First woman faculty of Sociology (1969), first faculty of sociology at the Women’s College (1980), first female Executive Member of Aligarh Muslim University Teachers Association (1974-75) and the first woman Member In-charge of Aligarh Muslim University Guest House (1983-90).
Prof. Ahmad also served as the Provost, Sarojini Naidu Hall (1982-1988), Disbursing Officer of Central Canteen (1986-1990), Chairperson, Department of Sociology thrice (last tenure 1999-2001), OSD, AMU ABK School (2002-2005), Member, AMU Executive Council, Academic Council and Aligarh Muslim University Court. She was one of the founding members and secretary of the Imad-Ul-Mulk Creche and the Women’s Welfare Society at AMU. She happens to be the only person in the Department of Sociology whose efforts helped the department to host the XXV All India Sociological Conference in the year 1998.
Khan’s presentation will be published in the upcoming volume of the International Journal of The History Enthusiasts.