Former President of India Pranab Mukherjee is no more with us, but his memories will always remain. He has a strong connection with AMU and visited AMU three times including a one-night stay. He laid the foundation of the University’s Murshidabad center in West Bengal. He stamped Prof. Tariq Mansoor as the Vice-Chancellor of AMU during his working tenure.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tariq Mansoor said that the political life of Bharat Ratan Pranab Mukherjee has been more than 40 years, the country has lost a cerebral and qualified parliamentarian. His last visit was during the bicentennial birth celebration of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan on October 17th, 2017. The AMU fraternity is deeply saddened by his demise. Our condolences are with his family.
The first visit of Pranab Mukherjee as a Union Foreign Minister was on 10th March 2007 as a Chief Guest in the opening ceremony of Vice-Chancellor Nasim Ahmed’s tenure. After this, he attached with AMU.
As a Union Finance Minister, he laid the foundation stone of Murshidabad Centre of AMU in West Bengal in November 2010. In December 2013, during his Presidentship, he introduced the B.Ed. course at Murshidabad Center. After this, he again visited AMU on 27th December 2013 as The President of India to inaugurate the Indian Social Science Congress under the Vice Chancellorship of Zameeruddin Shah. At that time Prof. Shabahat Hussain was the Dean of the Faculty of Social Science. He also inaugurated India’s first cyber library in AMU. As President, he visited Murshidabad Center in February 2014 and inaugurated a new building. According to Dr. Rahat Abrar of AMU Public Relations Office, his last visit was on 17th Oct 2017 during the birth celebration of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
Pranab Mukherjee enjoyed two times the ride of AMU’s historic Victoria horse-drawn carriage. On Sir Syed Day, he reached the program venue at the athletic ground from VC lodge on this horse-drawn carriage. When he came to inaugurate the International Social Science Congress, he reached the venue by the same horse carriage. At that time, he released the budget for AMU’s Murshidabad Center. He has a special contribution in starting the Murshidabad Center. Pranab’s MP son Abhijeet Mukherjee is a member of AMU court.