Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR (AJK): Under the spirit to gather all the old and existing students of over 75 years old Government Post-Graduate College Mirpur, the Old Saroshians Union, the forum of old students, is all set to host Reunion Event to get all the Saroshians gathered under the fold of an Alumini in the college campus here on March 31, organizers said.
The ‘Saroshians’, it may be added, has been named after ‘Sarosh’, the college magazine, annually appearing for last many decades, carrying intellectual skills of the students as well as teachers.
Disclosing this, Engr. Muhammad Iqbal Rattayal, an old Saroshian, and retired Secretary to the AJK Government, told this Correspondent here on Sunday that the Old Soroshians Union will provide an opportunity to the old students of the ancient college to rally round a flag to share and exchange the sweet memories of their student life in the college – besides to contribute due input to maintain the high credentials and reputation of a distinguished historic educational institution in Azad Jammu Kashmir, which produced thousands of the brains, since its emergence inn 1944, serving all sectors of nation-buildings both at home and abroad in different high positions, on the basis of their high intellect and pen, he added.
“Allow me to thank Almighty Allah and all SAROSHIANS who has bestowed upon me a great honor by affording this opportunity which enables me to payback a fraction of what I have earned from Govt. College Mirpur, the oldest educational institution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir”, Rattayal said in his message at the advent of Old Saroshians Union under his dynamic leadership.
Unveiling the distinguished ancient history of Govt. College Mirpur, the Patron-in-chief of the Old Soroshians Union, Justice (Retd) Mohammad Azam Khan, Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu Kashmir said ‘’Govt. College Mirpur is the oldest college in Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Before the liberation of this part of the Himalayan State of Jammu Kashmuir – the AJK in 1947, there were three colleges in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Sri Partab Singh (S.P) College in Srinagar, Prince of Wales College in Jammu and Karan Singh College in Mirpur; established 75 years ago in 1944. Mr. Jia Lal Kor was the 1st principal of the college. During the war of liberation, the college was closed in 1947. After the establishment of Azad Govt. of the state of Jammu & Kashmir it reopened in 1951, Prof Syed Sagheer Hussain was appointed as the principal of the College. The college was named as Government College Mirpur.
Initially it was intermediately a college-level institution, which was upgraded to degree college-level status in 1955. Due to construction of Mangla Dam; the Mirpur city and hundreds of villages, submerged in Mangla Dam waters. The college was shifted in the present building in New Mirpur in 1966, he added.
Justice (Retd) Azam Khan said that an integrated and comprehensive Saroshians website has been launched for sharing the valuable inputs by the old and existing students for the uplift of the historic institutions. Highlighting the significance of the social media in the current era, Justice Azam said that the social media was the most effective means of communications. He said the Soroshians’ website will play an important role in reunion of old Saroshians. He praised newly-elected office bearers of the Union for successful untiring endeavors to boost their old institutions who blessed them respect and honor in different positions including in various top slots.
As it is a practice in all the colleges that late college students every year assemble to recall the memories of their college life and share experience of life. The Government College Mirpur old students in the year 2008 under the able leadership of “Lala Ikram Ullah Khan” an old student and the most respected teacher of the college (Director Physical Education department) hold the alumni on December 09, 2007 in Government College Mirpur. A number of names were suggested consensus was developed that the old college students will be known by the name of the college magazine “Sarosh” as “Saroshians” which is being published since 1957.
In the same year some old boys under the leadership of “Mr. Mohammad Sabir Ansari Advocate” an old student of college held a successful alumni. After a gap of approximately 11 years a meeting of “Saroshians” was called by “Mr. Mohammad Azam Khan (Former Chief Justice of the State of Azad Jammu & Kashmir” an old student of college. After a number of meetings; reunion took place on March 04, 2018 in college premises where old students from 1945 to 2016 participated. “Saroshians Union” constitution was approved and office bearers were elected for two years.