Aligarh Muslim University in its centenary years, planning to bury a time capsule, to preserve its richest tradition and long-lasting history. According to sources, Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor formed a committee to perform this ambitious task. AMU History Professor, Manvendra Kumar Pundhir, a member of the committee, said that he was inspired by IIT Kanpur, which exercised this practice a decade ago.
“We have a much longer and richer past which needs to be preserved and celebrated. The four-member committee also has the chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering who would help us in designing the capsule,” said Prof. Pundhir.
Further explaining he told that the according to him, the capsule would be made of stainless steel having a layer of PVC. It would be filled with inert gases for the protection of material from decay for at least 500 years. The content would be written acid-resistant papers in order to prevent any sort of damage and also the digital copies of the material would also be buried.
Experts from IIT Kanpur were also helping them, he further added.
Interestingly somebody who has written on Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, told Prof. Mansoor that Sir Syed also did something similar when the foundation of the College was laid on January 8, 1877.
According to Aligarh Institute Gazette, published on 12 January 1877 that the old capsule was placed under the Starchy hall, in the presence of Sir Sayed, then viceroy Edward Robert Lytton and then king of Varanasi, Shambhu.
Sources from University have not yet specified the exact location where the new time capsule will be buried. But it will be a moment of proud for each individual who will witness this breathtaking moment. No doubt that it will be a bliss for all the generations to come.
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