As per the university authorities, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, who has been leading the Bohra Muslim community of more than a million members worldwide since 2014, has been chosen as the new chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. His term as chancellor will commence today, March 14, and will last for five years, taking over from Najma Heptulla, who finished her term last year.
"Members of the court (anjuman) of the Jamia Millia Islamia have unanimously elected Saifuddin as the chancellor of the university for five years with effect from 14th March 2023," a university official said. The official added that the election of Saifuddin, who has featured in the list of 500 most-influential Muslims, happened at a meeting of the court on Monday, March 13.
In a statement, the university expressed that Saifuddin "leads by his exceptional examples", with a particular emphasis on education, environmental protection, socio-economic development, and more. The university also noted that Saifuddin oversees several global programs, such as the Saifee Burhani Uplift Project, Turning the Tide, and Project Rise, as well as the FMB Community Kitchen, which all aim to address issues like hunger eradication, food waste reduction, and environmental conservation, stated a PTI report.
According to the university, a citation was presented in the US House of Representatives to acknowledge his contributions, and he has been honoured as a revered state guest in various countries. Saifuddin is an alumnus of both Al-Azhar University and Cairo University in Egypt. Additionally, he recently inaugurated a new campus for Al-jamia-tus-saifiya in Mumbai on February 10th. The statement also mentioned his philanthropic work, which includes implementing sustainable agricultural systems, improving local infrastructure, and promoting equal education opportunities for both girls and boys in Yemen as reported by PTI.
