History of Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) Delhi, India

Discovery of Jamia Millia Islamia 

Jamia Millia Islamia was established in Aligarh on 29 October 1920 in response the demand of some students of the Aligarh Muslim University. It was founded by Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, Abdul Majeed Khwaja, and Zakir Hussain under the presidency of Mahmud Hasan Deobandi. The main aim was behind its establishment for a new National Muslim University which would be free from government influence as they felt that the administration of Aligarh Muslim University was of pro-British stance.

According to Zakir Hussain "the movement of Jamia Millia Islamia as a struggle for education and cultural renaissance that aims to prepare a blueprint for Indian Muslims which may focus on Islam but simultaneously evolve a national culture for common Indian. It will lay the foundation of the thinking that true religious education will promote patriotism and national integration among Indian Muslims, who will be proud to take part in the future progress of India, which will play its part in the comity of nations for peace and development. The objective of establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia will be to lay down the common curriculum for Indian Muslims taking into account the future challenges and will prepare the children to be masters of future".

In 1925, Jamia Millia Islamia moved from Aligarh to Karol Bagh, New Delhi. The foundation stone for a school building was laid at Okhla, on 1st March 1935, then a nondescript village in the southern outskirts of Delhi. In 1936, all institutions of Jamia Millia Islamia except Jamia Press, the Maktaba, and the library moved to the new campus.

The University Grants Commission(UGC) gave Jamia Millia Islamia the deemed status in 1962. But later, Jamia Millia Islamia became a central university by an act of the Indian Parliament on 26 December 1988. Now on Friday, 29 October 2021, the University is celebrating its 101st foundation day.